Recipe: Skinny Crispy Catfish with Tartar Sauce

This recipe skimps big time on calories, but not on taste. Cornmeal and ground flax meal bring a tasty crunch, and baking this dish rather than frying it keeps things super skinny! The tartar sauce on top adds a zesty flavor to the mix! If you don't have catfish on hand, this breading and sauce go great on cod or tilapia too. Try it as a sandwich, in a wrap, in a taco, or just on its own! No matter how you serve this one up, try it with a side of our Skinny Cole Slaw.

Pro tip: Spray the fish with cooking spray — that way, it gets super crispy and tastes more like fried fish. Baking the fish on a cooling rack will allow air to circulate underneath the fish to make sure the bottom is just as crispy as the top!

Recipe: Skinny Crispy Catfish with Tarter Sauce

Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 10-12 minutes
Yield: 4 servings
Serving size: 1 fillet and 1½ tablespoons sauce

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons white whole wheat flour

• 1 teaspoon paprika

• 2 large egg whites, beaten

• ¼ cup yellow cornmeal

• ¼ cup ground flax meal

• 4 (4-ounce) catfish fillets

• ½ teaspoon salt

• black pepper, to taste

• lemon slices, to squeeze and garnish

• 2½ tablespoons light mayonnaise

• 2½ tablespoons plain, non-fat Greek yogurt

• 2 tablespoon sweet pickle relish

• 1 teaspoon lemon juice

• salt, to taste (a pinch)

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with foil and place a cooling rack on top of the foil. Coat the rack with nonstick cooking spray.

2. Combine the flour, paprika, and a pinch of salt and black pepper together in a shallow dish or plate.

3. In a second shallow dish or bowl, whisk the egg whites thoroughly, so they coat the catfish well.

4. In a third shallow dish or plate, combine the cornmeal and flax meal.

5. Season the catfish with the rest of the salt and pepper. Dredge each fillet in the flour mixture and shake off the excess. Next, dip them in the egg whites, and then dredge in the cornmeal mixture, shaking off the excess.

6. Place each fillet on the prepared baking sheet and coat the tops of them with nonstick cooking spray.

7. Bake for 12-14 minutes, or until the fish is golden brown and flakes easily with a fork.

8. Meanwhile, make the tartar sauce by mixing all of the tartar sauce ingredients together in a small bowl. Store in the refrigerator until ready to use.

9. When the fish is finished, serve each fillet with about 1½ tablespoons of tartar sauce, and a lemon wedge to squeeze.

Nutrition Information
Per Serving: (1 fillet and 1½ tablespoons sauce)
Calories: 221
Calories from fat: 73
Fat: 8g
Saturated Fat: 1g
Cholesterol: 68mg
Sodium: 490mg
Carbohydrates: 13g
Fiber: 3g
Sugar: 0g
Protein: 24g
SmartPoints: 5

3.1 The nutrition content of recipes on Popculture.com have been calculated by Registered Dietitian, Jessica Penner, of Smart Nutrition.