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Roasted catfish fillet covered in lemon slices on a white plate with creamy sweet potatoes and green peas. A yellow napkin, bowl of salt with a wooden spoon, and wooden dish of lemon are around the plate.

Weekday Roasted Catfish with Lemon

This healthy, weekday fish recipe can be paired with any vegetables or sides on hand and cooked in 30 minutes.
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Prep Time 5 mins
Cook Time 25 mins

Ingredients
  

  • catfish fillets 1 per person
  • 1 lemon per 2 fillets
  • smoked paprika to taste
  • kosher salt to taste
  • olive oil to taste
  • 2 tbsp good unsalted butter
  • fresh dill, parsley, or thyme optional

Instructions
 

  • Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking tray with parchment paper and brush it with olive oil.
  • Lay out your fillets on the tray. Flip each one over to sprinkle some salt on the underside, then lay them back down, right side up.
  • Brush the tops of the fillets with olive oil.
  • Sprinkle the tops with salt, then with paprika.
  • Cut your lemons into rounds, then lay the lemon rounds down the length of the fish. Sprinkle any herbs you would like to add.
  • Add little pats of butter over your fillet. I usually add a little dime-sized pat between each lemon slice and then maybe on the ends or edges if the fillet is big enough.
  • Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes.
  • Remove the lemon slices and serve immediately.

Notes

  • The amount of spice for this dish is completely up to you. I tend to do a heavy sprinkle of paprika because it suits my family and catfish can handle a lot of spice.
  • The texture of your finished catfish should be bouncy and flaky, not firm or rubbery.