A Southern Classic just in nugget form! These Southern Fried Catfish Nuggets are crispy, flaky, and seasoned to perfection! Served with a Cajun Remoulade Sauce, these nuggets are the perfect appetizer or snack for any occasion.

Catch of the Day!

With it being summer and all, it is the perfect time to sit outside and eat some amazing fish and seafood. Lately, I have been craving them both! I can’t seem to get enough of either of them! But, this time, I wanted some good old fried fish!

Fried Lake Trout, Whiting, and Catfish are some of my favorites! They all go great with some hot sauce and a slice of white bread. With catfish on my mind, I had to make this Southern Fried Catfish Nugget Recipe! They were perfectly fried and seasoned to perfection. I couldn’t get enough of them!

Southern Fried Catfish Nuggets’ Ingredients:

I picked all of these ingredients very quickly and easily in the grocery store. All of the ingredients are really easy to find and work with!

When choosing your fish, make sure to ask whoever is running the fish department for any help if you’re confused. They will even cut the fish to your specifications.

Catfish Nuggets:

• Catfish: Catfish is one of my favorite types of flaky fish. It fries and sears beautifully. I used about 2 lbs total of catfish. I bought my catfish pre-cut. But, you are more than welcome to buy the filets whole and cut them into nuggets.

• Buttermilk: I used buttermilk instead of regular milk because of the extra flavor it adds to the fish. I mix this with hot sauce and allow the catfish to marinate for 30 minutes. I do not suggest marinating the fish longer than 1 hour. 

• Hot Sauce: I added hot sauce to the marinade and the cajun remoulade sauce. I like my catfish a little bit spicy. The hot sauce starts to build the spice into the nuggets before they are fried.

• Yellow Cornmeal & All-Purpose Flour: You cannot have fried catfish without cornmeal! It gives the nuggets their golden yellow color when fried. I like to mix my cornmeal with a small amount of flour. The flour makes the overall mixture finer. Make sure to use fine yellow cornmeal as well.   

• Seasoning Mix: To season the cornmeal mixture I used a mixture of kosher salt, lemon pepper, onion powder, garlic powder, black pepper, cayenne pepper, and paprika. It’s the perfect balance of salt and spice. 

• Frying Oil: To deep fry, I suggest using a basic frying oil such as vegetable oil, canola oil, peanut oil, etc. Make sure that your oil is hot enough before frying any of your nuggets. Remember that your oil temp needs to be between 340°F - 350°F.

Cajun Remoulade Sauce 

• Mayonnaise: Mayonnaise will be the base of the remoulade sauce. I always suggest using quality mayonnaise such as Hellman’s or Duke’s. Trust me, you will be able to taste the difference.

• Dijon Mustard: The Dijon Mustard adds a slight tanginess to the sauce without overpowering the rest of the ingredients. I only used about 1 tablespoon of Dijon Mustard. 

• Cajun Seasoning, Cayenne Pepper, Paprika, and Hot Sauce: These four ingredients add some amazing spice and flavor to the sauce. The mixture of the four adds enough spice to the sauce without making it overwhelming. That means you can keep eating it over and over again!

• Liquid Smoke: I added a small amount of liquid smoke to the sauce while making this recipe. I did it just to see how it would taste. This ingredient is totally optional; but, it definitely added some extra smokiness to the sauce which was amazing! 

• Lemon Juice: The acid from the lemon juice helps to cut some of the spice from the sauce while brightening it up at the same time. It really wakes the sauce up even more!

• Parsley: The minced parsley adds some freshness and color to the sauce. The parsley really doesn't have a taste to me, but the contrasting colors in the sauce are beautiful. 

• Worcestershire Sauce: This sauce adds some additional tang. I do not suggest adding more than recommended because it could overpower the overall taste of the sauce. 

• Salt & Ground Black Pepper: Season the sauce to taste with kosher salt and ground black pepper. I only used a small amount of both to really bring out all of the other flavors in the sauce. 

How to Make Southern Fried Catfish Nuggets:

Frying might seem complicated to some. It’s a fast process because you’re using fish. But, once you’ve gotten through your first batch, it begins to come very naturally. Overall, the recipe is very simple to follow.

The full written recipe is below, but here’s an overview.

• STEP 1: Always Heat the Oil First. In a large pot or basket fryer, heat the oil until it reaches between 340°F - 350°F.

• STEP 2: Marinate the Catfish. While the oil is heating, mix the buttermilk and hot sauce in a large bowl. Add the catfish to the buttermilk and allow it to marinate in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.

• STEP 3: Season the Cornmeal & Flour Mixture. While the catfish is marinating, add the cornmeal, flour, kosher salt, lemon pepper, onion powder, garlic powder, black pepper, and cayenne to a large Ziploc bag. Close the bag and shake until combined.

• STEP 4: Make the Cajun Remoulade Sauce. In a small bowl, mix together the ingredients for the remoulade sauce. Refrigerate the sauce for later use.

• STEP 5: Dredge the Catfish Nuggets in Batches. Remove the catfish from the refrigerator and drain the buttermilk. In batches, add the nuggets to the cornmeal mixture. Shake until the nuggets are fully coated. Remove the nuggets from the cornmeal mixture and shake off any excess. Place the nuggets on a lined baking sheet.

• STEP 6: Fry the Nuggets in Batches. When the oil is fully heated, begin frying the nuggets in batches until golden brown. Repeat the previous steps until all of the nuggets are fully coated in cornmeal and fried. Make sure to allow the oil to come back up to temperature (340°F - 350°F) after frying each batch.

• STEP 7: Drain off Any Excess Oil. Place the fried nuggets in a pan lined with paper towels or a wire rack to remove any excess oil. If desired, top the nuggets with some extra lemon pepper seasoning for some extra flavor.

• STEP 8: Serve & Enjoy! Serve the catfish nuggets with Cajun Remoulade Sauce, lemon wedges, and extra hot sauce! Enjoy!

FRYING TIPS FOR THE BEST CATFISH NUGGETS

Now when it comes to frying, always make sure to have the right oil at the right temperature. Fried foods are always perceived as completely bad for people.

Now, it is not good to eat them on a consistent basis, but they are good on occasion. Here are some of my favorite tips for frying catfish and other foods:

• USE THE CORRECT FAT: Not all oils and fats are good for frying. I suggest using: Peanut Oil, Soybean Oil, Vegetable Oil, Safflower Oil, Canola Oil, Corn Oil, Sunflower Oil, or Crisco.

• FRY AT THE RIGHT TEMPERATURE: I always suggest using the following temp range when frying: 340°F - 375°F. The food will cook evenly and come out golden brown. The crispiness of the skin will not be compromised as well. For the nuggets, stay between 340°F - 350°F.

• HAVE WIRE RACK AND PAPER TOWEL READY: Have a wire rack ready with paper towels underneath will help to drain off any excess oil that the fried items might have. This will keep them all crispy. If you’re doing large batches at a time, I suggest keeping the fried items in a 350°F oven to keep them hot.

I’d love to hear your feedback about these CRISPY Southern Fried Catfish Nuggets! Leave me a message in the comments section below. Remember to share and enjoy! Follow Be Greedy Eats on Pinterest and Instagram as well!

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