Pan-Seared Catfish with Cajun Butter and Garlic Green Beans

By AislePrompt Editorial · Published 2026-05-18 · Updated 2026-05-18

Tender pan-seared catfish fillets topped with a spicy Cajun butter sauce, served alongside garlic sautéed green beans for a simple yet flavorful seafood dinner. This Southern American-inspired seafood recipe (gluten free, low carb), ready in about 25 minutes, pairs catfish fillets, Cajun seasoning, unsalted butter for a weeknight-friendly dinner that comes together with one pan and minimal cleanup. Each serving lands at about 320 calories and feeds 4, so it slots cleanly into a low-carb week and pairs well with cauliflower rice or roasted green vegetables. Tap "Plan a meal with the AI" below to drop this recipe into your week and send the ingredients straight to Instacart. Nutrition values are approximate, calculated from USDA FoodData Central (fdc.nal.usda.gov) — verify against ingredient labels for any health-driven dietary plan.

Ingredients

• 4 fillets (6 oz each) catfish fillets
• 2 tsp Cajun seasoning
• 4 tbsp unsalted butter
• 3 cloves minced garlic
• 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
• 1 lb, trimmed fresh green beans
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• to taste salt
• to taste black pepper

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Instructions

1. Step 1: Pat dry 4 catfish fillets (6 oz each) and season evenly with 2 tsp Cajun seasoning on both sides.
2. Step 2: Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add the catfish fillets and cook for 4 minutes on one side without moving them until golden brown and crisp at the edges.
3. Step 3: Flip the fillets and add 2 tbsp unsalted butter, 1 minced garlic clove, and 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice to the skillet. Spoon the melted butter mixture over the fish and cook for 3 more minutes until the fish flakes easily with a fork.
4. Step 4: While the fish cooks, heat another skillet over medium heat and add 2 tbsp olive oil. Add 2 minced garlic cloves and the 1 lb trimmed green beans. Sauté for 5-7 minutes until the beans are tender-crisp and garlic is fragrant, seasoning with salt and black pepper to taste.
5. Step 5: Remove fish and green beans from heat. Finish the fish by spooning the remaining Cajun butter from the pan over each fillet and serve immediately alongside the garlic green beans.