Baked Catfish

Skip the fish fry—make this baked catfish at home and skip the mess. While I love fried catfish, this baked recipe is quick, easy, and way less messy. I dredge the catfish in cornmeal and flavor it with plenty of Cajun seasoning, resulting in a crisp and extra-flavorful result. The best part of this dish? It’s the perfect base to build on and experiment with what you have on hand! Whether you’re looking for a summer meal or an easy-to-make seafood dinner to bring to mind warmer weather, this simple catfish recipe should be your new go-to.

What People Are Saying:
“Best catfish ever and without the greasy frying mess. Hats off to this recipe it was absolutely delicious. Everyone in my household is hooked. A must try!” - earthywalker

“Definitely a keeper. Easy to prepare and the fish was yummy without frying it. I will be using this recipe often.” - GoldBeer

How To Make Baked Catfish

INGREDIENTS

• Extra-Virgin Olive Oil: Use your favorite extra-virgin olive oil, or check out our list of the best (and worst!) olive oil brands.
• Cornmeal: While some recipes combine cornmeal and flour for the dredge, I went with just cornmeal. It gives an added crunch to our catfish breading that we need when baking.
• Cajun Seasoning: I season the cornmeal with Cajun seasoning for added flavor, but feel free to add in your own favorite seasonings. Use our homemade recipe to make your own (and use on all your favorite Cajun-inspired recipes), or use store-bought if that’s what you have on hand.
• Catfish: I’m using 4 catfish fillets here. We soak our fillets in buttermilk in our fried catfish recipe, but no need to do that here.
  

STEP-BY-STEP INSTRUCTIONS

First, preheat your oven to 425°. Drizzle olive oil all over a large baking sheet—no need to spread it around evenly. Then, in a large plate, combine cornmeal and Cajun season and mix together. Season your catfish well with salt and pepper on both sides, then dredge in the cornmeal mixture. Make sure to press in the mixture to ensure that it is fully coated and sticking well.

Then, place your fillets on the prepared baking sheet, and drizzle the tops with the remainder of your olive oil.

Bake until the catfish is golden. My fillets were done in around 15 minutes. Depending on the size of your fillets, they could need longer—keep an eye on them! The best way to tell when your catfish is done is when the crust is nice and golden, and your fish flakes easily with a fork.

The full list of ingredients and instructions can be found in the recipe below.

What To Serve With Baked Catfish

There’s no shortage of sides to pair with this catfish dinner. Serve these fillets alongside coleslaw, hush puppies, and air fryer okra for a classic Southern meal. Some more ideas: classic potato salad, sweet potato biscuits, sautéed mustard greens, or our black-eyed pea salad.

Storage

If you have any leftovers, store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days.