This fried catfish and spaghetti is a combo I never knew I needed until I had it. I don’t know what it is about this combo that makes it so good. Naturally you’d think fish and spaghetti do not go together, but this is a dish that just knocks flavor out of the park! Spaghetti in a hearty, meaty tomato sauce accompanied by hot, crispy, tender, and flaky fish; doesn’t get any better than this.
This is a definitely a recipe that hails from the South. Growing up it was rather common for us to have fish on Friday’s, but this was a combo I didn’t grow up eating. I was actually introduced to fried catfish and spaghetti from my boyfriend’s family who is from Memphis. His mom is actually the one who gave me this recipe, and of course you know I had to throw my own little spin on it. When you take a bite of the fried fish and then follow it up with a bite of spaghetti; there is just an instant level of comfort and nostalgia that comes with it.
HOW TO FRY CATFISH
I have an easy and foolproof way to fry catfish that will come out hot and crispy EVERY time! All you need are catfish fillets that you’ve already washed and cleaned. Make sure to pat them dry after giving them a wash. Then you’ll need Louisiana Seasoned Crispy Fish Fry; make sure you get the crispy one. This product is great because the breading for the fish is perfectly seasoned and has the right amount of cornmeal and flour to ensure a crispy coating. The best part is you don’t have to make it yourself. 🙂
Lastly, you’ll need my secret ingredient, Tajin. I only use a little of this in the coating, and it adds just the right amount of zest that’s often needed with fish. Just combine the Louisiana fish fry with a few shakes of the Tajin and coat each fillet with the mix. Drop the fillet in hot oil, and because fish cooks fast you own need to fry them until the fish is crispy, about 5 minutes. Flip the fillets occasionally while there cooking.
CAJUN RECIPES
HOW TO MAKE THE SPAGHETTI
The spaghetti recipe is simple enough. It follows my standard spaghetti recipe, but instead of just using ground beef; I also like to add hot Italian sausage. You’ll first brown the meat and then you’ll add onions and diced green bell peppers and continue to cook them until they soften. Then you’ll add the garlic and cooking until fragrant. Follow that up with crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, stock, and seasonings and cook the sauce until its thickened about 20-30 minutes. You’ll then combine your cooked spaghetti noodles with the sauce.
You’ll fall in love with this fried catfish and spaghetti just like I did the first time I had it. Check out the recipe below.
Fried Catfish & Spaghetti
Fried catfish and spaghetti is a combo I never knew I needed. Spaghetti in a hearty, meaty tomato sauce accompanied by hot, crispy, tender, and flaky fish.
Ingredients
For the Catfish
- 2 pounds catfish fillets, washed and cleaned
- 1 10 oz Louisiana Seasoned Crispy Fish Fry
- Tajin
For the Spaghetti
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1/2 pound ground beef
- 1/2 pound ground Spicy Italian sausage
- 1 medium sized white onion, finely diced
- 1 medium sized green bell pepper, finely diced
- 1 teaspoon seasoned salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 (15-ounce) cans tomato sauce
- 1 (15-ounce) can crushed tomatoes with their juices
- ¼ cup chicken stock
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
- parsley leaves, chopped, plus more for serving
- basil leaves, chopped, plus more for serving
- red-pepper flakes
- salt to taste
- 1 pound dry spaghetti, cooked according to package instructions
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, mix together the Louisiana fish fry with 1 to 3 dashes of the Tajin. Add the catfish fillets, turning to coat each side. Set aside while you prepare the fish.
- For the pasta sauce: Heat some olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the ground meat, onion, green pepper, seasoned salt and black pepper. Cook until the meat is browned and cooked through and the vegetables have softened, about 5 to 7 minutes. Add garlic and cook just until fragrant, 30 seconds.
- Add tomato sauce, crushed tomatoes, stock, sugar, tomato paste, Worcestershire sauce, Italian seasoning, parsley, basil and red-pepper flakes. Mix to combine, and continue to simmer until sauce has thickened, about 20 to 30 minutes.
- While the sauce is cooking, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook pasta according to package directions. Take care to not overcook the pasta.
- Prepare the fish for frying: Heat vegetable oil over medium-high in a large (12-inch) cast-iron skillet. You want the oil to be hot, but don’t exceed 370 degrees to avoid burning the fish.
- Working in batches, fry fillets until golden brown, about 5 minutes, flipping occasionally with tongs. Avoid crowding the pan, so that the fillets have room to brown properly. Fish should be crispy on the outside, and moist and flaky on the inside. Drain on paper towels.
- Toss the spaghetti into the simmered sauce. Serve immediately with the fried fish.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 6 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 911Total Fat: 36gSaturated Fat: 10gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 24gCholesterol: 169mgSodium: 1308mgCarbohydrates: 82gFiber: 5gSugar: 16gProtein: 61g
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