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Perfect Pairings: 8 BEST Side Dishes for Fried Catfish

Catfish is a fish known for its large size and the fact that it lives in muddy waters.

It has a very distinctive appearance, texture, and taste, making it one of the most popular fish dishes on menus all over the world today and being a firm favorite with many seafood lovers.

Flavor and taste can be attributed to different preparation methods and types of seasoning, herbs, and spices.

Several methods are used in the cooking process to ensure that the finished dish is flavorful, delicious, and with a mouthwatering texture.

  • The fish can be marinated before being dipped in egg and rolled in seasoned flour or cornmeal. This creates a deliciously crispy outer coating.
  • It is important to ensure that the oil used is hot enough, but not too hot, before putting in the fish. This means that it will be cooked through without over-browning on the outside.
  • A large amount of seasoning can be added to give an extra kick to this popular dish.

Once the fish is fried, the outer coating will make it difficult to eat with a fork or spoon.

However, this allows you to get right into the tasty morsels of catfish for your meal.

In terms of pairing with other dishes on the menu, fried catfish will work well alongside a range of side dishes, from chips and fries to salads and vegetables.

However, some of the most popular accompaniments include pasta salad or coleslaw for a tangy taste on top of the fish.

In this article, we will list some of the best side dishes, from salads to chips, that go well with this tasty fish dish.

Why Consider Serving Side Dishes for Fried Catfish?

why consider serving side dishes for fried catfish

Fried catfish, on its own, is already delightful, but it can be made all the better by serving it with side dishes.

Fried catfish served alone is a little bit like eating chocolate cake without ice cream – delicious and sweet, but not complete.

Some delicious fried catfish sides include:

The best part about serving side dishes alongside your fried catfish is that you can choose the ones that compliment the fish’s flavor and texture rather than searching for an exact match.

The possibilities are endless.

To put it another way: you don’t have to serve just one or two sides with fried catfish – instead, you can serve a variety of options to create a complete meal.

The flavor of fried catfish is very rich, so side dishes are best kept simple.

Try serving it with sides like green beans, cornbread, or mashed potatoes.

With that said, you don’t want to serve side dishes that are too bland because then the fish will be even more bland and flavorless in comparison.

Instead of just choosing a dish that “goes” with fish, choose a flavorful dish in its own right and complements the fish.

What to Serve with Fried Catfish? 8 BEST Side Dishes

what to serve with fried catfish best side dishes

Here are eight great side dish recipes that are perfectly served with fried catfish.

Adding some delicious sides alongside your fried catfish will take your meal from good to great.

1 – Cold Green Beans

cold green beans

Cold green beans, often called “dilly” beans, taste great with fried catfish.

They’re quick and easy to make and pair well with the strong flavors of this dish.

There are two ways to make cold green beans: boiled or marinated in brine.

The latter is most common – preparing these tasty vegetables requires little effort, and you can store them for up to a month in your refrigerator.

If you want to make a quick, simple dish from scratch, boiled green beans are the way to go.

Boil the beans for just four minutes and serve with your fish as soon as they’re done cooking.

It’s also possible to blanch green beans in a pot before frying them.

This is another quick and easy dish that’s worth trying.

2 – Mashed Potatoes & Gravy

mashed potatoes gravy

Many people love potatoes, whether cooked on their own or alongside meat, such as roast beef.

When they’re mashed and mixed with gravy, they taste even better.

While mashed potatoes are typically served with meat, they pair very well with fried catfish.

There’s something about the richness of this dish that goes perfectly with the flavor of potatoes and gravy.

One of the best parts of serving mashed potatoes alongside fish is that you can eat it either on its own or on top of your fish.

Even if you don’t have any mashed potatoes already made, it’s easy to prepare some in a matter of minutes.

Purchase frozen packages at your local grocery store and follow the instructions to cook them until they’re smooth and creamy.

While this dish might seem like more hassle than fried catfish on its own, it tastes far better and is worth the effort.

3 – Cornbread

cornbread

Cornbread is a delicious side dish that’s especially great when it’s prepared correctly.

It pairs very well with fried catfish because both foods have a strong flavor and a crispy exterior, making them an ideal match.

You can even serve bread on top of your fish if you want to.

Cornbread is incredibly easy to make, though it does require some time.

However, the result is well worth the wait as this dish tastes amazing and can be made ahead of time for convenience.

To prepare this side, start by mixing dry ingredients in a large bowl.

Then, add some oil and buttermilk to the mix before stirring it with a spoon or spatula.

Once you have your batter ready, transfer it to a greased pan and place it in an oven at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 30-40 minutes – feel free to use a toothpick or fork to test to see if it’s done.

You can easily prepare cornbread in your oven, but you can also make it using an iron skillet – this method creates delicious homemade cornbread that’s crispy on the edges and light and fluffy in the middle.

4 – Fried Onions

fried onions

Fried onions make a great side dish for fish because they taste amazing and are incredibly easy to prepare.

Before you fry onions, gather some red or yellow onions from your garden or local grocery store.

Then, slice them up into thin pieces and transfer these ingredients to a bowl filled with oil and vinegar before adding salt and pepper to taste.

After preparing these ingredients, transfer them to a skillet on your stove and cook until they’re brown.

It’s best to wait until the onions become translucent before turning down the heat of your range; otherwise, you could end up burning your dish.

You can easily modify this dish by using olive oil instead of vegetable oil – it tastes great either way.

5 – Coleslaw

coleslaw

Coleslaw is a classic side dish that’s especially great when prepared with mayonnaise instead of cream or milk.

This delicious recipe can be modified to taste however you choose, making it versatile and easy to prepare.

Before making coleslaw for this meal, visit your local grocery store to purchase some red cabbage, purple onion, white cabbage, green bell pepper, celery seeds, and carrots.

You can also substitute cooked bacon for the bell pepper if you want an even richer flavor.

Just like mashed potatoes, it’s easy to prepare this dish ahead of time – combine all of your ingredients except for the lettuce before mixing them in a large bowl and stirring in your dressing, which you can make by mixing mayo and vinegar until it’s smooth.

6 – Fried Green Tomatoes

fried green tomatoes

Fried green tomatoes make a delicious side dish that can be served alongside fried catfish.

These foods complement each other because they have crispy flavors and firm textures, making them perfect for pairing together.

To prepare this dish, start by using your garden or local grocery store to gather some green tomatoes and a bag of self-rising flour.

Then, cut the tomatoes into thin slices before preparing your batter by mixing flour and buttermilk until smooth.

After you’ve mixed everything, dip each tomato slice in the batter before frying them in hot oil for a few minutes – make sure to flip them halfway through.

Once they’re ready, transfer them to a paper towel to remove excess oil – you can even season these delicious treats with salt, pepper, and cayenne pepper before serving.

7 – Baked Beans

baked beans

Baked beans make an incredibly easy side dish that tastes great alongside fried catfish.

These two foods complement each other well because they both have strong flavors that contrast each other, which gives them similar but different tastes.

Before preparing this dish, make sure to gather some navy beans from your garden or local grocery store along with onion, molasses, and brown sugar for seasoning.

After you’ve gathered these ingredients, place the beans in a large pot before adding water into the mix that covers everything by one inch.

Before long, the water will begin to boil – once this happens, reduce your range’s heat and cover it before letting everything simmer for an hour.

At that point, mix molasses, onion, and brown sugar in a saucepan until they’re smooth.

Next, pour the mixture into the pot of beans before covering everything with aluminum foil and baking for thirty minutes.

8 – Hush Puppies

hush puppies

Hushpuppies are among the most popular side dishes in the United States, making them an excellent choice for pairing with fried catfish.

Not only do they taste delicious together because they’re both fried, but these two foods also complement each other well because their flavors contrast each other.

Before preparing hush puppies, you will need to gather cornmeal, flour, baking soda, and salt from your local grocery store, as well as onion and buttermilk from your garden or a nearby farm.

After gathering all of these ingredients together, use your hands to mix them inside a large bowl before adding water and stirring.

The next step is to drop the batter by spoonfuls into hot oil, which will cause it to rise and form crispy balls as they’re cooking – make sure not to overcrowd the pot.

Once they’re done cooking, transfer these fried treats onto a paper towel before serving them with fried catfish.

Conclusion

Fried catfish tastes delicious when paired with several different side dishes.

These foods complement each other well because they’re both fried and somewhat crispy while sharing flavors that contrast each other.

From baked beans to hush puppies, you’re sure to find one that fits your tastes.

what to serve with fried catfish

What to Serve with Fried Catfish? 8 BEST Side Dishes

5 from 1 vote
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 20 minutes
Course Side Dishes
Servings 1 Serving

Ingredients
  

  • Cold Green Beans
  • Mashed Potatoes u0026 Gravy
  • Cornbread
  • Fried Onions
  • Coleslaw
  • Fried Green Tomatoes
  • Baked Beans
  • Hush Puppies

Instructions
 

  • Choose your favorite recipe from the list of options.
  • Organize all required ingredients and prepare a delicious meal in 30 minutes or less!
Did you make this recipe?Mention @EatDelights or tag #eatdelights!

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