Pan-Seared Catfish with Garlic Butter and Cajun Spices

By AislePrompt Editorial · ·

How this recipe was made — this recipe was drafted by AislePrompt's AI-assisted pipeline from technique templates and USDA-sourced nutrition data, and published by AislePrompt Editorial — see how AislePrompt recipes are drafted and published.

A Southern-inspired catfish fillet pan-seared with a rich garlic butter sauce and a kick of Cajun seasoning for bold flavors. This Southern American-inspired seafood recipe, ready in about 22 minutes, pairs catfish fillets, unsalted butter, garlic cloves, minced for a weeknight-friendly dinner that comes together with one pan and minimal cleanup. Each serving lands at about 280 calories and feeds 4, so it slots cleanly into a weekly meal plan and pairs well with a quick salad or grain on the side. 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.

Prep: 10 min Cook: 12 min Serves 4 Southern American cuisine 280 cal/serving
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Ingredients

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Instructions

  1. Step 1: Pat dry 4 catfish fillets (6 oz each) with paper towels; season both sides with 1 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp black pepper, and 2 tsp Cajun seasoning.
  2. Step 2: Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering, then add the fillets skin-side down. Sear for 4 minutes without moving until the edges are crispy and golden.
  3. Step 3: Flip the fillets gently and cook for another 3 minutes until opaque and cooked through.
  4. Step 4: Reduce heat to medium-low; add 4 tbsp unsalted butter and 3 minced garlic cloves to the pan. Stir butter and garlic, cooking for 1 minute until fragrant.
  5. Step 5: Spoon the garlic butter over the fillets and drizzle with 1 tbsp lemon juice. Remove from heat.
  6. Step 6: Sprinkle 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley over the fish before serving to add freshness and color.

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