Sweet Potato Waffles with Crispy Catfish and Spicy Honey Butter
Fluffy sweet potato waffles topped with crispy fried catfish and drizzled with spicy honey butter. A Southern-inspired brunch or dinner recipe that’s full of sweet, savory, and spicy flavors, perfect for family gatherings or weekend comfort food.
Servings: 6 servings
Calories: 550kcal
Equipment
Ingredients
Sweet Potato Waffles
- 2 cups all-purpose flour spooned and leveled
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon nutmeg
- ½ teaspoon cloves
- 2 eggs separated
- 1 cup mashed cooked sweet potato cooled
- 1 ¾ cup buttermilk room temperature
- 6 tablespoons butter melted and cooled slightly
- ¼ cup light brown sugar
- Nonstick spray for waffle iron
Fried Catfish
Spicy Honey Butter
- ¼ cup butter
- ¼ cup honey
- ½ teaspoon hot sauce
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Preheat waffle iron and spray with nonstick spray.
- In a bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, cinnamon, salt, nutmeg, and cloves.
- Separate eggs. In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together sweet potato, egg yolks, buttermilk, melted butter, and brown sugar. Fold the dry ingredients into the wet mixture.
- Beat egg whites in a small bowl until stiff peaks form. Gently fold in the whipped egg whites.
- Pour ½ cup of batter onto the waffle iron and cook until golden brown.
- Keep waffles warm on a wire rack in the oven at low temperature.
- Marinate catfish in buttermilk, hot sauce, and salt for 15-30 minutes.
- In a shallow dish, combine cornmeal, paprika, salt, black pepper, onion powder, garlic powder, celery salt, and cayenne. Gently shake off excess buttermilk and dredge marinated fish in the seasoned cornmeal. Transfer breaded fish to a baking sheet lined with a wire cooling rack to allow the breading to set.
- Heat enough oil to go about halfway up the sides of a large Dutch oven to 350 degrees F. Fry catfish 3-4 minutes until golden brown. Drain on paper towels.
- Melt butter in a small skillet over medium-high heat. Whisk in honey, hot sauce, red pepper flakes, and salt until fully combined. Remove from heat.
- Stack waffles on plates. Top with crispy catfish and drizzle with spicy honey butter. Serve warm.
Notes
- For the fluffiest waffles, gently fold in the whipped egg whites without overmixing.
- Keep cooked waffles on a wire rack in a warm oven to stay crisp until serving.
- Catfish is best served immediately after frying for maximum crunch.
- Adjust the spice in the honey butter by adding more or less hot sauce to taste.
- Storage – Refrigerating: Store leftover waffles in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Store leftover fried catfish in a paper towel–lined container for up to 2 days.
- Storage – Freezing: Freeze waffles in a single layer on a baking sheet, then transfer to a freezer bag for up to 2 months. Fried catfish is best enjoyed fresh, but can be frozen for up to 1 month if wrapped tightly.
- Storage – Reheating: Reheat waffles in the toaster or oven until warm and crisp. Reheat catfish in a 375°F oven for 8–10 minutes to restore crunch without drying it out.
Nutrition
Serving: 1serving | Calories: 550kcal | Carbohydrates: 55g | Protein: 25g | Fat: 25g | Saturated Fat: 12g | Cholesterol: 125mg | Sodium: 890mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 12g