My Air Fryer Southern Fried Catfish will knock your socks off with a perfectly crunchy Homemade Louisiana Style Fish Fry Mix.
Air Fryer Southern Fried Catfish
If you were not a Catfish lover before, I bet you will be one now.
The result of my Air Fryer Southern Fried Catfish recipe was a huge surprise to me.
We love Fried Fish, but rarely eat it as deep frying isn’t the best for our health.
My blog needed more fish recipes.
I was never a huge Catfish lover, but I really wanted to do another type of Fish in my Air Fryer, which would be incredible.
I literally sat at my desk, thought about challenging myself and typed up a recipe, which sounded great in my head.
Then, I asked my This Old Gal Cooking Group, for tester volunteers. Mind you, I had not yet attempted this recipe.
Cast of Ingredients for Air Fryer Southern Fried Catfish
A few people took the bait. I mean, volunteered.
Now, there is always a method to my madness, so, hear me out.
I’m telling you right off the bat, before you see the ingredients…..
Please trust me on this…..
Even if you don’t like Yellow Mustard, Dijon Mustard or any kind of Mustard.
This recipe is incredibly fabulous……
You will not taste Mustard.
Squeeze Lemon over Fish
When thinking about my Homemade Louisiana Fish Fry Mix, I wanted a bit of a lemon flavor.
I thought about adding True Lemon Crystals, since it is dry, but not everyone has True Lemon on hand, although, you really and truly should.
This Catfish is super fresh and I wasn’t concerned about it being fishy.
However, since Milk is often used to soak raw fish, I thought, how great would it be to add some Fresh Lemon to the Milk and make Buttermilk!
It’s like killing two birds with one stone.
Milk + Lemon Juice = Buttermilk!
Perfect solution!
Not only will the Buttermilk plump up the Catfish and make it nice and mild, but there will be a hint of a Lemon flavor!
Cover with Milk
You want to make sure the Fish is completely submersed in the Milk, so add more if necessary.
This Lock and Lock container set is perfect for soaking Fish, among other things.
You will notice that in my Air Fryer Baja Fish Tacos recipe, I also soak the Fish in Buttermilk, but not using Lemon for the acid this time.
Homemade Louisiana Fish Fry
Now for my fabulous Homemade Louisiana Style Fish Fry Mix.
You can buy packaged Louisiana Fish Fry if you like and make some good tasting Fried Catfish.
Or, you can use my Homemade Louisiana Style Fish Fry Mix recipe instead and make delicious tasting Fried Catfish.
Seriously, my Homemade Fish Fry Mix is better than the packaged stuff.
My recipe has some spices mixed in to give the Crust a Louisiana Cajun flavor.
This recipe produces the perfect Crackling Crust, which works optimally in the Air Fryer.
I’ve been creating recipes for the Air Fryer for a bit over two years, so at this point, from my own personal experiments and working knowledge, I know what works and what doesn’t and I know what tricks to use for the best results.
Here is a perfect example.
You must try my Air Fryer Crispy Honey Garlic Chicken Wings recipe. We literally just finished some for dinner!
Dry the Fish Very Well
For this recipe to work, you need to dry the Catfish Fillets completely.
Why you ask? Okay, here it comes.
Those of you that hate Yellow Mustard, try not to cringe, but please trust me on this.
The Mustard needs to adhere to the Fish.
Slather the Fillets with Yellow Mustard
Seriously, slather the heck out of the Catfish Fillets with Yellow Mustard.
Use a Pastry Brush, if you don’t want your fingers turning yellow.
This is the key ingredient to this Air Fryer Southern Fried Catfish recipe.
The Yellow Mustard will not even be noticed after the Fillets are Air Fried.
The Crust will be creamy tasting, yet Crackling in the mouth. Wait until you taste your first bite and then please, come back and give me a better description that what I wrote.
Coat the Fillets with Homemade Fish Fry Mix
Coat all the Catfish Fillets with the Homemade Fish Fry Mix.
Get as thick of a coating as you can.
It’s not like my Air Fryer Baja Fish Tacos, where you need to shake off the excess flour.
Or my Air Fryer Chicken Fillet Sandwiches, where shaking off excess flour is important.
Because of the Yellow Mustard layer, the coating can be nice and thick, just the way Catfish should be!
Pile on as much as you can.
Mist the Catfish Fillets with Oil
Make sure you read my Article on How to Properly Season Air Fryer Basket.
You will need an Oil Sprayer and I highly recommend the Fine Life Oil Sprayer. It is the best I have used.
My testers on this recipe went crazy over their meal.
One lady told me that because of the Air Fryer and my recipe, her husband can eat so much Catfish now, since it is not full of grease!
She said my Coating is spot on and that it was the best recipe she has ever made!
Wow! She is from Louisiana, so that was pretty cool.
Here is another confession. I was all set to make the Air Fryer Baja Fish Tacos, but Ed walked in with Fresh Catfish, so I had to get it done!
I already had the Baja Fish Tacos White Sauce and my Simple Corn Salsa Recipe all ready to go.
I had to switch gears and do the Catfish recipe first and, it paid off.
I’m pleased as punch, if you can’t already tell.
Air Fryer Southern Fried Catfish Fillets
Just wait until you sink your teeth into this crispy Catfish.
I can’t wait to see how you all will love this recipe.
Check out my New Orleans Rémoulade Sauce recipe and make yourself a Catfish Po Boy.
Try my Lemon Dill Aioli Sauce and dip your Catfish Fillets into this yummy sauce.
Cut the Catfish Fillets into Nuggets and serve with my Creamy Baja White Sauce.
There are so many possibilities.
If you want a delicious side dish, you must make my Pressure Cooker Creamy Mashed Potatoes. You have an Instant Pot or Pressure Cooker, right?
Kitchen Equipment and Essentials
- Ultrean 8.5 Quart Air Fryer
- Amco Advanced Performance 18/10 Stainless Steel Measuring Spoons
- Simply Gourmet (Dry) Stainless Steel Measuring Cups
- Cilio Olivewood Spatula
- di Oro Living Silicone Spatulas Set
- Porcelain & Bamboo Salt Box with Spoon
- Gravity Electric Salt and Pepper Grinder
- Olive Oil Sprayer / Mister for Cooking
- Lock and Lock Container
- Silicone Coated Tongs
- Silicone BBQ Basting Brush
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Here is the handy printable recipe:
Ingredients
- 2 pounds Catfish Fillets
- 1 cup Milk
- 1 Lemon
- 1/2 cup Yellow Mustard
Cornmeal Seasoning Mix
- 1/2 cup Cornmeal
- 1/4 cup All Purpose Flour
- 2 Tablespoons Dried Parsley Flakes
- 1/2 teaspoon Kosher Salt
- 1/4 teaspoon Freshly Ground Black Pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon Chili Powder
- 1/4 teaspoon Garlic Powder
- 1/4 teaspoon Granulated Onion Powder
- 1/4 teaspoon Cayenne Pepper
Recommended Products
Instructions
- Place Catfish into a flat container and add Milk.
- Cut Lemon in half and squeeze about two teaspoons of juice into Milk to make Buttermilk.
- Place container in refrigerator and let Fillets soak for 15 minutes.
- In a shallow bowl, combine Cornmeal Seasoning Ingredients.
- Remove Fillets from Buttermilk and pat dry with paper towels.
- Spread Mustard generously over both sides of Fillets.
- Dip each Fillet into Cornmeal mixture and coat well to make a thick coating.
- Place Fillets into greased Air Fryer Basket. Spray generously with oil.
- Cook at 390/400 degrees for 10 minutes. Flip over Fillets and spray with Oil and cook an additional 3-5 minutes.
Notes
Nutrition
PIN this Air Fryer Southern Fried Catfish!
Jill. how would I use True Lemon instead of fresh lemon?
A teaspoon of True Lemon is equal to I think a Tablespoon of fresh. You’ll have to check the bottle. Jill
Absolutely the crispiest fish we’ve had in the air fryer yet. Delicious! Thank you.
Thank you, Karen.
Don’t have an air fryer. Can I bake this in my “regular” electric oven? If so, at what temp & length of time, do you think? Thanks!
How would you modify this recipe to have 0 salt and use lemon crystals in the mix instead of the milk?
Hello – going to try this in my convection oven that can double as an air fryer – do you think it will work and should I make any adjustments?
Best air fryer catfish I ever made. Cooked up perfectly crispy on the outside and juicy on the inside! This is my new go to fish recipe. Thank you
Thank you, Patience. I am glad you enjoyed my recipe. Jill
i’ve had an air fryer for about 5 months and have been putting it thru its paces as far as all the fried foods i like. getting crispy/crunch catfish has eluded me up until i tried your recipe. the mustard was a great binder for the cornmeal seasoning blend (i used my own seasoning blend, but it’s similar to yours). i finally settled on a 10/5 cooking time at 390 degrees, which turned out nice and crunchy but not overcooked.
Hi Chris. Thank you so much. I am so glad you finally used your air fryer and also enjoyed my recipe. Jill
Used Louisiana Fish Fry coating as a short cut and didn’t use mustard. (Not that we don’y like it we just didn’t have any) Soaked the catfish in buttermilk, but yet we didn’t have mustard, and I think this really helped the coating stick. Had to turn the heat on my air fryer down a bit but every machine is a little different. Also, this was the first time I’ve ever cooked fish and usually I don’t like catfish but this turned out amazing! Thank you so much! Even the man of the house who was initially opposed to me cooking catfish in the air fryer loved it. My only regret was I didn’t cook more, haha
Deliciously wonderful recipe. I have the ninja foodi. Did not preheat my air fryer. Found that 13 minutes was not sufficient for crispy coating. I think next time I will preheat and go for 18-20 minute air fry. The taste was spot on, however. I tasted some of the mustard but I was a fan nonetheless. Will be making this again. Thank you!
Hi Jill, I plan on using this recipe for cod instead of catfish. Have you or anyone else tried cod? Thanks. I will let you know how it turns out. I am so sorry to hear about Junie Moon
Yes, it is delish with cod. We love cod here. Jill
Thank you! I mainly use recipes as inspiration and then do my own thing. So I don’t comment a lot on recipes I try but this is a hit out of the ball park!!!!! My son and his wife gave me an air fryer for Christmas. Hubby and I have been trying out air fryer recipes. He wanted fish tonight and suggested I do it in the air fryer. The Mustard in this recipe adds a nice zing and definitely worth NOT skipping. This recipe has taught me I definitely need to invest in a good oil spray mister. My plan was to take a picture of our fish. I remembered to do that when I was eating my last bite! Lol!
Thank you so much, Sherri. I am thrilled you enjoy my recipe. Jill
Do I spray my basket and the fish?
Do you spray basket or fish when frying? How much oil to spray & is cooking spray ok to use.
The mustard is a great addition I had never heard of, even though I have southern culinary roots. I would definitely use mustard from now on. Both DH and I agreed that the fish was properly cooked at 13 minutes, but the coating was not nearly crispy enough. I tried 15 min, then 18 min, then 20 min. We both thought the 20 minute batch was the best; crispy but not dry. I will use this recipe again!
Every air fryer is different and each person uses different amounts of coating and might not shake it off the same, so different cook times are normal. I am so glad you enjoyed my recipe. Jill
Made this recipe exactly but the catfish was not crispy. Suggestions?
Cook it at a higher temperature or longer. Each appliance may be different from the next. Jill
So glad to have found this recipe!
At one time I wouldn’t eat any catfish. Then my best friend (who has since passed) who was a little cajun said “you’ll love mine” and she preceded to use yellow mustard on hers, prior to cooking. I said “Eww, that doesn’t sound very good” and, like you, she said you will never taste the mustard…and BOTH of your are right!
Since she’s now in heaven, the only way I’ll be eating catfish is if I can cook it myself and it tastes like hers, so am looking forward to trying this recipe!
Thank you so much for sharing your story with me. Jill
Do you think this recipe will work for my ninja air fryer toaster oven
Of course. Recipes work in any brand of appliance. Jill
Trying this tonight and wondered if Gulden’s Spicy Brown mustard or a horseradishy polish mustard would work? We are a house of many mustard varieties, but plain yellow just isn’t one of them. Thanks!
Those have a stronger flavor and the point of the mustard is not for the fish to taste like mustard and why I chose the yellow. I agree with you regarding mustards other than yellow. Try it with what you have and see if you like the taste. Jill
This recipe rocks!! I was nervous about the mustard, but it was delicious and moist. This will be my new go to way to cook catfish!!! Thanks!
Thanks, Motisola. Most don’t believe me when I say that the mustard isn’t really noticed. Jill
I made this for dinner tonight and you’re right I didn’t even taste the mustard! I don’t like mustard so thats saying something. It was delicious.
Awesome, Karen. Jill
The reciep lists nutritional information, but does not address what a “serving” size is. What is a serving size of this reciep?
Recipe says Serves 4 and 2 lbs of catfish would be 1/2 lb (8 oz) per serving
Here in NC, the main fresh fish is flounder and bass. I am considering using your recipe for them. Would you change the spices? Have you used on other types of fish?
We love flounder. Recipe and spices can remain the same. This is particular delish with flounder. Jill
When I first read this recipe to place mustard on the catfish I was nervous, but after I tried it I have been hooked!! It helps the coating stick, get extra crunch and the taste is amazing. Thank you for sharing.
Thank you so much, Ashlei. I am so glad you enjoyed the recipe. Jill
I honestly was just looking for the cooking temps and times, I have tried several recipes in my air fryer for catfish and most temp times when turning them over they were mushy and fell apart after turning. (very frustrating!) But this recipe they didn’t! I did use a store bought mix that I have used for years but I thought I would try the mustard, I thought it made the fish a little to salty tasting for my taste. But thank you for the temp. and times!!
You are welcome. Glad you had a nice success. Jill
very good and I am anxious to make it again iam 84 and thought I kerw it all thanks
Hi Florence. Thank you for your sweet comment. I am so glad you enjoyed the catfish. Jill
I have used mustard on fried fish for years so I know your fish will be great. I just got my air fryer two days ago and will be doing the fish tonight.
Hi Cindi. It is a great trick! I can’t wait to hear about your fish. Enjoy. Jill
This was outstanding! Followed the recipe exactly. No mustard taste whatsoever! You’ve created a perfect balance of seasonings for the coating. My husband loved it, too. He couldn’t taste any hint of mustard either. Good job, girl, and thanks for sharing! This will be a regular in our home now!
Thank you, Ali. Jill
I love your recipe, I also use the mustard on my chicken wings, soooo gooddonna
Thank you. Jill
What kind of oil do you must with?
Hello, I really want to try this recipe. But hubby and I absolutely hate yellow mustard. Do you think spicy mustard or mayo would work?
Probably, but there is no mustard taste. Jill
Just tried this recipe on my family. WINNER!! Sooo happy as my dad is an avid fisherman and we get more catfish than we can eat, and I don’t like all the oil. I told the kids they couldn’t know the “super secret ingredient.” ? I don’t taste mustard at all.
Hi Mitsie. Thank you. I am so glad your family enjoyed this recipe. Jill
Absolutely delicious
Thank you, Ashley. Jill
Great & very tasty recipe! I was on the brink of returning my hot air fryer as nothing had been turning out right……until this recipe. Thank you.
Awww, Parkerville, thank you so much. I am thrilled that this recipe was the turning point for you. Jill
This sounds so delicious can I make it in the Oven since I do not have an air fryer
Delicious! First time using air fryer for fish. Now lays the groundwork for all my fish frying. Share to my folks as I help lead them to a better self.
It taste good. This was my first attempt using the air fryer. No very profitable. My catfish kept breaking up even with the oil. Practice make perfect. I will try again. Do you have any tips?
Could you use the keto all-purpose seasoned breading instead or at least instead of the flour and wind up with a similar result?
Yes, I think so. Jill
I have to be honest…I was in a rush and used a boxed seasoned coating and did not take the time to soak. The addition of the mustard intrigued me and I decided to try it. The results were AMAZING! My husband said that it was better than any catfish he has gotten in a restaurant. I will definitely be using mustard to coat every time now. I may even try it on other types of meat in my air fryer. The coating was perfect and it stayed on even when turning. I will try the entire recipe as posted next time. If you are in a rush though – just clean the fish, dry , rub with mustard, roll in coating and cook as directed here. (I used Zatarain’s crispy Cajun seafood breading mix) Thanks so much for this recipe!
Hi Angie. I am so glad you enjoyed my recipe so much. The boxed coating works well too and totally fine to use. That mustard is a shocker! Jill
This was amazing! Will definitely add it to our rotation! Still finding fun (and healthy) things to make in the air fryer.
My husband and I made this the other night. I wasn’t too sure since I’m not a fan of mustard, but tried it anyway. He loved it. If we make it again, I will make some with mustard and some without because there was definitely a mustard flavor noticeable (to me) after cooking.
Looking into getting a air fryer for heart-healthy recipes. Typically when my husband fixes crappie or bass (or catfish), he pats them dry and then uses only seasoned cornmeal to fry them in oil. Is there a specific purpose for the mustard?
Yes, there is. Try it and let me know what you think. Jill
I made air fried blue gill tonight. I wish I had seen this recipe before I started. I just dipped my fish in Louisiana fish fry dip, sprayed the air fryer pan & the fish. It was pretty bad. Will have to try this.
just tried really good i used the louisana lour a little to hot will mix a little flour next time did the mustard turned out good flakey i love my air fryer
Can you use talapia
How long can the mix be stored?
How long can the mix be stored
How long does the breading last?
I made this, following the recipe exactly and it was delicious! Great dish. Thanks!
This is so wonderful to hear, Stella. I am so glad you enjoyed my recipe. Jill
This was the best catfish recipe I have ever made for sure. It I could give it 10 stars, I would. I will be making this over and over again.