Low Sugar Cajun-Spiced Catfish
Bold, smoky, and deeply satisfying, this spiced catfish is the kind of weeknight dinner that feels like way more effort than it actually is. A homemade Cajun blend of smoked paprika, garlic powder, cayenne, and dried herbs does all the heavy lifting, coating each fillet in a crust that turns gorgeously golden in a hot cast iron skillet. Every single ingredient here is exactly what it sounds like — no bottled spice mixes with hidden sweeteners, no marinades with added sugars lurking in the fine print. That matters more than you might think, because pre-made Cajun seasonings and store-bought fish coatings are surprisingly common culprits when it comes to sneaky added sugar. Here, you build the blend yourself from scratch, so you know precisely what's going on the fish and into your body. A squeeze of fresh lemon at the end brightens everything up and lets the heat from the cayenne really sing. It's clean, punchy cooking at its absolute best.
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Learn more →Ingredients
4 servings
For the Cajun spice blend
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- ½ tsp onion powder
- ½ tsp dried oregano
- ½ tsp dried thyme
- ½ tsp ground black pepper
- ¼ tsp cayenne pepper
- ¾ tsp kosher salt
For the fish
- 4 catfish fillets (about 6 oz each), patted dry
- 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
For serving
- 1 lemon, cut into wedges
- 2 tbsp fresh flat-leaf parsley, roughly chopped (optional)
Instructions
- 1
In a small bowl, combine the smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, dried oregano, dried thyme, black pepper, cayenne, and kosher salt. Stir until evenly mixed.
- 2
Pat the catfish fillets dry with paper towels, then sprinkle the spice blend evenly over both sides of each fillet, pressing gently so it adheres.
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