Mediterranean Diet Friendly Cajun-Spiced Catfish
Catfish gets a serious upgrade here, coated in a smoky, herb-forward spice blend and seared in extra virgin olive oil until the crust is deeply golden and the inside flakes apart at the touch of a fork. The combination of smoked paprika, garlic, oregano, thyme, and a hit of cayenne creates layers of flavor that feel bold and satisfying without leaning on anything heavy or processed. Olive oil is the only fat in the pan, which is exactly the kind of heart-smart cooking choice that makes this style of eating so appealing and sustainable long-term. Fresh lemon wedges and a scatter of flat-leaf parsley at the end brighten the whole dish and keep it feeling light despite all that gorgeous spice. A cast iron skillet does the heavy lifting here — get it properly hot and the fillets will release cleanly with a crust that rivals anything you'd order at a restaurant. It comes together in one pan with pantry staples, making it an easy weeknight win that genuinely tastes like you put in a lot more effort than you 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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