Description
This crispy cornmeal fried fish has a crunchy, golden coating with a delicious blend of seasonings. Made with simple ingredients, it’s perfect for a classic fish fry, served with coleslaw, fries, or hush puppies!
Ingredients
Units
Scale
- 1 lb white fish fillets (catfish, tilapia, cod, or haddock)
- 1 cup yellow cornmeal
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional for heat)
- 1 large egg
- 1/2 cup buttermilk (or regular milk)
- 1 cup vegetable oil (for frying)
- Lemon wedges (for serving)
- Hot sauce or tartar sauce (for dipping)
Instructions
- Prepare the coating: In a shallow dish, mix the cornmeal, flour, salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, and cayenne.
- Prepare the wet mixture: In another dish, whisk the egg and buttermilk together.
- Coat the fish: Dip each fish fillet into the buttermilk mixture, then dredge in the cornmeal mixture, pressing gently to coat.
- Heat the oil: In a large skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat to 350°F (175°C).
- Fry the fish: Fry each fillet for 3-4 minutes per side or until golden brown and crispy. Drain on paper towels.
- Serve hot: Garnish with lemon wedges and serve with hot sauce or tartar sauce.
Notes
- For extra crunch, double-dip the fish by repeating the buttermilk and cornmeal coating process.
- If you prefer oven-baked fish, spray the fillets with oil and bake at 400°F (200°C) for 15-20 minutes, flipping halfway.
- Works great in fish tacos, sandwiches, or as a main dish with coleslaw and fries!