Catfish is something you often don’t see on menus. It used to be only available regionally, but now it’s in the freezer section and at the seafood counter in the supermarket! It’s low in calories while being packed in protein. It has 121 percent of your daily vitamin B12, 26 percent of your selenium, 24 percent of your phosphorus, 19 percent of your potassium and 15 percent of your thiamine! Catfish is also a great source of omega-3 fatty acids.
With all that in mind, it’s a great fish to enjoy frequently! August is National Catfish Month. We love celebrating the quirky national holidays because they remind us to add more variety to our diets. If you’re not a habitual eater of catfish, now is the time to try it again. Here are four low-carb recipes to get you started!
Image: lowcarbafrica.com
We’re starting out with something really different! This West African soup is made with a spicy, flavorful broth and filled with catfish and vegetables. Supposedly it will help you get over a cold sooner. We don’t know if we believe that, but we know it’s a great meal! If you don’t want it to be too spicy, you can adjust the heat. The recipe says to use a chopped habanero. You can leave it whole and then remove it before serving if you want it less spicy. If you want it even milder, omit the habanero completely. The recipe has cayenne, so it will still have a little bit of a kick, but it won’t be anywhere near as hot as the way it’s written. A serving has 148 calories, one gram of carbs and one gram of fiber. Get the recipe.
Image: agirlcalledadri.com
Pretty much any recipe for blackened catfish is low-carb. Blackened fish isn’t breaded. It’s covered in a delicious mix of spices and cooked in a pan. There’s no opportunity for carbs to get into the meal! But, we have two reasons for including this version. It has instructions for a delicious and healthy salsa to go with the fish. And, the fish isn’t dipped in butter and fried. That makes a massive difference to the calorie and fat content! This is a really healthy version that we love. Often, blackened fish recipes can seem healthy until you read the nutritional information. This one genuinely is a great dish! A serving is 272 calories and has two grams of carbs. Get the recipe.
Image: myrecipes.com
Breaded fish is delicious but high in carbs. This wonderful recipe uses cornmeal instead of normal breading. You use a traditional shake and bake method to coat the fish and then bake it on a ventilated broiler pan to make sure it crisps up beautifully in the oven. It’s an incredibly easy-to-follow recipe that’s excellent for people who haven’t cooked with catfish before! Our only tip is to watch the fish while it’s under the broiler. Things can go from beautifully browned to burned in a matter of moments while broiling. A serving has 247 calories, 3.8 grams of carbs and 0.8 grams of fiber. Get the recipe.
Image: carbmanager.com
Finally, no list of catfish recipes would be complete without a recipe for nuggets! Fish nuggets should be crispy, flaky and tender. These tick all the boxes! This is not a low-calorie food but, using parmesan instead of breading does make them low-carb. The recipe includes instructions for a creamy avocado dip made with Tabasco, lemon juice, parsley and dill to accompany the nuggets. These nuggets are perfect for lunch or dinner, and we think they’re a great treat! A serving has 482 calories, seven grams of carbs and 2.7 grams of fiber. Get the recipe.
We hope these recipes help you to celebrate catfish and give you some ideas for dinner! They are all delicious and different from one another. There is sure to be something for any fish lover to enjoy!
