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Home » Recipes » Seafood

Baked Catfish Nuggets

Oct 2, 2022 · 52 Comments

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Collage of baked catfish nuggets with a stack of catfish nuggets on top, a nugget being dipped into tartar sauce on bottom, and the words "easy baked catfish nuggets" in the center

Make these Baked Catfish Nuggets as a healthy and easy baked version of a Southern favorite. Made with just 5 ingredients in 30 minutes!

Cornmeal coated baked catfish nuggets topped with chopped fresh green parsley on a white plate on a rustic blue wood background

Baked Catfish Nuggets

Fact: Kids will eat anything you call "nugget."

It's weird, but true.  At least at my house.  That includes these Baked Catfish Nuggets which are super easy to make, with just 5 ingredients.

This recipe takes your traditional Southern comfort food cornmeal catfish and gives it a healthy twist by baking it in the oven. I love this method because it's quicker and so much less messy (frying oil is always a pain to clean up!)

Plus, they're healthy and gluten and dairy free.  You can make them in just 30 minutes! Perfect for a quick and easy weeknight dinner.

If you're looking for a fried version, we have that here too!

  • Fried Catfish Nuggets
Cornmeal coated baked catfish nugget being dipped into a small blue bowl filled with tartar sauce on a rustic blue wood background

What to Serve with Baked Catfish Nuggets

Being a sauce-girl, I think it's first and most important to serve it with the perfect sauce. Mr. Gracious will insist that you serve catfish with ketchup, but I think he might be in the minority.

If you're not weird like Mr. Gracious, you can try this amazing and totally easy Homemade Tartar Sauce Recipe that will go with your Baked Catfish Nuggets perfectly.

Our go-to side dish for almost all fish dishes is this Creamy Southern Coleslaw. It's creamy but simple and fresh and adds the perfect crunch to go with succulent fish.

Most people think "fish and chips," so another easy way to go is a potato any way. Baked potato, mashed potatoes, potato wedges,... oh my! We like these Garlic Chive Baked Fries.

Corn on the cob is an easy fast way to go for a carb, if you'd rather skip the potato.

To finish off the meal, we like a nice big fresh fruit salad.

Cornmeal coated baked catfish nuggets on a white plate and tartar sauce in a small blue bowl on a rustic blue wood background.

More Catfish Recipes You'll Love

  • Fried Catfish Nuggets - try the fried version!
  • Lemon Pepper Baked Catfish - fresh and zesty!
  • Southern Fried Catfish - The Classic
  • Beer Battered Catfish - personal favorite!

Baked Catfish Nuggets Video

Stack of baked catfish nuggets on a small plate topped with fresh chopped parsley

Baked Catfish Nuggets

Make these Baked Catfish Nuggets as a healthy and easy baked version of a Southern favorite. Made with just 5 ingredients in 30 minutes! Serve with your favorite sauce!
5 from 30 votes
Print Pin Rate
Course: Main, Main Course, Main Dish
Cuisine: American
Keyword: Baked Catfish Nuggets, Catfish Nuggets
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 191kcal
Author: Michelle

Ingredients

  • 1 pound catfish nuggets
  • ½ cup cornmeal
  • 1 tablespoon Cajun seasoning
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • ½ teaspoon salt
US Customary - Metric

Instructions

  • In a shallow dish, mix together cornmeal, Cajun seasoning, garlic powder, and salt.
  • Place a catfish nugget in the cornmeal dish. Coat completely. Remove to a lined baking sheet. Repeat for remaining fish.
  • Bake at 400° for 17-20 minutes, until fish is cooked through, golden, and flaky.

Video

Notes

  • This recipe is gluten free and dairy free! No substitutions necessary!
  • Can another fish be substituted? Absolutely, just make sure to cut it into "nugget-sized" pieces. The easiest ones to use in place of catfish are tilapia or cod.
  • Why is there no egg in this recipe? I find that flour dredging and egg dipping in this recipe is unnecessary and just creates extra mess and extra work. The cornmeal mixture coats the fish really well without any dredging.
  • Want to fry your catfish nuggets? Find out here in this yummy fried catfish nuggets recipe.
  • What goes with baked catfish nuggets? Definitely some creamy southern coleslaw and a potato or grain of your choice. Try baked french fries, rice, or quinoa!
 
Nutrition facts are for about 4 ounces catfish.

Nutrition

Serving: 4ounces | Calories: 191kcal | Carbohydrates: 15g | Protein: 20g | Fat: 4g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 65mg | Sodium: 341mg | Potassium: 518mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 0g | Vitamin A: 920IU | Vitamin C: 0.8mg | Calcium: 20mg | Iron: 1.3mg
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Dairy Free, Dinner, Gluten Free, Recipes, Seafood Catfish Recipe, Dinner Recipe, Seafood Recipe

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Michelle says

    March 29, 2019 at 2:37 pm

    Eat this all the time! Yum!

    Reply
  2. Kate Berkey says

    April 12, 2019 at 10:33 pm

    I was looking for an awesome recipe for the whole family and I stumbled on this article. I read and followed the instructions carefully and I made this baked catfish nuggets deliciously! Every member of my family is so happy! Thanks for this!

    Reply
    • Michelle says

      April 17, 2019 at 11:08 am

      Yay! Glad you loved it!

      Reply
    • Reggie says

      April 11, 2020 at 1:05 am

      Do you buy the cajun season or make that yourself?

      Reply
      • Michelle says

        April 13, 2020 at 3:25 pm

        I buy it. It's a pretty common seasoning mix.

        Reply
  3. Abby says

    June 13, 2019 at 2:55 pm

    This was a great alternative to fried! came out great. Have you tried this method with shrimp?

    Reply
  4. Jake says

    August 11, 2019 at 3:54 pm

    Sounds great. Could I use Wondra flour instead of cornmeal?

    Reply
    • Michelle says

      August 15, 2019 at 9:44 am

      No, I don't recommend making that substitution.

      Reply
  5. tarp says

    November 10, 2019 at 2:04 pm

    I made this according to your recipe. Wonderful! I am going to make this again, using fillets. Thank you for sharing a fantastic recipe:0

    Reply
  6. YooperKat says

    November 23, 2019 at 3:29 pm

    Love it! Very quick, usually always have all of the ingredients in the pantry. Will make this again.

    Reply
    • Michelle says

      November 25, 2019 at 10:21 am

      I'm glad you loved it!

      Reply
  7. Rosemary Grattan says

    February 18, 2020 at 5:13 pm

    I can't believe how good and easy these baked catfish nuggets are! Thank you.

    Reply
  8. concious party says

    March 14, 2020 at 7:47 pm

    Used foil, greased it well..... and all the catfish stuck to the foil destroying the coating........1st and last time i foil my baking pans...

    Reply
  9. Gwendolyn J Horn says

    April 20, 2020 at 1:51 pm

    Made this Catfish Nugget recipe for Sunday dinner with 2 pounds of Nuggets. Didn't have Cajun seasoning. Used my 4 go-to seasonings with 1 cup of cornmeal ... 1 tsp. Lawry's Seasoning, 1 tsp. Pepper, 1 tsp. Garlic Powder, 1 tsp. Onion Powder. Had the fried catfish consistency. Turned out delicious. Will try again as soon as I buy Cajun Seasoning. Thanks.

    Reply
  10. Adrianne says

    May 09, 2020 at 12:26 am

    This is very original!! I have never cooked with catfish before. Yum, I love that you have done sometime totally different. Can't wait to try them, cheers

    Reply
  11. Dannii says

    May 09, 2020 at 1:02 am

    What a great alternative to regular nuggets. I am definitely going to have to have them a try.

    Reply
  12. Tracy says

    May 09, 2020 at 2:21 am

    Chicken whoooo?! Omg these nuggets are all I need!

    Reply
  13. Charla says

    May 09, 2020 at 4:04 am

    I've heard so many positive things about catfish but we don't have that fish here in the UK. Those nuggets look darn good.

    Reply
    • BatGS says

      May 11, 2021 at 3:36 pm

      Greetings: miss Charla: Catfish is common here in the U.S. It is a warm, freshwater rish.. I am picky where I fish it and where it comes from if I purchase. I invite U 2 visit and I'll cook U some

      Reply
  14. Cathy says

    May 09, 2020 at 6:08 am

    Honestly, I'm not sure who could ever walk away from a catfish nugget mush less this easy simple and Delicious recipe! Thanks Chala! I live in the south and this recipe is alwayssss welcomed!

    Reply
  15. Barbara Hunter says

    June 25, 2020 at 8:18 pm

    Your cooking instructions says to put on a buttered lined cooking tray but your video shows (and correct me if I am wrong that you were using a silicone liner. So...what would be a buttered lined cooking tray? I am not trying to criticize you at all but just trying to make this recipe tonight and stumbled across this question.

    Reply
    • Michelle says

      June 25, 2020 at 10:52 pm

      When I originally wrote this recipe, I didn't have the silicone baking mats. So I was lining with foil and lightly greasing or buttering. If you have silicone mats, you can skip the greasing. You can also line with parchment paper without greasing. I hope this helps!

      Reply
      • Misa says

        October 18, 2020 at 4:25 pm

        Will they be as crispy cooked on parchment paper as the will be cooked directly on a metal sheet? Thanks

        Reply
        • Michelle says

          October 19, 2020 at 10:49 am

          Yes! And they won't stick 🙂

          Reply
  16. Patty at Spoonabilities says

    July 01, 2020 at 4:57 pm

    These catfish nuggets are right up my alley! I love that they are baked too - frying is such a pain and so messy!

    Reply
  17. Haley D. Williams says

    July 01, 2020 at 5:04 pm

    Now this is some real Southern comfort food! These nuggets were so easy to make and tasted AMAZING

    Reply
  18. Lindsey says

    July 01, 2020 at 5:21 pm

    Thanks for the inspiration! I have some alaskan cod in the freezer and am definitely going to give this a try!

    Reply
  19. Sally says

    July 01, 2020 at 5:31 pm

    So delicious and simple to make! Love me some catfish! <3

    Reply
  20. Cheri says

    July 05, 2020 at 9:26 pm

    I want to try this recipe. I'm new to catfish. Do you use fresh or frozen catfish? I scrolled through the comments but I couldn't find the answer. Thank you for such an amazing recipe!

    Reply
    • Michelle says

      July 07, 2020 at 10:55 am

      Either is fine, but if using frozen, thaw them first.

      Reply
  21. Baltisraul says

    July 06, 2020 at 6:45 am

    We are going low carb so we substituted pork rind crumbles for the corn meal. Just put them in the food processor and spin till they are a fine texture. They add a wonderful flavor layer. We have done bothe regular

    Reply
    • Michelle says

      July 07, 2020 at 10:54 am

      That is such a great idea! Thanks for sharing!

      Reply
  22. Jessica Wirt says

    October 31, 2020 at 8:15 am

    What's a good cornmeal for this recipe or can any due

    Reply
    • Michelle says

      October 31, 2020 at 9:47 am

      Any plain cornmeal will work.

      Reply
  23. Bonnie Hobson says

    January 07, 2021 at 9:12 am

    I dont have cornmeal so can I use seasoned bread crumbs?

    Reply
    • Michelle says

      January 07, 2021 at 9:31 am

      I have never tried it, so I can't say for sure. But I think it would probably work! Let me know if you give it a try!

      Reply
  24. Joanne says

    March 13, 2021 at 9:46 am

    This looks great! I'm not sure I can get catfish where I am - what other fish could I use?

    Reply
  25. Cathleen says

    March 13, 2021 at 10:16 am

    Catfish nuggets?? These are totally new to me, but I would love to give them a go! Bookmarked to make later, thank you so much for this recipe!

    Reply
  26. H. McCallum says

    March 13, 2021 at 10:28 am

    Your baked catfish recipe sounds amazingly delicious, and I can almost guarantee it will be a massive hit with my family. Have a wonderful weekend! I'm looking forward to your new News Letter!
    H-

    Reply
  27. Biana says

    March 13, 2021 at 11:23 am

    Yum! These nuggets look delicious and flavorful. Perfect for dinner next week!

    Reply
  28. Chichi says

    March 13, 2021 at 3:35 pm

    Never tried catfish nuggets. Looks delicious can’t wait to try it.

    Reply
  29. Kay says

    March 14, 2021 at 9:44 am

    Made these fishy nuggets with the kids, we had to use tilapia as couldn't source the catfish in the UK (Although the hubby likes to play fisherman with them they have to be returned after caught!)
    Kids love them!

    Reply
  30. Beth Sachs says

    March 14, 2021 at 10:13 am

    I love how quick and easy these nuggets are to make, and best of all the kids LOVED them!

    Reply
  31. Alina says

    March 14, 2021 at 11:09 am

    This is such a good snack idea! I love crunchy fish and great that no eggs needed here.

    Reply
  32. Helen says

    March 14, 2021 at 11:55 am

    Great idea to bake them - so much easier and healthier too.

    Reply
  33. Dani C says

    March 30, 2021 at 2:31 pm

    Hi! Are these frozen catfish nuggets? I have a bag of frozen ones and I want to make this recipe.. Thanks!

    Reply
    • Michelle says

      March 31, 2021 at 9:26 am

      I use frozen ones often. Just thaw them first for accurate cook time! Fish is really easy to thaw. Just transfer to a zip baggy and run under warm water for a few minutes.

      Reply
  34. Tarry says

    August 22, 2021 at 5:34 pm

    I tried this with Catfish and it was great.
    I will most definitely try this with shrimp and might I add the fish did not stick.
    Thanks a bunch

    Reply
  35. Kae says

    October 20, 2021 at 6:29 pm

    This is an amazing and easy recipe! The whole family loved it. We'll definitely be making this again.

    Reply
    • Michelle says

      October 21, 2021 at 8:58 am

      Glad you all loved it!

      Reply
  36. Laurie says

    January 01, 2022 at 9:26 am

    Delicious and easy! I didn’t have Cajun seasonings so substituted creole seasoning which was very tasty. I definitely will be making these more often. Thank you!

    Reply
  37. Suzette Van Aken says

    April 04, 2022 at 1:55 pm

    This recipe is perfect for the only one in my house that eats fish. Additionally, I don’t fry on top of my stove. I used Old Bay®️ Seasoning and black pepper instead of the Cajun Seasoning. You really don’t need the egg to make this. I baked in a cast iron skillet heating the skillet in the oven prior to baking the fish. It was absolutely delicious. Thank you.

    Reply

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Hello! I'm Michelle!
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