Rice Free Cajun-Spiced Catfish
Catfish gets a serious upgrade here, coated in a smoky, fragrant 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 single ingredient, with no mystery fillers or grain-based additives hiding in a pre-mixed packet. That matters when you're navigating a rice-free lifestyle, since plenty of spice blends and seasoning mixes sneak in unexpected starches or fillers. Here, it's just bold, clean spices pressed straight onto the fish and hit with hot olive oil. The cast iron does the heavy lifting, creating that gorgeous sear without any breading or coating whatsoever. A squeeze of fresh lemon at the end cuts right through the heat and ties everything together beautifully. It's the kind of weeknight dinner that feels like it came from a restaurant kitchen but lands on your table with almost no fuss.
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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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