Louisiana Crispy Fried Fish (Cajun Recipe)
If there is one thing we know how to do right in Louisiana, it would be frying! It doesn’t matter what it is, we are experts on bringing out the best flavor and texture with an ingredient with this method and can season to perfection. My Louisiana Crispy Fried Fish (Cajun Recipe) is the perfect example of this truth! Tender filets of fish are dipped into the perfect combination of lemon and spices and fried perfectly for a crunchy exterior but a tender interior every single time. This Southern fried fish is about to become your favorite Louisiana dish!
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Now, you might be thinking that there really isn’t much thought that goes into frying, but you would be wrong. When I’m considering whether or not to fry a food, I take lots of things into account. The moisture content, best batter/breading options, seasonings, and length of time in the oil. All of these variables, plus a few more, are what makes or breaks your dish. Frying isn’t just a catch-all cooking method and it does require some attention to detail and knowledge to create a delicious meal.
The first thing I would like to talk about is the batter/breading options. In this recipe, I’m using a packaged mix (Louisiana). In Louisiana, we are fans of cornmeal frying and we usually omit flour for certain items. Fried fish would be an item that falls into that category.
Fried okra is also best when fried with cornmeal and not flour as well. Now, there is a time and place for flour when frying. I’m thinking specifically of fried chicken. This topic is so interesting to me because in every country/culture and even in different regions of a country, there are different batters/breading when they fry. I want to name a few that you might recognize and explain the difference to you.
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The next important part of this recipe is the seasoning. Now, I’m giving you a shortcut that is perfectly fine to take because Louisiana Mix knows how to do it right! But if you wanted to do everything “from scratch”, your seasonings of choice would be onion powder, garlic powder, yellow corn meal, lemon pepper, and Cajun Seasoning Salt. To this pre-packaged mix, we are going to add lemon pepper seasoning. Now, you might be wondering why we are going to add the lemon pepper to the pre-packaged fish fry mix. Well, it’s because it adds extra flavor and a brightness with the lemon. (Fish and lemon go so well together that this shouldn’t come as a surprise.)
Learn more about the LEGACY of the Louisiana Fish Fry Products
I have a little back story for you with this lemon pepper addition. When I attended my first fish fry of my in-laws, I noticed that they were marinating the fish and would place fish fillets in mustard! It was the strangest thing I had ever seen, so I asked for the purpose. No one really knew why it was done, they just claimed that they couldn’t taste the mustard but swore that it made the fish taste so much better.
Well, being the nerd and foodie that I am, it was abundantly clear why this was being done, even if they couldn’t put their finger on it. Mustard is bright and acidic, just like lemon. You couldn’t taste the mustard flavor necessarily, but you could certainly experience that brightness and lightness from adding it before it was fried. The only problem that I had with this method is that it was a replacement for lemon (bright/acidic) but it’s not as effective or tasty as lemon, so why not just use lemon?
Now, I have to be honest. The addition of lemon pepper seasoning didn’t come to me then. It actually never occurred to me naturally at all. Several years ago, a good friend of my husbands was catering a Southern Fish Fry for a large party, and we observed him adding lemon pepper seasoning to his Cajun fish fry recipe mix. And BAM! A lightbulb went off. (That’s when the lemon and mustard connection truly made sense.) I’ve been adding lemon pepper to my fish fry ever since and I have to say… it makes a WORLD OF DIFFERENCE! (Not to mention the black pepper in the lemon pepper seasoning adds another level of spice.)
Tips for the Louisiana Crispy Fried Fish (Cajun Recipe):
- I used white perch (crappie) for my recipe and if you use this fish, you don’t need to over fry it. White perch will dry out very quickly. It just needs to get crispy on the outside, but you aren’t looking for a deep brown color.
- If you are using catfish for this recipe, you can fry it longer and get that golden brown color.
- Obviously, the thickness of fish filets will determine how long they need to fry in the oil as well. I like to cut my fish fillets into thin strips. This gives me a crispy piece of fish that doesn’t need to stay in the fryer very long. If you like larger pieces of fish, no problem. You will just need to leave them a little bit longer.
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Louisiana Crispy Fried Fish (Cajun Recipe) Ingredients:
- 2 lbs. fish fillets (white perch or catfish are my favorites)
- 1 package of Louisiana Seasoned Fish Fry Seafood Breading Mix (22 oz.)
- 1/4 cup lemon pepper seasoning (heaping)
- Vegetable oil for frying
Louisiana Crispy Fried Fish (Cajun Recipe) Instructions:
- First, place oil into a large cast iron skillet or pot and put it on medium-high heat. You need enough oil in the pot to deep fry, about 1 – 2 inches.
- Second, cut the fish filets into strips. I like my fish to be cut into thin strips so that there is more surface area for the fry mix to stick to it. This will give you a crispier piece of fish and reduce the amount of time the fish has to spend frying.
- Third, combine the Louisiana fish fry mix and the lemon pepper seasoning in a separate bowl and mix well.
- Then, once your oil has reached 350 degrees, dip fish pieces into the dry mixture and coat evenly.
- Next, shake off the excess fry mix off of the fish filets before placing them one by one into the hot oil. Don’t overcrowd the pan.
- Then, fry fish pieces until they become crispy about 3-5 minutes.
- Once, your fish is full fried and crispy, take them out and place on a paper towel to let the excess oil drain. (I like to line my wooden cutting board with paper towels for this purpose.)
- Finally, serve hot with your favorite side dish like crispy French fries, homemade hush puppies, or onion rings and don’t forget the tartar sauce, ketchup, and hot sauce!
Storage for the Louisiana Crispy Fried Fish (Cajun Recipe):
- Leftover fish can be kept in the fridge in a Ziploc bag or an airtight container up to 3 days. (To reheat, I would use an air fryer or the oven to crisp it back up.)
What are the Macros for the Louisiana Crispy Fried Fish (Cajun Recipe)?
Makes 30 servings (Nutritional information below is for 1 serving = 1 fish filet)
** The nutritional information does not take into account the oil from frying **
- Calories – 50
- Protein – 8 grams
- Carbs – 2.5 grams (net)
- Fat – .4 grams
Check out some of my other Louisiana recipes!
The BEST Cajun Cornbread Recipe
New Orlean’s Style Bread Pudding Pie
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Louisiana Crispy Fried Fish (Cajun Recipe)
Equipment
- 1 Large Cast Iron Skillet
Ingredients
- 2 lbs. fish fillets white perch or catfish are my favorites
- 1 package of Louisiana Seasoned Fish Fry Seafood Breading Mix 22 oz.
- 1/4 cup lemon pepper seasoning heaping
- Vegetable oil for frying
Instructions
- First, place oil into a large cast iron skillet or pot and put it on medium-high heat. You need enough oil in the pot to deep fry, about 1 – 2 inches.
- Second, cut the fish filets into strips. I like my fish to be cut into thin strips so that there is more surface area for the fry mix to stick to it. This will give you a crispier piece of fish and reduce the amount of time the fish has to spend frying.
- Third, combine the Louisiana fish fry mix and the lemon pepper seasoning in a separate bowl and mix well.
- Then, once your oil has reached 350 degrees, dip fish pieces into the dry mixture and coat evenly.
- Next, shake off the excess fry mix off of the fish filets before placing them one by one into the hot oil. Don’t overcrowd the pan.
- Then, fry fish pieces until they become crispy about 3-5 minutes.
- Once, your fish is full fried and crispy, take them out and place on a paper towel to let the excess oil drain. (I like to line my wooden cutting board with paper towels for this purpose.)
- Finally, serve hot with your favorite side dish like crispy French fries, homemade hush puppies, or onion rings and don’t forget the tartar sauce, ketchup, and hot sauce!
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