Shellfish Free Cajun-Spiced Catfish
Cajun food has a reputation for leaning heavily on shrimp, crawfish, and crab, but this skillet catfish delivers every bit of that bold Southern flavor without a single crustacean in sight. The homemade spice blend — smoked paprika, garlic powder, cayenne, oregano, and thyme — comes together in minutes and coats each fillet in a crust that turns deeply golden and fragrant in a hot cast iron pan. Catfish is a mild, meaty freshwater fish that soaks up bold seasoning beautifully, making it the perfect canvas for this kind of high-heat cooking. A squeeze of fresh lemon at the end cuts right through the spice and brightens the whole plate. Because you're building the spice blend yourself from pantry staples, there's no need to second-guess store-bought Cajun seasonings that might share processing lines with seafood. The whole thing comes together in one skillet with just olive oil, fish, and spices — straightforward, satisfying, and seriously delicious.
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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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