Kitchen notes · a little help before you start
Blackened Fish Recipe
A spiced fish fillet with a browned outside is a good reason to sit down hungry. The seasoning gives each bite a savory edge, with butter helping the surface along in the skillet. Bring it to the table warm and add a little lemon if that sounds good.
- Prep
- 5 min
- Cook
- 6 min
- Total
- 11 min
- Original yield
- Serves 4
- Ingredients
- 10 listed
Make it part of your week
Recipe categories & planning details
- Meal type
- Dinner
- Primary protein
- Fish
- Cuisine
- American
- Preparation & total time
- Prep: 15 minutes or less · Total: 30 minutes or less
A few quick notes
1. Pat seasoning onto both sides
Lay the fillets flat, sprinkle and lightly press seasoning into the first side, then repeat on the reverse.
2. Watch the butter before adding fish
Let it melt and begin browning without smoking, then place the salt-and-pepper-seasoned fillets flat in the skillet.
3. Leave the first side undisturbed
Let the fish cook its first side without moving or checking underneath, then flip for the second side.
Get to know the ingredients
Optional cayenne
Include cayenne for the hotter seasoning, or omit and use a light hand with black pepper for the milder option.
Mixed dry seasoning
Combine garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, Italian seasoning and Old Bay before applying them to the fillets.
Butter for the skillet
Add butter after heating the cast iron and lowering it to medium-high, ready for browning the seasoned fish.
Let’s make it
Choose your servings, then check things off as you go.
Original recipe: Serves 4. Original quantities shown.
Check ingredients as you prepare them. These checks stay on this page.
How to make it
0 of 6 steps completeMake room for Blackened Fish Recipe
Review ingredients in your pantry before anything is added. Meal plans use your household size; grocery-only additions use the servings selected above.
The last little job
Lift the fish out promptly
Remove the cooked fish from the skillet to stop further cooking, and serve warm with optional parsley or lemon juice.
A little more help as you go
Cook in batches when needed
Avoid crowding the skillet. Cook separate batches if necessary so each fillet lies flat against the pan.
Seasoned fish can wait briefly
The rubbed fish can sit in the refrigerator for up to an hour before the skillet cook, if useful for preparation.
A few questions you might have
Does the seasoning have to be very spicy?
No. For a milder option, leave out the cayenne and use only light black pepper. This is sometimes called bronzed fish.
When do I add salt and pepper?
Add them to taste just before the fillets go into the skillet, after applying the mixed dry spices to both sides.
Do I keep the pan over high heat?
Preheat it on high, then reduce to medium-high before adding butter and cooking the seasoned fish.
Does fillet size change cooking?
The cooking window varies with size and thickness. Use the stated thermometer check and the fish's finish alongside the timing.
Should the fish rest in the hot pan?
Remove it from the skillet once cooked, since leaving it there would continue cooking it before serving.
Any more cooking tips?
To make a true blackened seasoning use the cayenne and black pepper to create the spice. To create a milder, kid-friendly blackened fish, sometimes called bronzed fish, omit the cayenne and lightly season with black pepper.
Storage & reheating safety
For cooked, perishable leftovers, refrigerate within 2 hours (1 hour above 90°F), using shallow containers for prompt cooling. Keep the refrigerator at 40°F or below, use refrigerated leftovers within 3–4 days, and reheat hot leftovers to 165°F, checked with a food thermometer. Follow any shorter package limit.
These are general safety limits, not a tested storage or freezing recommendation for this particular dish. USDA leftovers guidance · Safe cooking temperatures
Recipe source: easyfamilyrecipes.com. Ingredient names and quantities may be adapted for the pantry.
Preparation notes follow the recipe shown here.
