Catfish (Hand-Breaded)

What's in the Catfish (Hand-Breaded)?

At 590 calories per serving, the Catfish (Hand-Breaded) represents about 30% of a 2,000-calorie daily intake. On the macronutrient side, roughly 22% of those calories come from protein, 58% from fat, and 28% from carbohydrates — a profile typical of Cracker Barrel's Entree section. Sodium is often the line to watch with sit-down chain entrees, and this dish delivers 1320mg, or about 57% of the FDA's daily reference value. If you're watching salt, pairing the Catfish (Hand-Breaded) with a side salad (dressing on the side) and water rather than a sweetened beverage is the standard mitigation. Like most items at Cracker Barrel, the dish is built for shareable portions and is plated at restaurant scale rather than a strict single serving. Boxing half of it before you start is one of the simplest ways to bring the per-meal calorie load down meaningfully without giving up the experience.

How this fits a 2,000-calorie day

One serving of the Catfish (Hand-Breaded) supplies 590 calories, which represents roughly 30% of a 2,000-calorie reference day. That is a moderate restaurant-portion meal — generous compared to a home-cooked plate but not at the upper end of the chain's menu. A side salad or a smaller appetizer can round it out without pushing the day over budget.

The macronutrient split lands at roughly 20% protein, 26% carbohydrate and 54% fat by calorie share — a useful frame because raw gram counts often understate how much of a dish's energy actually comes from fat. Protein delivery at 32g is in the ordinary mid-range for the category — enough to anchor a meal, not high enough to be the dish's selling point.

Sodium clocks in at 1320mg, or about 57% of the FDA's 2,300mg daily reference value. That is on the higher end for a single restaurant serving. It still fits a normal day if other meals are light, but two restaurant meals in a row at this sodium level will add up quickly.

Allergen profile

Fish Wheat Eggs

The Catfish (Hand-Breaded) is flagged for Fish, Wheat and Eggs in the chain's posted allergen panel. Wheat exposure typically comes from breading, pasta, the bun or batter; chains that publish gluten-friendly menus list specific substitution paths. Egg appears most commonly in the pasta, the breading wash or the mayonnaise-based dressings rather than as a stand-alone ingredient. Fish-derived ingredients can appear in unexpected places — Worcestershire-style sauces and Caesar dressings being the classic examples. Cross-contact in a shared kitchen is always possible, so when in doubt, ask the floor manager.

How it stacks up against the casual-dining category

Across the 146 Entree entries we track in this category — averaging 791 calories and 1,869mg sodium per serving — the Catfish (Hand-Breaded) at Cracker Barrel sits roughly 25% lighter than the category average. It also delivers 549mg less sodium than the typical Entree item we list, which is the more useful number if you're cross-shopping menus on the way to a reservation.

For direct cross-shopping, here are the closest Entree matches we track at competing chains:

Ordering strategy

If the Catfish (Hand-Breaded) is the entrée you want, the highest-leverage adjustments are usually the ones that change the surrounding meal rather than the dish itself. Because the entrée itself is moderate, you have headroom for an appetizer or a starter side without dropping into restrictive territory — useful for a longer dinner where the goal is to stretch the meal rather than minimize it. Sauces, dressings and finishing oils are routinely the largest hidden source of calories on a casual-dining plate; getting them on the side gives you direct portion control without changing the dish you actually want to eat.

Ingredients summary

Hand-breaded catfish, tartar sauce

The bottom line

The Catfish (Hand-Breaded) from Cracker Barrel is a moderate entry on the chain's menu at 590 calories and 1,320mg of sodium per serving. Protein delivery is in the typical mid-range for the category. Anyone tracking sodium specifically — including most people on blood-pressure medication — should weigh this dish against the chain's lower-sodium options on the same menu before committing.