• Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

Low Carb Africa logo

menu icon
go to homepage
subscribe
search icon
Homepage link
  • About Me
  • Recipe Index
  • Free Keto Meal Plan
  • Helpful Resources
  • Shop Digital Products
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
  • ×

    Home » African Keto Recipes » Baked Whole Catfish

    May 11, 2019

    Baked Whole Catfish

    Published on May 11, 2019. Updated on Jul 19, 2022. By Tayo. This post may contain affiliate links. See Disclosure. 17 Comments

    Jump to Recipe
    Spicy Oven Baked Catfish pinterest1

    If you love fish as much as I do, this baked whole catfish will make a great addition to your dinner rotation. It is super flavorful and is keto-friendly!

    Baked Whole Catfish

    I make this baked catfish about twice a month, and it never lasts more than a day. We literally don’t stop eating it once we start till it’s all gone.

    My daughter loves this, and she can probably eat one-third of it by herself if I let her but I need to break out the fish from the bone and also show her how to search for smaller pieces in case I missed any.

    Where to buy catfish

    Spicy Oven Baked Catfish prep-blog-1

    Most of the time, I buy catfish from an Asian store, Mexican store, or an African store (if you have one close to you). You can buy it fresh or frozen.

    Newsletter
    Sign up for a free 7-day keto meal plan

    You'll also receive emails with new recipes delivered straight to you.

    Also, I buy a whole catfish, not a catfish fillet. So there are bones in it. I personally don’t mind the bones because they are not broken throughout the fish and it’s quite easy to separate fish from bone while eating, but if you’re giving this to young kids, you need to be aware of this.

    Spicy Oven Baked Catfish-blog-7

    Prepare the fish

    If you buy the fish whole, depending on how much it has been cleaned, you might have to do a bit of cleaning yourself.

    To cut down on prep time, I like to buy the fish sliced vertically with the insides completely cleaned out.

    To prepare the catfish for baking, use lemon to clean the fish in and out by completely squeezing the lemon juice on the fish and rubbing it in. Rinse thoroughly when done.

    How to bake a whole catfish

    1. Start by preheating your oven to 400 F. Blend the bell pepper, habanero pepper, onions, ginger, garlic, salt, and herbs together till pureed. Pour in a bowl and set aside.
    2. Make shallow slices on the fish, about 3 to 4 on both sides. Do not cut through to the other side as we still need the fish to be somewhat whole.
    3. Scoop about half of the pureed mixture into these holes and in the center slit as well (where the insides were cleaned out). You can put all the mixture in if you want, but I like to put half and use the other half to garnish the fish when baked. Flip the fish and do the same to the underside as well.
    4. When you’re done, wrap the catfish in foil and place it in a baking pan/dish. Place the fish in the bottom rack of your oven and set your timer to 45 mins.
    Spicy Oven Baked Catfish-blog-prep steps

    After 45 minutes, open the foil at the top and leave the fish in for another 5 minutes to let it dry just a bit and become more firm. During the last 5 minutes, if you didn’t use up all the mixed puree, now is the time to prepare it.

    Add ¼ cup of olive oil to a pan on medium heat, then add the pureed mix. Since it's already loaded with spices, all you need to do is stir for about 5 minutes.

    Bring out the fish from the oven and garnish with the sauce. This step is completely optional, the baked catfish tastes just as awesome without the extra sauce.

    Alternatively, you can drizzle some olive oil on the fish to add more healthy fat.

    Spicy Oven Baked Catfish prep-blog-5

    This will keep for a few days in the fridge but if you have fish lovers in your house, then it will probably last one day or two at the most.

    What goes with this recipe?

    I like to eat this dish with a veggie dish or salad on the side. It goes great with Brussels sprouts, roasted cauliflower, or keto coleslaw. This bacon broccoli salad will also be a great addition!

    Helpful tips

    • You can reduce how much pepper you use in this recipe according to your preference. Or you can omit it altogether.
    • I use thyme, dill, and sage but you can use any herbs of your choice.
    • Don't skip cleaning the fish with lemon. This helps to clean the fish and reduce its sliminess, and also cuts down on the strong fishy smell, which might be a bother to some.
    • The fish has to be wrapped in foil before baking as this helps to trap in the juices and keep them moist.
    Spicy Oven Baked Catfish-blog-8

    More Keto Fish Recipes

    Pan-Seared Tilapia

    Peppered Croaker Fish

    Fish Pepper Soup

    Pan Fried Cod Fish

    Seafood Okra

    Nigerian Fish Stew

    Baked Whole Catfish

    This Baked Whole Catfish is oven roasted and garnished with herbs and peppers for a tasty, healthy, low carb dish!
    4.75 from 8 votes
    Print Pin Share on Facebook Rate
    Course: Main Course
    Cuisine: African, American
    Prep Time: 30 minutes
    Cook Time: 50 minutes
    Total Time: 1 hour 20 minutes
    Servings: 4
    Calories: 347kcal
    Author: Tayo Oredola
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Ingredients

    • 1 catfish
    • ¼ cup olive oil
    • ½ red bell pepper
    • ½ onions chopped
    • 2 garlic cloves minced
    • ½ teaspoon ginger root chopped finely
    • 1 habanero pepper
    • ½ sprig thyme leaves
    • ½ sprig dill
    • 1 sprig sage

    Instructions

    • Preheat oven to 400.
    • Blend the red bell pepper, habanero and onions.
    • Add the ginger, garlic and herbs, thyme, dill, sage, salt, and blend.
    • Clean the fish using lemon to reduce the fishy smell.
    • Make shallow slices on the fish, about 3 - 4 on both sides.
    • Scoop about half of the pureed mixture into these holes and in the center slit.
    • Keep the other half to use later.
    • Completely wrap the fish in foil and place in bottom rack of oven for 45 mins.
    • Optional: Add ¼ cup of olive oil to a pan on medium heat, then add the pureed mix and stir for 5mins.
    • Open the foil at the top and leave the fish in for another 5 minutes.
    • Bring out the fish from the oven and garnish with the sauce or drizzle with olive oil if you don’t want to use the sauce.

    Notes

    This recipe serves 4 and contains 3g carbs per serving.
    • You can reduce how much pepper you use in this recipe according to your preference. Or you can omit it altogether.
    • I use thyme, dill, and sage but you can use any herbs of your choice.
    • Don't skip cleaning the fish with lemon. This helps to clean the fish and reduce its sliminess, and also cuts down on the strong fishy smell, which might be a bother to some.
    • The fish has to be wrapped in foil before baking as this helps to trap in the juices and keep them moist.

    Nutrition

    Serving: 4servings | Calories: 347kcal | Carbohydrates: 3g | Protein: 37g | Fat: 19g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 130mg | Sodium: 98mg | Potassium: 856mg | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 600IU | Vitamin C: 25.7mg | Calcium: 37mg | Iron: 0.8mg
    Subscribe To My Youtube Channel and watch me make a new recipe every week!
    Get weekly recipes straight to your inbox starting with a free 7-day keto meal plan
    Tried this Recipe? Let me know!tag @lowcarbafrica on Instagram and please leave a comment below

    More African Keto Recipes

    • Shirataki Noodle Stir Fry
    • Harissa Chicken (Spicy North African Chicken)
    • Salmon Stew
    • How To Boil Chicken Breasts

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. teetine.com says

      August 04, 2020 at 2:54 am

      5 stars
      wow... just look it, I was craving. I want go to kitchen and make it right now. But... I think I will do it tomorrow. thanks you!

      Reply
    2. rosatamm says

      May 12, 2019 at 7:17 am

      I’m loving the low carb spin you put on this and all your recipes. Sounds great!

      Reply
      • Tayo says

        May 16, 2019 at 3:36 pm

        Thank you!

        Reply
    3. Alexandra says

      May 12, 2019 at 1:09 am

      Wow! This is the first time I have come across a recipe for catfish, I am so interested! I love the idea of the delicious flavours 🙂

      Reply
      • Tayo says

        May 16, 2019 at 3:36 pm

        Thanks Alexandra! I hope you try it!

        Reply
    4. Adrianne - Sweet Caramel Sunday says

      May 11, 2019 at 11:23 pm

      Oh wow!! I haven't seen anyone tackle on of these in the kitchen before. This is great!! I love that is is a nice looking dish and you eat it all up until it is gone. The spiciness sounds great and the photos work well too!

      Reply
    5. Beth says

      May 11, 2019 at 11:07 pm

      Happy Mother's Day to you too! This dish looks flavorful & fabulous! YUM!

      Reply
      • Tayo says

        May 16, 2019 at 3:37 pm

        Thanks Beth 🙂

        Reply
    6. Natalie says

      May 11, 2019 at 11:06 pm

      I love baked catfish! Looks so delicious and crispy! Can't wait to try this recipe.

      Reply
      • Tayo says

        May 16, 2019 at 3:37 pm

        Thanks Natalie. Let me know how it turns out.

        Reply
    7. Bose De says

      May 11, 2019 at 5:59 pm

      Looks exceptional! Can't wait to try this!!!

      Reply
      • Tayo says

        May 11, 2019 at 6:00 pm

        Thank you Bose! Let me know if you do.

        Reply
    Newer Comments »

    Trackbacks

    1. The Best 40+ Keto Fish & Seafood Recipes | Dr. Davinah's Eats says:
      Apr 21, 2020 at 1:09 pm

      […] Baked Whole Catfish – Low Carb Africa […]

      Reply
    2. 20 Christmas Main Course Dinner Ideas - Thoughts Above says:
      Aug 20, 2019 at 2:05 pm

      […] Recipe Source: Low Carb Africa […]

      Reply

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    Primary Sidebar

    Hi, I'm Tayo!

    low carb africa

    Welcome to Low Carb Africa, the home of Keto & Low Carb African-inspired recipes. I specialize in creating mouthwatering recipes with rich, bold, and spicy flavors. Get ready to lose weight, look amazing and be in your best health ever!

    More about me →

    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
    • YouTube

    Keto Seafood Recipes

    • Oven Baked Salmon
    • Pan Fried Cod Fish
    • Pan-Seared Tilapia
    • Baked Whole Catfish

    Easy Bacon Broccoli Salad

    Reader Favorites

    • Keto Shrimp Coconut Curry
    • Air Fryer Frozen Okra
    • Keto Pancakes Recipe
    • Air Fryer Chicken Gizzards

    Popular African Recipes

    • Nigerian Chicken Stew
    • Ogbono Soup (Draw Soup)
    • Asun Recipe (Peppered Goat Meat)
    • Efo Riro - Nigerian Spinach Stew
    • Okro Soup (African Okra Soup)
    • Egusi Soup - Nigerian Melon Seed Stew

    Footer

    FEATURED ON:
    low carb africa featured banner

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    Browse

    • Recipe Index
    • Shop Digital Products
    • Amazon Store

    Resources

    • Free 7-day keto meal plan
    • African Spices & Seasonings
    • How To Be Successful on Keto
    • What is Fufu?

    Information

    • About Me
    • Contact
    • Privacy Policy
    • Disclosure Policy
    • Accessibility Policy

    COPYRIGHT © 2022. Low Carb Africa, LLC. All Rights Reserved.

    Low Carb Africa is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.