Pan-Seared Catfish with Garlic Herb Butter and Lemon

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

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 tender pan-seared catfish fillet topped with a fragrant garlic herb butter sauce and a bright squeeze of fresh lemon. This Southern American-inspired seafood recipe, ready in about 20 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 320 calories and feeds 2, 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: 10 min Serves 2 Southern American cuisine 320 cal/serving

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Ingredients

2 fillets (6 oz each) catfish fillets
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
2 tbsp olive oil
3 tbsp unsalted butter
3 cloves, minced garlic cloves
2 tbsp, chopped fresh parsley
2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
for garnish lemon wedges

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Instructions

Step 1: Pat 2 catfish fillets dry and season both sides with 1 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp black pepper.
Step 2: Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering, about 2 minutes.
Step 3: Add the catfish fillets skin-side down and cook for 4 minutes without moving, until golden and crisp; flip and cook another 3 minutes until opaque and flaky.
Step 4: Remove the fillets to a plate and keep warm. Reduce heat to medium-low and add 3 tbsp unsalted butter to the skillet.
Step 5: Once butter melts and foams, add 3 minced garlic cloves and sauté for 30 seconds until fragrant.
Step 6: Stir in 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley and 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice, scraping up any browned bits from the skillet.
Step 7: Spoon the garlic herb butter sauce over the catfish fillets and garnish with lemon wedges before serving.