COOK: Southern Fried Cornmeal-Crusted Catfish Salad with Peaches & Pecans
- Creamy Garlic-Parmesan Salad Dressing
- Southern-Fried Cornmeal-Crusted Catfish Salad with Peaches and Pecans
This southern-inspired fried catfish salad, y’all… It checks all the boxes for a refreshing summer entree on a sizzling hot summer day. Lightly pan fried cornmeal-crusted catfish, toasted pecans, peaches, red onion, romaine, cabbage, and a drizzle of creamy garlic Parmesan dressing. Unffff.
It’s crunchy, crisp, and a satisfying soul food meal that is still pretty dang healthy, and comes together in a flash. This southern-fried catfish salad is a perfect way to showcase those juicy tree-ripened late summer peaches at the peak of their flavor!
You can substitute thawed frozen or canned peach slices if you want to make this out of season, but this salad is at it’s best made with fresh, perfectly ripe fruit.
Creamy Garlic-Parmesan Salad Dressing
If you want to get out of the kitchen even faster, you can use a good quality prepared buttermilk ranch dressing, or semi-homemade ranch made with powdered ranch mix as a shortcut, but I think you’ll find this one is worth the few minutes it takes to throw together with common kitchen ingredients.
Make a double batch of the homemade garlic-parmesan buttermilk ranch dressing and you’re one step ahead for salads and easy fresh veggie snack dips for the rest of the week.
Southern-Fried Cornmeal-Crusted Catfish Salad with Peaches and Pecans
Ingredients
Cornmeal Crusted Catfish
- 1 lb catfish filets or nuggets, skinned and deboned
- ¾ cup yellow or white cornmeal
- 1 tsp cajun seasoning salt
- 1 tsp sweet or smoked paprika
- ½ tsp fresh ground black pepper
- ¼-½ cup peanut or other high-heat oil for frying
Creamy Garlic-Parmesan Salad Dressing
- ½ cup mayonnaise
- ½ cup buttermilk or yogurt (thinned with milk)
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 1-2 clove(s) minced garlic (fresh is best but can use jarred, or sub ½ tsp dried garlic powder)
- 2-3 tbsp Parmesan cheese grated
- 1 tsp fresh chopped thyme (can sub ½ tsp dried)
- fresh cracked black pepper and salt to taste
Salad
- 1 small romaine head, washed, dried, and chopped (1-2 cups of greens per person, more for entree, less for appetizer salad)
- 1 cup finely chopped or shredded cabbage
- ½ cup red onion peeled & very thinly sliced
- 1 cup fresh ripe peaches washed, pitted, and sliced
- ½ cup pecans chopped and lightly toasted (do not burn)
Instructions
Creamy Garlic-Parmesan Dressing
- Combine all ingredients in a wide-mouth pint jar and blend with an immersion blender (you can use a regular blender or just shake well to combine but the immersion blender is the easiest way to combine the ingredients and flavors quickly).
- Cover and store in the fridge until needed. Can make up to a week ahead.
Cornmeal Crusted Catfish
- Combine the cornmeal and seasonings (everything but the fish and oil) in either a wide shallow bowl, baking pan, or one-gallon ziplock bag. Have a clean baking sheet lined with a wire rack or paper towels ready for the fried fish.
- Rinse the catfish filets or nuggets, shake dry, and toss with the breading mix. Press the cornmeal mixture into the surface of the fish so that it adheres well.
- Preheat a heavy skillet (cast iron is best) over medium-high heat, and add oil to coat the bottom of the pan. You don't want the pan swimming in oil, but not dry either (the amount will depend on the size of the pan).
- When the oil is hot but not smoking, add your fish. Don't crowd the pan, work in batches and add more oil if you need to between batches – if you crowd the fish it will be soggy.
- Brown the fish on all sides, turning occasionally so that it cooks evenly but handle it gently. It should only need a few minutes on each side, but you can test a piece if you aren't sure- the outside should be golden brown and the inside should be white and flaky.
- Keep fish warm and let drain on the wire racks or paper-towel lined pans (keep paper towels away from fire!).
Assemble the Salads
- You can toss all the ingredients except the fish just before serving, if you like, or build individual plates. Don't dress the salads until you are ready to serve them!
- To make ahead, combine the romaine, cabbage, and red onion and toss well to combine. Top the bowl or individual plates of greens with the peaches and pecans, and add the dressing and cooked catfish when you are ready to serve.
Loved this? Try these related recipes!
- Cranberry, Cashew, and Castelvetrano Chicken Salad
- Bistro-Style Creamy House Salad Dressing
- Classic Southern Potato Salad Recipe
- Dill-Yogurt Nordic Potato Salad
- Arugula & Olive Creamy Pasta Salad
- Roasted Chickpea & Broccoli Pasta Salad
- Chilean Quinoa Salad (Ensalada de Quinoa)
- Hot Summer Meal Ideas- Dinners that sizzle without turning on your oven!