Catfish Baked with Cheese

Catfish dipped in egg wash, coated in a Parmesan-flour crust with paprika, drizzled with melted butter, and scattered with sliced almonds. Twenty minutes in the oven and you’ve got fillets that are golden and crispy on the outside, flaky and tender inside.

The Parmesan coating is what makes this version stand out. Mixed with flour, salt, pepper, and paprika, it forms a savory, crunchy shell that clings to the egg-dipped fish. The cheese browns and crisps in the oven, giving you that satisfying crunch without any deep frying.

Melted butter poured over the top before baking keeps the fillets moist and helps the almond slices toast into golden, buttery slivers.

Pro Tips

• Pat the catfish completely dry before dipping in egg. Moisture prevents the coating from sticking and you’ll end up with bare patches.
• Arrange fillets in a single layer with space between them. Overlapping or crowding means the coating steams instead of crisping.
• Use freshly grated Parmesan, not the pre-grated kind from a can. Fresh cheese melts and browns better and has more flavor.
• Check at 18 minutes. Thin fillets cook fast and overcooked catfish turns dry and rubbery.

Variations

• Swap Parmesan for Pecorino Romano for a sharper, saltier crust.
• Use pecans instead of almonds for a Southern-style twist.
• Add a squeeze of lemon juice over the fillets right when they come out of the oven for brightness.