Yes, another catfish recipe! I know, I know. We love catfish in this house! It’s funny, because I was talking about fish with a friend of mine (rando topic?), and she said she hated catfish because it was too fishy. I was really surprised! I’m one not to be a huge fan of very, very fishy (briny) fish. Although, I would say I’ve become more accustomed to it. But, I do not think catfish has an overly briny flavor! I mean, they certainly have a very unique flavor but not briny at all!

Catfish is so versatile in Southern cooking. I mean, I can’t imagine a pasta dish with catfish… unless maybe over something like Cajun fettuccini? I mean, almost anything that you can transform into a Cajun-style dish would probably be good with catfish… just sayin’.

Anywho, this dish is Cajun through in through. I know most po’ boys are oyster po’ boys, but every once in a while, you’ll see a catfish po’ boy pop up on a menu. Not often enough though, not often enough.

Most people argue that it’s the bread that makes the po’ boy. What do you guys think? Share your opinions in the comment section below 👇🏻. I think that every element in the sandwich, including the bread, is equally important! I ended up making homemade baguettes for this recipe. I had plans the following week to make Banh Mi sandwiches, so I made a batch of baguettes for both recipes. I’ll post up a recipe for the rolls in the next couple of weeks! They are sooo good, with a very thin, very crispy crust and a soft, fluffy inside. They are to die for!

I didn’t want to fry the catfish, but I still wanted to bread it. I got this wild hair up my butt when Ritz crackers popped into my head! Oh hell yes!  I recently tried Ritz crackers in lieu of breadcrumbs in my meatloaf lately, and it gave the meatloaf a surprising lightness to it! So, I figured, heck, instead of breadcrumbs, I’ll try Ritz crackers! I know almost every breaded catfish recipe calls for cornmeal, so label me sacrilegious. The Ritz crackers in lieu of the cornmeal came out SO GOOD!

Then, I just mixed the pulverized Ritz crackers with flour, Cajun seasonings, and lemon pepper. Instead of an egg wash, I coated the catfish in olive oil and pressed it into the cracker mix and baked it. So easy!

With it, I made a slightly spicy, but not overwhelming, aioli using Tabasco sauce… you can just as easily use sriracha if you like that flavor profile better! Adding the juice of half a lemon to the aioli gave it a nice light, zesty flavor! And that’s it! Fresh romaine lettuce and tomatoes, and you’re done! We had macaroni and cheese and coleslaw with the sandwiches, but fries and a salad would be delicious too!

I promise you, this is my last catfish recipe… of the year 😜. If you make it, let me know your thoughts… and tag me on Instagram!

Enjoy!