Double-Fried Catfish Pizza with Celery Root

I know this combination sounds like it shouldn’t work on paper — fried catfish, on a pizza, with celery root. But double-fried catfish pizza with celery root is exactly the kind of thing that makes sense the second you taste it: a crisp flatbread base spread with a creamy celery root purée, topped with double-fried catfish pieces that stay genuinely crunchy even under cheese, finished with a quick pickled slaw for acid and crunch. It’s Southern fried fish and pizza night colliding, and it works better than it has any right to.

This isn’t a fast weeknight recipe, and I won’t pretend it is. Double-frying takes real attention, and there are a few components to juggle. But none of it is difficult — it’s just a matter of timing things right, and I’ll walk you through exactly how.

Why This Recipe Is Worth Making

The double-fry technique is what makes this dish worth the extra time. Frying the catfish once, letting it rest, then frying it again right before it goes on the pizza gives you a crust that stays crisp even after baking — something a single fry almost never survives. That’s the whole trick that makes “fried fish pizza” actually work instead of turning into soggy fish on bread.

Beyond the technique, this is also just a genuinely fun way to use catfish if you’re tired of the usual pan-fried-with-a-side-of-slaw routine. The celery root purée adds an earthy, slightly nutty sweetness that a lot of people have never paired with fried fish before, and it turns out to be a real match.

What You’ll Need

• 1 lb catfish fillets, cut into 1.5-inch strips
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup cornmeal — this is what gives the crust its classic Southern fried fish texture; skipping it in favor of all flour will give you a smoother, less distinctly crunchy coating.
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne, optional
• Salt and black pepper
• Neutral oil (peanut or vegetable), for frying — enough for about 2 inches depth in a heavy pot or Dutch oven.
• 1 medium celery root (celeriac), peeled and cubed — look for one that feels heavy for its size and firm to the touch; soft spots mean it’s starting to go.
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1/4 cup heavy cream
• 1 lb pizza dough, store-bought or homemade, at room temperature
• 1.5 cups shredded mozzarella
• 1 cup shredded cabbage
• 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• Fresh dill or parsley, chopped, for topping

Swaps that actually work: Tilapia or cod can replace catfish if that’s easier to find, though catfish’s firmer texture holds up to double-frying noticeably better than either. No celery root available? A mix of mashed potato and a splash of celery salt gets you in the general flavor neighborhood, though you lose the distinct earthy sweetness real celery root provides.

How to Make It

1. Soak the catfish strips in buttermilk for at least 20 minutes while you prep everything else — this tenderizes the fish and helps the coating stick.
2. Meanwhile, make the celery root purée. Simmer the cubed celery root in salted water for 15 to 18 minutes, until completely fork-tender. Drain, then blend or mash with the butter and heavy cream until smooth. Season with salt and set aside.
3. Toss the shredded cabbage with rice vinegar, sugar, and a pinch of salt in a small bowl. Let it sit while you finish everything else — it softens slightly and picks up a nice tang.
4. Heat about 2 inches of oil in a heavy pot to 350°F. In a shallow dish, whisk together the flour, cornmeal, smoked paprika, cayenne if using, salt, and pepper.
5. Remove the catfish strips from the buttermilk, letting excess drip off, and dredge each piece in the flour mixture, pressing gently so it adheres. Fry in batches for 3 to 4 minutes, until golden but not fully dark — you’re doing a partial fry here, not the final one. Remove to a wire rack and let rest for at least 10 minutes; this rest is what sets up the crust for a proper second fry.
6. While the fish rests, preheat your oven to 475°F with a baking sheet or pizza stone inside.
7. Stretch the pizza dough into a rough oval or rectangle on a floured surface. Spread the celery root purée evenly over the surface, leaving a small border, then scatter the mozzarella on top.
8. Right before the pizza goes in the oven, return the oil to 375°F and fry the rested catfish strips a second time for 90 seconds to 2 minutes, until deeply golden and audibly crisp. This second fry is quick — don’t walk away from the pot.
9. Transfer the dough to the hot baking sheet or stone. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, until the crust is golden and the cheese is fully melted and bubbling.
10. Top the baked pizza with the double-fried catfish strips right after it comes out of the oven — adding them post-bake is what keeps them crisp instead of soggy. Finish with the pickled cabbage and fresh dill or parsley.

Tips That Actually Make a Difference

• Don’t skip the resting period between the two fries. That 10 minutes lets the coating set and the residual heat finish cooking the fish through, which is what allows the second fry to focus purely on building crunch rather than cooking the interior.
• Keep your oil temperature honest with a thermometer. Guessing leads to either greasy, undercooked coating or fish that burns before it’s crisp.
• Add the catfish after baking, not before. If you put raw or pre-fried fish on the pizza before it goes in the oven, the coating turns soft under the direct heat and steam from the cheese.
• Blend the celery root purée until it’s genuinely smooth — any lumps will show up as an odd texture once it’s spread thin under the cheese.

Mistakes to Watch Out For

• Skipping the double fry and just frying once, longer. It’s tempting to think one longer fry gets you the same result, but it doesn’t — a single extended fry tends to overcook the fish before the crust gets properly crisp. The two-stage process is what actually works.
• Overcrowding the frying oil. Adding too many pieces at once drops the oil temperature fast, and you end up with greasy, pale fish instead of crisp, golden pieces. Fry in batches, even if it takes longer.
• Not draining the celery root well before mashing. Extra water left in the celery root makes the purée thin and watery, which then soaks into the pizza dough and leaves you with a soggy center. Drain it thoroughly.
• Putting the fried fish on before baking. This is the single biggest way to ruin the crunch you worked for. Always top with the catfish after the pizza comes out of the oven.

Easy Ways to Change It Up

• Spicy version: add a drizzle of hot sauce or a spoonful of chili crisp over the finished pizza for real heat that cuts through the richness of the fried fish and cheese.
• Swap the cheese: smoked Gouda instead of mozzarella adds a deeper, smokier note that plays well against the fried fish’s crunch.
• Make it a flatbread instead: use naan or store-bought flatbread as a shortcut base if you don’t want to deal with pizza dough — it won’t puff quite the same, but it saves a step and still holds up well.
• Add corn: a scattering of fresh or thawed frozen corn kernels on top adds sweetness and a little pop of texture that works surprisingly well with the celery root base.

What to Serve It With

Given how much is already going on with this pizza, keep sides simple. A crisp green salad with a sharp vinaigrette cuts through the richness nicely. If you want to lean further into the Southern angle, a small side of hush puppies or cornbread wouldn’t be out of place, though it does make for a genuinely hearty spread. Sparkling water with lemon is an easy, refreshing drink pairing that won’t compete with all the flavors already on the plate.

Leftovers and Reheating

Store leftover slices in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days. The fried catfish won’t stay as crisp as it was fresh, but a proper reheat brings back a good amount of the crunch — use a 400°F oven or toaster oven for 6 to 8 minutes rather than the microwave, which will leave both the crust and the fish soft and a little rubbery. If you know you’ll have leftovers, it’s worth double-frying a few extra catfish pieces and storing them separately, then adding fresh ones to the reheated pizza instead of relying on the original topping to hold its texture.

Approximate Nutrition Per Serving

These numbers are approximate estimates for informational purposes only and will vary depending on the exact ingredients and portion sizes you use.

Final Thoughts

Double-fried catfish pizza with celery root takes two dishes that don’t usually share a plate and proves they’re better together than apart — crisp fried fish, a rich earthy purée, and a tangy slaw all landing on one crust. It takes a bit more time than your average pizza night, but the double fry is genuinely the reason this works, so don’t skip it to save a few minutes. Give it a try the next time you want to do something a little different with catfish.