Pan-Seared Catfish with Garlic Butter and Lemon Herb Sauce
A tender pan-seared catfish fillet finished with a zesty garlic butter lemon herb sauce, perfect for a quick seafood dinner. This Southern American-inspired seafood recipe, ready in about 25 minutes, pairs catfish fillets, salt, black pepper 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.
Ingredients
- 4 fillets (6 oz each) catfish fillets
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 3 tbsp unsalted butter
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 3 cloves, minced garlic cloves
- 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- 2 tbsp, chopped fresh parsley
- 1 tsp, chopped fresh thyme
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Equipment for this recipe
Tools this recipe's steps call for, with a link to each on Amazon.
Instructions
- Step 1: Pat dry 4 catfish fillets and season with 1 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp black pepper. Lightly dredge each fillet in 1/4 cup all-purpose flour, shaking off excess.
- Step 2: Heat 2 tbsp olive oil and 2 tbsp unsalted butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat until butter melts and begins to foam.
- Step 3: Place the fillets in the skillet and cook for 4 minutes on each side, or until golden brown and cooked through with a flaky texture.
- Step 4: Remove fillets from pan and keep warm. Lower heat to medium and add 1 tbsp unsalted butter, 3 minced garlic cloves; sauté for 1 minute until fragrant but not browned.
- Step 5: Stir in 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice, 2 tbsp chopped parsley, and 1 tsp chopped thyme; cook for 30 seconds until sauce thickens slightly.
- Step 6: Pour the garlic butter lemon herb sauce over the catfish fillets and serve immediately.






