Dinner Candace Dorsey Dinner Candace Dorsey

Air Fryer Catfish Nuggets

One of my fondest food memories as a child during the summertime was fried catfish! My brothers and uncle would spend the day fishing out on the lake and come home with catfish up to their ears! My mom would deep fry catfish filets and homemade hushpuppies and have coleslaw and tartar sauce on the side. It truly didn’t get any better than that!

My childhood years were really the only time I ate fried catfish. So when I moved back south this past year, not only was I craving fried catfish, but the exact preparation on how my mother used to make it.

 

Air Fryer Catfish Nuggets - childhood nostalgia in every crispy gluten free, fish battered bite! 

One of my fondest food memories as a child during the summertime was fried catfish! My brothers and uncle would spend the day fishing out on the lake and come home with catfish up to their ears! My mom would deep fry catfish filets and homemade hushpuppies and have coleslaw and tartar sauce on the side. It truly didn’t get any better than that! 

My childhood years were really the only time I ate fried catfish. So when I moved back south this past year, not only was I craving fried catfish, but the exact preparation on how my mother used to make it. 

With that being said, I am so thankful that the air fryer was created in my adult years because I am not quite sure how my thirty one year old body would react to deep fried foods again! 

Now that I have a healthier way to prepare this dish, I need the catfish! 

After one night of nighttime fishing out on Lake Hartwell, I caught my first 15 pound blue catfish! 

We put that bad boy on ice for three days (to help draw the blood out / gives it a less “fishy” taste), filet it, brined it and here we are in the recipe storyline. 

Now if “lake to table” isn’t your journey and you want more “frozen fish to table”, then that is okay too! When choosing a fish, neutral flavored and lean fish is the best way to go like bass, trout, tilapia, Alaskan cod, and halibut.

I have also included a paleo, keto, sugar-free and Whole 30 approved tartar sauce recipe that pairs perfectly with the catfish nuggets. 

And I promise you, even though these catfish nuggets are gluten-free and air fried vs deep fried and tartar sauce is made with cleaner ingredients, you will not be able to tell the difference! It is truly childhood nostalgia in every crispy fish battered bite! 

Want more seafood recipes, here is a list to get you started: shrimp and grits, air fryer honey mustard salmon, fresh and easy ceviche 2-ways, smoked sardine toast with radicchio salad and pickled onions, ahi poke bowl & stack, healthy salmon patties with lemon dill potato salad, grilled shrimp summer salad, and pecan crusted spiced salmon

If you try this recipe, let us know! Leave a comment, rate it, and don’t forget to tag a photo to #fromtherootsblog on Instagram. We love seeing what you come up with!

Air Fryer Catfish Nuggets - childhood nostalgia in every crispy gluten free, fish battered bite! 

Servings: 9-12 | Prep Time: 1 hour | Cook Time: 7-10 min

Ingredients

  • 3 lb prepared catfish filets

  • 3 Tbsp creole seasoning

  • 2 cups gluten free cornmeal

  • 1 cup 1-to-1 gluten free baking flour

  • ½ cup dijon mustard (or classic yellow mustard)

  • Cooking oil spray (avocado, olive, or coconut)

Tartar Sauce

  • ½ cup mayo (primal kitchen brand)

  • 3 Tbsp dill relish or finely diced dill pickles

  • 1 Tbsp lemon juice

  • 1 tsp whole grain mustard

  • 1 tsp garlic powder

  • Salt and pepper to flavor

Garnish

Hot sauce, lemon wedge, fresh parsley

Directions

  1. Cut your catfish filets into 2” nuggets. Lightly season catfish nuggets with salt and transfer to a resealable bag with mustard. Fully coat nuggets with mustard and allow to sit in the fridge for at least one hour. 

  2. To make the tartar sauce: combine all ingredients into a bowl and stir well. Add any salt and pepper as needed, or additional diced pickles for a chunkier tartar sauce. 

    1. Place in an airtight container and refrigerate at least a half hour prior to serving to allow flavors to meld together.

  3. To another large resealable bag, add the flour, cornmeal, and creole seasoning and mix well. 

  4. Preheat the air fryer to 400 degrees F.

  5. In batches of about 10-12 pieces, add catfish nuggets to the flour mix and shake to coat the catfish well. 

  6. Place 10-12 pieces onto the air fryer rack (don’t overcrowd!) and spray the tops with cooking oil spray. Air fry for about 7 minutes total, flipping nuggets halfway and adding another coat of cooking spray.

Notes

  • Don’t add too many catfish nuggets to the flour mixture at one time, or the pieces will not get coated well. Do it in stages. 

  • Once the fried catfish nuggets are cooled completely, store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days or in a resealable bag in the freezer for up to a month. 

    • To reheat, pop them in the air fryer on 400 degrees F for 3-4 minutes.

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