Artificial Food Coloring Free Cajun-Spiced Catfish
Cajun food is all about bold, layered flavor, and this skillet catfish delivers exactly that — smoky, garlicky, and just the right amount of heat from cayenne. The magic here is a from-scratch spice blend made entirely from pantry staples like smoked paprika, dried oregano, and thyme, which means you know exactly what's going into every bite. That matters more than it sounds, because many store-bought Cajun seasonings and spice packets sneak in synthetic dyes to deepen their color — this recipe sidesteps all of that entirely. A screaming-hot cast iron skillet does the heavy lifting, building a deeply golden crust on each fillet without any artificial shortcuts. A squeeze of fresh lemon at the end cuts through the richness and brightens everything up beautifully. It's a weeknight dinner that tastes like it took way more effort than it actually did.
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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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