Crispy, flaky, and topped with a fresh slaw! These Fried Catfish Sandwiches are crazy delicious and seasoned to perfection. Made with crispy fried catfish and a savory creamy cole slaw, these sandwiches are mouth-watering!

Flavor on Top of Flavor!

It’s nothing like a lil piece of fried fish with a slice of white bread and some hot sauce! That was the original fish sandwich (well at least for the old black people)! But this time around, let’s make a full sandwich with all of the trimmings.

My Easy Fried Catfish Sandwiches were exactly that and more! The crispy fish paired with a toasted bun and a fresh homemade slaw made my mouth water. I ate one whole sandwich and was ready for a good old nap! I know y’all are going to love these sandwiches just as much as I did after just one bite.

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: 350°F - 365°F. The food will cook evenly and come out golden brown. The crispiness of the skin will not be compromised as well.

• HAVE WIRE RACK AND PAPER TOWEL READY: Having 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.

Fried Catfish Sandwich Ingredients:

This recipe combines so many simple ingredients into such delicious sandwiches. The ingredients can be found in pretty much any store too which is even better!

Some of the ingredients are probably sitting in your refrigerator waiting to be used. 

• 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 whole and cut it into 6 filets. But, you are more than welcome to buy the pre-cut filets. Just make sure that they are fresh and not frozen.

• 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 buttermilk for some additional flavor. I like my catfish a little bit spicy. The hot sauce starts to build the spice into the filets before they are fried. Chose your favorite brand s well!

• Yellow Cornmeal & All-Purpose Flour: You cannot have fried catfish without cornmeal! It gives the filets 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 350°F - 365°F.

• Accompaniments: To bring my sandwiches to life, I used toasted brioche buns, sliced tomatoes, and fresh green leaf lettuce. The combo of salt, spice, and fresh ingredients was an amazing combo!

Cole Slaw

• Coleslaw Mix: To make my life easier, I purchased a prepackaged cole slaw mix from the produce section. I like using the tricolor mix whenever I make cole slaw. It gives some additional color and dimension. 

• Red Onion: I love a little onion in my cole slaw! But, I decided to go with red onion instead of yellow onion this time. The red onion added a nice bite of sharpness to the cole slaw while adding some more color.

• Mayonnaise: To make the base for my slaw, I started off with some mayonnaise. Use your preferred brand when making the slaw. I prefer Hellman’s or Duke’s. Each will give you a slightly different taste. 

• Granulated Sugar: To help balance all of the flavors in the mix, I added a few tablespoons of sugar. This gives the cole slaw its iconic hint of sweetness. Just make sure to only use the specified amount. 

• Seasoning Mix: For some additional flavor I added some garlic powder, cayenne pepper, kosher salt, and ground black pepper. These few seasonings helped to bring the whole slaw together. Plus, they help to complement the flavors in the catfish dredge.

• Apple Cider Vinegar: To bring some brightness to the slaw, I added a little bit of apple cider vinegar. It is a sweeter vinegar, but you can use white or rice wine vinegar for a different taste. 

• Fresh Parsley: For some added visual, I added in a little chopped greenery. Fresh parsley or cilantro will work perfectly. It only acts as a garnish, so it is totally optional.

How to make Fried Catfish Sandwiches

Now that we understand what goes into the recipe, let’s get started! The great thing about this recipe is how easy it is to make!

These fish filets are good on their own, but when on a sandwich, they’re even better! I almost ate two of these sandwiches in one sitting. That says enough!

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

• STEP 1: Marinate the Fish & Make the Dredge. Mix together the buttermilk and hot sauce in a large bowl or Ziploc bag. Add the catfish filets and allow them to marinate in the refrigerator for 30 minutes. While the filets are marinating, add the cornmeal, flour, kosher salt, lemon pepper, onion powder, garlic powder, black pepper, and cayenne pepper to a large bowl. Mix until combined.

• STEP 2: Heat the Oil & Make the Cole Slaw. In a large pot or basket fryer, heat the oil until it reaches between 350°F - 365°F. While the oil is heating, combine the ingredients for the cole slaw in a small bowl. Taste and season with additional kosher salt and ground black pepper if desired. Hold the cole slaw in the refrigerator until ready to use.

• STEP 3: Dredge the Catfish. Remove the catfish from the refrigerator and drain the buttermilk. In batches, add the filets to the cornmeal mixture making sure to fully coat on each side. Remove the filets from the cornmeal mixture and shake off any excess. Place the filets on a lined baking sheet.

• STEP 4: Fry the Filets & Hold them Hot. When the oil is fully heated, begin frying the filets in batches until golden brown making sure the filets reach 145 °F internally. Use a baking sheet lined with a rack and paper towels to hold the fried fish and prevent fogginess.

• STEP 5: Finish Frying & Assemble Sandwiches. Repeat the previous steps until all of the filets are fully cooked. Make sure to allow the oil to come back up to temperature (350°F - 365°F) after frying each batch. Layer your toasted buns with lettuce, sliced tomatoes, pickles, fried fish, and cole slaw. Serve with chips or fries and lemon wedges. Enjoy!

WHAT TO SERVE WITH Fried Catfish sandwiches?

These Fried Catfish Sandwiches are a FULL MEAL by themselves! It’s hard to think about what to pair with these delicious sandwiches. But for those who are extra greedy like me, here are some other dishes to make an ultimate feast:

• Tossed Caesar or Mixed Green Salad

• Crispy French Fries or Potato Wedges

• Greek Cucumber Salad

• Fried Pickles or Onion Rings

I’d love to hear your feedback about these EASY Fried Catfish Sandwiches! 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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