This was the first recipe I ever made when I got my first air fryer back in 2016. With 1.5 million page views since then, this recipe quickly became a fan favorite. I grew up watching my great-grandmother fry catfish the old-school way, and let me tell you—it was always seasoned right and cooked with love. This air fryer version brings all that Southern flavor, but with just 3 ingredients, no hot grease, and still that crispy, golden coating we all love.
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Air Fryer Fried Catfish is another hit for me with the Air Fryer. I had been dying to try out frying catfish in my Air Fryer. This weekend I had a reason to test it out. It is Labor Day Weekend and one of my close friends is in town for a visit.
Summer holiday weekends usually involve COOKOUTS! My friend is a pescatarian. She only eats seafood and does not eat any other meat. Unfortunately for my friend, cookouts are usually filled with grilled chicken, beef, and pork.
There wasn't going to be any grilled seafood at the cookout we were planning to attend. Being the good friend I am, I decided to whip up some fried catfish that we could bring to the cookout with us for her to eat.
I was amazed at the results of the Air Fryer! This fish turned out very crispy with an amazing crunch. Using the Air Fryer instead of deep-frying saves almost 400 calories and 45 grams of fat per serving.
I also love that there is no stinky house after making these! I rarely fry foods in my home, and certainly not fish because the deep-fried smell lingers for DAYS! Thank you, Air Fryer!
I used trial and error to determine the cooking time. The fillets I prepared were very long. Because of the length, I opted to cook each fillet one at a time. Use your discretion here and do what works best for you.
Table of Contents
Fried Catfish Tips & FAQs
I cooked the filets at 400 degrees for about 22 minutes total. Time will likely vary based on the Air Fryer brand you use and how crunchy you prefer your fish. At 10 minutes I flipped the fish. I then allowed them to cook for 10 more minutes, flipped them one last time, and cooked for 2 minutes.
Cooking time will likely vary based on the Air Fryer brand you use and how crunchy you prefer your fish.
Use your judgment on if you will need more or less fish fry seasoning noted in the recipe ingredients. The amount you will need will vary based on the size of your fillets. Each fillet should be fully coated with seasoning, but not overly coated.
If you prefer catfish nuggets those should work just fine, too! Simply add the breading to the catfish nuggets.
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Place the seasoned catfish on a lined baking sheet or in a lightly greased baking dish.
Bake for 15–20 minutes, depending on thickness. They’re done when the fish flakes easily
Broil for 1-2 minutes for crispy fish.
In a large skillet, pour enough vegetable oil to cover the bottom (about ¼ inch deep).
Heat the oil over medium heat until it reaches 350 degrees.
Carefully place the breaded fillets into the hot oil, ensuring not to overcrowd the pan.
Fry each side for about 3–4 minutes, or until the crust is golden brown and the fish flakes easily with a fork.
Transfer the fried catfish to a plate lined with paper towels to drain any excess oil.
The oven or air fryer reheat best for crispy fish. If using the oven, bake at 375 degrees for 10-12 minutes until warm and crispy. If using the air fryer, air fry at 350 degrees for 4-6 minutes until crisp.
You can also use a skillet drizzled with oil. Fry the catfish on each side for about 2–3 minutes, just enough to heat through and re-crisp the outside.
If you use a microwave, it will soften the fish.
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What I love most about the air fryer is that I get to incorporate all of the foods I left behind, back into my lifestyle. We ate fried catfish and spaghetti pretty often growing up. For some of you this may sound like an interesting combination! Over the years I have learned this may be a Midwest dinner choice!
I have missed it so much! Thank goodness for the air fryer!
If you are looking for more Air Fryer Catfish check out 17 Air Fryer Recipes You Have to Try or my Air Fryer Salmon and Air Fryer Fish Sticks recipes.
If you are looking for more information on southern-style Air Fryer Catfish, check out 17 Air Fryer Recipes You Have to Try.
More like this Air Fryer Catfish Recipe:
Air Fryer Hush Puppies
Air Fryer Southern Style Pork Chops
Air Fryer Crab Cakes
Air Fryer Fish Sandwich
Air Fryer Potato Skins
Air Fryer Scallops
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Air Fried Catfish Fillet Recipe
Ingredients
- 4 catfish fillets
- ¼ cup fish fry breading
- 1 tbsp olive oil
Instructions
- Pat the catfish dry.
- Sprinkle the fish fry onto both sides of each fillet. Ensure the entire filet is coated with seasoning.
- Spritz olive oil on the top of each filet.
- Place the filet in the Air Fryer basket. Do not stack the fish and do not overcrowd the basket. Cook in batches if needed. Close and cook for 10 minutes on 400 degrees.
- Open the air fryer and flip the fish. Cook for an additional 10 minutes.
- Open and flip the fish.
- Cook for an additional 2-3 minutes or until desired crispness.
- Top with optional parsley.
Notes
Nutrition (displayed with net carbs)
More Air Fryer Recipes:
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Air Fryer Fried Shrimp Po Boy
Air Fryer Mozzarella Sticks
Air Fryer Garlic Parmesan Breaded Fried Chicken Wings
Air Fryer Parmesan Truffle Oil Fries
Air Fryer Sweet Potato Fries with Garlic Truffle Aioli
Air Fryer Sriracha Honey Bourbon Fried Chicken Wings
Air Fryer Bang Bang Panko Breaded Fried Shrimp
Air Fryer Apple Cinnamon Dessert Empanadas
Air Fryer Beef Taco Fried Egg Rolls
R Hump says
Delicious! Used Vigo cilantro lime Panko bread crumbs. Thanks for the basic recipe. Have made it numerous times already.
R Hump says
Made this with Vigo cilantro lime panko
Bread crumbs. Amazing! Made it numerous times. Family favorite!Thanks for the basic recipe. Still learning how to use air fryer.
staysnatched says
Oh I love the sound of that flavor!
Tonja H says
Thank you. I made this for the first time today. PERFECT!
staysnatched says
Wonderful! I'm glad you enjoyed the air fryer fish!
Lorelei says
Mississippi checking in! Came here for a catfish recipe to go with my spaghetti:)
staysnatched says
Yes! You have to add the spaghetti.
Chasity Day says
I discovered Brandy this week and I'm so glad I did. I made this recipe and it came out great! After looking at other recipes on her page, I actually ordered an instant pot so I can try some other ones as well. I'm really don't cook a lot but I can see me defiantly cooking more with her amazing recipes.
staysnatched says
Awesome! Yay I'm so glad you did.
Kiauna says
I am from St. Louis, I grew up eating fish and spaghetti lol! You are right it is a Midwest thing lol. I will have to get an air fryer tried of frying foods. Thank you!
staysnatched says
You're welcome. Enjoy!
Janai says
I will be making this recipe tonight. I've tried other recipes from this site so I'm sure it's great. But I just came to say YAAAAASSSS to fried catfish and spaghetti! I'm from St. Louis, MO and currently live in LA County. And for sure, people haven't really heard of these items together as a meal (with spaghetti as a side dish) so I feel justified! I've made it for my bf the old fashioned greasy way and he was transformed lol. I know he'll like the air fried version too. Ok that's all, bye!
staysnatched says
haha yes! Another catfish and spaghetti fan!
Shondelle says
Catfish in the air fryer?!?!?! I am so late to the game! I'm so stuck in the good ol' days of cooking it like big-momma use to in the cast iron skillet, with some good ol' hot grease! Lol
This recipe is so quick and simple. I followed the steps to a tee and my fish turned out amazing!! Best part...there is no lingering fish smell in the house. This will definitely be my go-to from now on. Thank you so much for sharing!
staysnatched says
You're welcome. I'm glad you enjoyed them.
Sabrina Boucher says
I had never made catfish before trying this recipe and when I tell you it was so easy to follow and turned out amazing! Love the small ingredients list as well, makes it affordable to eat great food.
staysnatched says
I'm glad you first try was successful!
Tieshia says
Made this last night and was pleasantly surprised by how crispy the fish turned out. Definitely going to be my go to recipe.
staysnatched says
Awesome. I'm glad you enjoyed it.
Tessa says
I tried this recipe for air fryer catfish- it was amazing! I added another 3 minutes to the time so it would be extra crispy. Thank you.
staysnatched says
You're welcome! I'm glad you enjoyed it.
Ebony Shelby says
She. I say this recipe just elevated my catfish! Wow it was a hit with my family tonight and the best part not all the fatty grease!!
staysnatched says
One of my favorite things about the recipe, too!
Takiyah Ward says
This recipe was excellent. I soaked my fish in buttermilk for 30 mins and then rinsed off the buttermilk, so that the catfish didn’t have that grimy taste.
staysnatched says
I'm glad you enjoyed the recipe!
Erika says
Catfish was on sale this week at my local grocery store and I had no idea how to prepare it. Stay Snatched has become my go to place when I see something I want to make but don’t know how to do it. I simply type a keyword into the search bar and ta da! I figured if anyone would have a recipe or method for preparing catfish, it had to be Brandi! This was so simple and turned out perfect. I accidentally bought this spicy Cajun version of the fish fry but it was still delicious. I used the catfish to make fish tacos but I tried a piece of fish by itself and it was still tasty. Thanks Brandi for your consistently wonderful recipes!
staysnatched says
You're welcome! I'm glad you enjoyed the catfish!
Tasha says
The southern girl in me was craving catfish (hadn't had any since the family reunion fish fry a few years go) but since I do not deep fry I decided to search and see if there was one on Stay Snatched. Brandi never disappoints!! This recipe was simple and delicious!
staysnatched says
Wonderful! Glad you enjoyed the recipe.
Leslie says
Great and easy recipe. I always had deep fried fish and this was so good. Thank you for sharing.
staysnatched says
You're welcome! I'm glad you enjoyed it!
Ed Riggle says
My air fryer is a little bit different than yours. I don't think I'll have to flip them. I'm definitely going to try this recipe this weekend with some corn on the cob and some corn bread. Can't wait!!
staysnatched says
I hope you enjoy it.
Baltisraul says
I used finely ground pork rinds crumbles for the fish fry dredging and that cut the carbs way back. It also adds a wonderful different flavor to the fish. Have been using it for all kinds of meats/fish/casseroles for about 9 months now in the air fryer.
staysnatched says
Thanks for sharing!
Michelle Mattocks says
Simple and good. I had to spray air fryer with Pam because first 2 fillers fell apart. Be sure to use a spatula to turn. But,even with a fillet in pieces, still tastes great.
staysnatched says
I'm glad you enjoyed it.
Sydney says
Made this over the weekend and the whole family loved it! Will definitely be making this again!
staysnatched says
Wonderful! So glad to hear it.
Heather says
Ok, so I'm ONLY making catfish in the airfryer from now on. Recipe was spot on, and house doesn't smell like fish!
staysnatched says
Lol one of the reasons I love to make it.
Ebony Shelby says
I know know I make this 3 to 4 times a month for my family! It makes cooking fish that tastes fried simply amazing!! It’s on the menu tonight! You will never fry your fish in grease again after following this recipe
staysnatched says
I'm so glad you love it.
Michelle Hughes says
@staysnatched,
Fran says
Thank you so much for giving us this recipe! My Catfish was wonderful!
staysnatched says
I'm glad you enjoyed it!
Jim Hocum says
I just made this for lunch, and it was delicious. Not bad for my first time fixing fish in an air fryer. I used flounder and an egg wash, for preference, and it was good.
staysnatched says
I'm glad you enjoyed it.
Sharon says
Very good, easy to follow directions. We will use this recipe again. Thanks for sharing!
staysnatched says
I'm glad it was easy to follow!
Geralyn says
I hadn’t used my air fryer for fish. This as very good! I’ll definitely use again.
staysnatched says
I'm glad to hear it!
Ashley says
This recipe for air fried cat fish came out perfectly! Simple to follow and definitely elevated brunch! Will be adding this to the recipe rotation!
staysnatched says
Perfect for brunch!
Jillian says
We loved, loved, this recipe it’s a great one to add to menu when looking for something different. Using just three ingredients makes it fast and delicious!
staysnatched says
Awesome! I'm glad you loved it!
Craig says
I have been marinating my catfish in a plastic bag containing 1/2 cup of pickle juice with 3/4 tsp baking soda. When it stops foaming I add enough yellow mustard as if I coated the fillets, garlic powder and hot sauce. They can sit in it overnight and the won’t over soften. I roll in Drakes breading mix with garlic and onion powder. I bought a gallon of dill pickle juice to make my King Arthur rye bread. Got idea from Americas Test kitchen for a marinate for fried steak but that is flavored with paprika, A-1 sauce and Worchestshire.
staysnatched says
Thanks for sharing.
Anonymous says
I love my Airfryer....that said..i love this simple recipe.not having to dip in milk and then in coating was a plus..i made my own breading mix since i had all the ingredients .This made a tasty,lighter batter and fewer calories. Catfish is much more enjoyable being farmed. ..not muddy taste to contend with...keep on airfryin. blessings too.
staysnatched says
Awesome, I'm glad you enjoyed it.
Annette Peters Hudson says
It looks absolutely delicious! I can't wait to try it! Thanks for sharing ☺️
staysnatched says
I hope you love it!
Jeanette says
Wow, don’t know what I did wrong. Followed recipe to a t except made my own breading from recipe online. Fish came out dry and not crispy. Mb my air fryer?? Tried diff. Temps too. Was awful. Glad everyone else had good luck.
staysnatched says
The recipe works when you follow it. You did not and used something else you found online.
Myron says
Hello:
My name is Myron and I would like too say what a sweet recipe.I made it and it came out so wonderful that I will always use it even for family gatherings. Thanks again and keep things going.
staysnatched says
You’re welcome!
Portia says
Turned out really nice, thank you!
Question about directions though, you say spray olive oil on the top of the fillet. Would it be better to spray both sides instead of just the top?
staysnatched says
Sure if it needs it.
Serantha says
I like the simplicity of this recipe and I got a good result. This might be my go-to for "fried" fish. It was crispy and just as good.
staysnatched says
I'm glad you enjoyed it!
Elyssa says
Thanks for this! I made catfish in the air fryer some years back, and the batter was just a bit powdery on certain places, but was still good. I want to try it your way today! And yes! Spaghetti and catfish is a thing down south too:)
staysnatched says
Glad to hear it!
Sydney says
Easy and quick. Always tasty. If you’re not making stay snatched recipes you’re messing up
staysnatched says
haha! Glad you enjoyed it.
PaPa Dave says
Absolutely Perfect!
staysnatched says
Glad to hear it!
Mary says
Thank you for this. I will make some tonight. I will sub garlic powder and paprika for the spice mix.
Andrea Aadil says
This was so easy for Fish taco Tuesday.
Thank you, Thank you….Amazing
staysnatched says
You're welcome. Glad to hear it.
Erin says
It was absolutely wonderful! Would love more of your recipes!!
staysnatched says
I hope you enjoy more of them!
Kathleen Presloid says
Very picky about my catfish! This is excellent! Perfect timing for air fryer.
staysnatched says
Awesome! I'm glad you enjoyed it.
Renee says
Excellent! I had 3 filets - cooked in 2 batches (1 1/2 filets per batch). I cooked the second batch for about 2 more minutes on the last flip. Tastes perfect! Thank you 😊
staysnatched says
Awesome! I'm so glad you enjoyed it.
Bill Trautmann says
I grew up a farm boy in the middle of Missouri. It was common to fish the deeper creeks nearby. I have eaten catfish all my life and I'm 70y ears old. My wife and I routinely eat catfish, farm raised. A lot of people who have eaten catfish (that are farm raised) - City Slickers -LOL. I on the other hand much prefer wild caught. So many people have eaten farm raised fish, it's not unusual for their comments to be negative such as "it tastes dirty" or " they taste gamey). For me I love the taste of the wild caught. Bread your filets with cornmeal with Old Bay for seasoning. Nirdoma is only a taste away.
Rere says
FIRE! Best air fryer fish ever. We like extra crunch so each side was cooked on 22 min. Nice and crunchy I did flip at 11min intervals. Made some tarter sauce outta Greek yogurt pulled out leftover gumbo greens and made some brown rice. This one is going in the meal prep rotation for sure try it with some air fryer green beans wont miss fries at all.
staysnatched says
I'm so glad you enjoyed it!
sal says
I drive half an hour to a grocery store that sells catfish, I buy 5 lbs at a time. I coat them with a little bit of tartar sauce and coat with seasoned panko crumbs. Cook as directed, sprayed with a bit of oil. Absolutely SCRUMPTIOUS!
staysnatched says
Yes! Love that.
gyanguide says
Greetings! Very helpful advice
Danny says
$26.00 for a 10oz. packet on Amazon of that Louisiana seasoning?? Seriously? Not gonna purchase.
staysnatched says
Then don't. You get to decide what you buy.