Dairy Free Cajun-Spiced Catfish
Southern-style spiced catfish has a reputation for being rich and indulgent, but this version keeps things clean and bold without a drop of butter or cream in sight. The magic is all in the dry spice blend — smoked paprika, garlic, cayenne, oregano, and thyme come together to create a crust that's smoky, a little fiery, and deeply savory. A hot cast iron skillet and a drizzle of olive oil do the heavy lifting, giving each fillet a gorgeous golden sear that locks in all that flavor. Because the entire recipe is built around fresh fish, dried spices, and olive oil, there's nothing hidden to worry about — no dairy lurking in a marinade or sauce. A squeeze of lemon at the end brightens everything up and cuts through the heat in the best possible way. This is the kind of 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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