Artificial Flavors Free Cajun-Spiced Catfish
Cajun food is all about bold, layered spice, and this catfish delivers every bit of that heat and depth without a single artificial shortcut. The spice blend is built entirely from your pantry — smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, oregano, thyme, black pepper, cayenne, and kosher salt — so you know exactly what's going into every bite. That matters more than people realize, because many store-bought Cajun seasonings sneak in artificial flavors, anti-caking agents, or mystery "natural and artificial" blends that make label-reading a chore. Here, you're mixing it yourself in about two minutes, and the result is honestly better than anything from a packet. The catfish gets pressed into that spice blend and seared in a cast iron skillet until the crust is deeply golden and the flesh is flaky and opaque all the way through. A squeeze of fresh lemon at the end brightens everything up and cuts through the richness of the olive oil. It's a weeknight dinner that tastes like serious effort but comes together with nothing but real, whole ingredients.
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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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