Yeast Free Cajun-Spiced Catfish
Bold, smoky, and deeply satisfying, this Cajun-spiced catfish is the kind of weeknight dinner that feels like a serious occasion. The spice blend — built from smoked paprika, garlic powder, cayenne, and a handful of dried herbs — coats each fillet in a crust that sizzles and caramelizes beautifully in a cast iron skillet. Because every ingredient here is a whole spice, a fresh herb, or a clean pantry staple, there's no hidden yeast to worry about — no marinades, no sauces, no store-bought seasoning packets with mystery additives. That's genuinely hard to guarantee with a lot of boldly flavored fish dishes, where pre-mixed blends and bottled condiments often sneak in fermented or yeast-derived ingredients. Here, you mix the blend yourself in about two minutes, so you know exactly what's going on the fish. A squeeze of lemon and a scatter of fresh parsley at the end brighten everything up without complicating the ingredient list. It's the kind of recipe that proves eating around dietary restrictions doesn't mean eating around flavor.
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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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