Macadamia Free Cajun-Spiced Catfish
Catfish gets a serious glow-up here, coated in a smoky, garlicky spice blend and seared in a cast iron skillet until the crust is deeply golden and the inside is perfectly flaky. The homemade Cajun seasoning — built from smoked paprika, garlic powder, cayenne, oregano, and thyme — means you control every ingredient that goes into the blend, with no mystery additives or shared-facility concerns to worry about. A hot cast iron pan and a little olive oil do all the heavy lifting, creating that satisfying crust without any specialty ingredients or complicated technique. Finishing with a squeeze of fresh lemon and a scatter of parsley keeps things bright and balanced against all that bold, savory heat. It's the kind of weeknight dinner that looks and tastes like you really know what you're doing — because after this, you will.
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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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