Pan-Seared Catfish with Lemon Caper Butter Sauce

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.

Delicate catfish fillets pan-seared to golden perfection and topped with a bright lemon caper butter sauce for a fresh, tangy finish. This 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 320 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: 15 min Serves 4 320 cal/serving

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Ingredients

4 fillets (6 oz each) catfish fillets
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
3 tbsp olive oil
4 tbsp unsalted butter
2 cloves, minced garlic
2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
2 tbsp, drained capers
2 tbsp, chopped fresh parsley

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Instructions

Step 1: Pat dry 4 catfish fillets and season both sides 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 3 tbsp olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add the fillets and cook for 4 minutes on each side until golden brown and cooked through, then transfer to a warm plate.
Step 3: Reduce heat to medium and add 4 tbsp unsalted butter to the skillet. Once melted, stir in 2 minced garlic cloves and sauté for 30 seconds until fragrant.
Step 4: Add 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice and 2 tbsp drained capers, cooking for 1 minute until the sauce thickens slightly.
Step 5: Pour the lemon caper butter sauce over the catfish and sprinkle with 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley before serving.