Name: Blackened Catfish | Keto, Low-Carb
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 15 min
Yield: 2
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 1 Roma Tomato, diced; 1/4 bunch Cilantro, chopped; 1/2 Jalapeno Pepper, chopped; 1/4 Cucumber, diced; Freshly Squeezed Lime Juice, to taste; 1/2 tsp. Sea Salt; 2 tsp. Smoked Paprika; 1/2 tsp. Cayenne Pepper; 1/2 tsp. Red Pepper Flakes; 1 tsp. Dried Celery; 2 tsp. Garlic Powder; 1 tsp. Black Pepper; 2 Catfish Fillets; Lime Juice, freshly squeezed; 1-2 tbsp. Olive Oil

A keto-friendly take on a beloved comfort favorite: catfish. The breading is replaced with a delicious blackened seasoning that’s so good, you won’t even care that it’s low-carb! This tender, flaky, spicy, and delicious blackened catfish will soon be one of your favorites! If you like this, then you’ll love one of my most popular recipes – blackened chicken tenders.

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Peace family,

I’m updating this post and recipe in collaboration with a team of talented Black food bloggers; we’re sharing our food stories and recipes in an industry where we’re often overlooked, and bringing you a list of recipes that are perfect for a Juneteenth cookout. A comprehensive list of participants will be listed below, so be sure to check them out. Your life will be tastier and more flavorful for doing so. Promise.

In my family, we held fish fries for all types of occasions; birthdays, graduations, family reunions, cookouts, long weekends, and especially holidays, such as Juneteenth. For the uninitiated, Juneteenth – celebrated annually on June 19 – commemorates the date when Union soldiers reached Texas – where I currently reside- to inform enslaved Black people that the Emancipation Proclamation had been passed (over two years prior). The celebration of Juneteenth is a living testament to the adage that “until all of us are free, none of us are free.” It is the date when all of us were finally free.

As some of my readers already know, I was born and raised in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Tulsa is the home of the original Black Wall Street; the Greenwood District that was once the home to a thriving neighborhood of Black-owned businesses and homes, the wealthiest in the nation at the time. Black Wall Street was destroyed during the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre, an event that’s rarely taught in schools or spoken about in mainstream media.

Growing up, we would often gather in the historic Greenwood neighborhood for various events, but my absolute favorite event was our annual Juneteenth festival. Family, friends, jazz and hip-hop, art, culture, and of course food. Some of the delicious foods we’d eat to celebrate included barbecue, turkey legs, collard greens, fried chicken, and – you guessed it- catfish.

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This blackened catfish recipe is near and dear to my heart for a multitude of reasons. Everything about it reminds me of home, family, and comfort. It’s tender, flaky, spicy, and absolutely delicious.

blackened catfish on a white plate with limes

This may be an obvious point to make, but most of the catfish I experienced growing up was breaded in cornmeal and then deep-fried to golden brown perfection. It was often served alongside coleslaw, French fries, hush puppies, etc. The usual suspects. Since then, I’ve adopted a mostly low-carb/ketogenic lifestyle. I still wanted to be able to enjoy the occasional catfish, but in a way that more closely aligns with how I eat now.

Enter this blackened catfish. It marries my southern roots with my low-carb way of eating. It’s perfectly spicy, flaky, flavorful, filling, and damn good. You don’t even need to be low-carb to enjoy it. It can be served atop cauliflower (or regular) rice, a bed of fresh greens, or with your favorite side dish. Let’s get into the details.

How to Make Blackened Catfish | Keto, Low-Carb

The first step is to make a small spice blend; the “blackened” seasoning. To do so, combine:

Sea Salt
Smoked Paprika
Cayenne Pepper
Red Pepper Flakes
Dried Celery
Garlic Powder
Black Pepper

Combine these seasonings, in a small bowl or shallow dish and whisk until one cohesive spice blend forms.

Next, take your catfish fillets, and hit them with a quick squeeze of fresh lime juice before seasoning them with the blackened seasoning blend.

Then, in a cast iron skillet, heat your extra virgin olive oil for 2-3 minutes over medium high heat.

Finally, cook the fillets for 5 minutes per side. The fish is done when slightly flaky to the touch.

If you’re looking to make a super quick, super easy, and super delicious salsa to accompany this catfish, then mix some:

Diced Tomato
Chopped Cilantro
Chopped Jalapeno
Diced Cucumber
Freshly Squeezed Lime Juice
Sea Salt

Combine in a small dish and use as a garnish for the blackened catfish. Easy as that!

As usual, try it out and let me know what you think.

Peace,

Adri

Can’t make this right now? Save the recipe to your favorite Pinterest board for later.

A keto-friendly take on a beloved comfort favorite: catfish. The breading is replaced with a delicious blackened seasoning that’s so good, you won’t even care that it’s low-carb! This tender, flaky, spicy, and delicious blackened catfish will soon be one of your favorites!

Blackened Catfish | Keto, Low-Carb

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 15 minutes

Ingredients

Catfish

1/2 tsp. Sea Salt
2 tsp. Smoked Paprika
1/2 tsp. Cayenne Pepper
1/2 tsp. Red Pepper Flakes
1 tsp. Dried Celery
2 tsp. Garlic Powder
1 tsp. Black Pepper
2 Catfish Fillets
Lime Juice, freshly squeezed
1-2 tbsp. Olive Oil

Salsa

1 Roma Tomato, diced
1/4 bunch Cilantro, chopped
1/2 Jalapeno Pepper, chopped
1/4 Cucumber, diced
Freshly Squeezed Lime Juice, to taste

Instructions

Catfish

To make the blackened seasoning, combine the sea salt, paprika, cayenne pepper, red pepper flakes, dried celery, garlic powder, and black pepper with a whisk until well mixed.

Squeeze fresh lime juice onto catfish fillets then coat them in the seasoning mix on both sides, ensuring an even coat.

Add the olive oil to a cast iron skillet, and allow to heat (medium high) for about 2 to 3 minutes.

Cook the fillets for 4-5 minutes per side. The fish is done when slightly flaky to the touch (with fork).

Top with the salsa and add one squeeze of lime juice to finish (optional).

Salsa

In a small glass bowl, combine the tomato, cilantro, jalapeno, and cucumber until well combined. Add one squeeze of lime juice (optional).

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

2
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 272Total Fat: 12gSaturated Fat: 4gCholesterol: 362mgSodium: 362mgCarbohydrates: 2gNet Carbohydrates: 2gSugar: 2gProtein: 34g

2020 Juneteenth Virtual Cookout Menu

How to Make Blackened Catfish | Keto, Low-Carb

Ingredients

Catfish

Salsa

Instructions

Catfish

Salsa

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

Adri's Secret Menu

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