Catfish Courtbouillon

My catfish courtbouillon releases a medley of spontaneously scrumptious flavor bombs into your mouth, y'all!! Seasoned catfish fillets, set aside for the flavors to combine. And, my Trinity Roux going in the pot to create the authentic texture, color, and flavor stage. Stewed tomatoes and tomato sauce are then stirred into the prepared roux. And, simmered down for a bit until the mixture develops into a deep, rich red gravy. Finally, spice-studded catfish fillets are added and it all smothers down into perfectly seasoned, melt-in-your-mouth bliss. Yep and yay...

Well, Hello Lovely, It's Been Way, Way Too Long...

Catfish courtbouillon is one of the most treasured classic south Louisiana dishes, y'all. It's also called catfish coubion, after its phonetic spelling. Oh, and catfish couvillion. An alternate moniker that I'm certain has to do with the beautiful dialect of native Cajun French speakers changing the sound of the sharp B into a V. 

This roux-based dish is basically a fish stew that's traditionally served with rice. However, as with all authentic Cajun dishes, the ordinary ingredients for this dish transform into extraordinary flavors and textures throughout the cooking process. 

Truth be told, once you have this dish once, you'll likely NEED it on repeat in your life, y'all. For realz!! Because every time I serve it I wonder how I ever lived without having Cajun courtbouillon for this long. The roux-based red gravy has just the right spice infusion level. So, each bite feel like it reaches allllll the way down to your soul.

And the seasoned catfish fillets, y'all. They surrender much of their spices to the gravy, which flavors the entire pot to perfection. And, they're just so amazingly melt-in-your-mouth tender that the craving is bound to eventually catch up with you sooner than later. Indeed. 

How to Make Catfish Courtbouillon

Start the catfish courtbouillon by gathering the ingredients for the Trinity Roux and the stew:

Then, single out the roux ingredients. And, whip up a batch in your cast iron: 

In the meantime, season both sides of the catfish fillets with the spices, garlic and hot sauce: 

Then, when the roux is ready: 

Add the tomato sauce and stewed tomatoes to the pot: 

And, stir until combined before simmering for a bit: 

Now, submerge the seasoned catfish fillets into the stew gravy carefully: 

And, spoon some gravy over each fillet: 

So that they're all 'one' with the sauce while they cook: 

Then, after you remove the deep 12-inch skillet or Dutch oven from heat, you let it rest for several minutes. Then, serve with rice or cauliflower rice. 

And that's it, y'all!

This catfish courtbouillon is super incredibly delicious. The oh sooo tender fish literally melts in your mouth. And the gravy, y'all, the gravy! The simmered tomatoes, sauce and roux come together to create a profound flavor profile that puts this dish in a class by itself. 

This is definitely a recipe you'll want to keep on hand for special occasions. And, for those days when you want something soul-warming down to the core.

Share this Cajun catfish courtbouillon with those who fill your heart with love and your spirit with hope. And see y'all on the yum side...

Side Dish Recommendations

Cajun Smothered Green Beans with Sausage

Remoulade Slaw 

Cajun Smothered Squash

Catfish Courtbouillon

Texture and flavor authenticated with my Trinity Roux, this Catfish Courtbouillon features rich, complex flavors that makes it an impressive, company-worthy grain and gluten free dish.

5 from 5 votes

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Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Cajun/Creole

Keyword: cajun catfish courtbouillon, catfish coubion, catfish courtbouillon, catfish couvillon

Prep Time: 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 1 hour hour 30 minutes minutes

Total Time: 2 hours hours

Servings:4

Calories: 1305kcal

Author: Lyn Corinne Liner

Ingredients

For the Roux

• 1 batch Trinity Roux™

For the Seasoned Catfish

• 6 catfish fillets, about 1 ½ to 2 pounds
• 2 teaspoons lemon zest
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic
• 2 teaspoons dried parsley flakes
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• ½ teaspoon dried paprika
• 2 teaspoons Crystal hot sauce
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon black pepper
• ⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper

For the Catfish Courtbouillon

• 1 15.4-ounce can stewed tomatoes
• 1 cup tomato sauce

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Instructions

• Prepare the Trinity Roux using chicken broth.
• Once you get the roux going, pour all of the catfish seasonings into a small bowl, and stir to combine.
• Coat the catfish fillets with the seasonings. Set aside.
• Drain the stewed tomatoes over a colander set on top of a bowl.
• Chop the stewed tomatoes, then pour into the bowl with the juice.
• When the roux is ready, turn the heat down to medium-low.
• Add the stewed tomatoes with juice and the tomato sauce to the pot.
• Cook for 30 minutes, stirring often.
• Add the seasoned catfish fillets carefully to the pot.
• Spoon the gravy over each fillet until all of the fillets are submerged in the gravy.
• Cover and cook until the fish turn opaque, about 12 to 18 minutes, depending on the thickness of the fillets.
• Remove from heat, and let the catfish courtbouillon rest for 10 minutes. The resting time thickens the gravy and lets all the flavors continue to marry.
• Serve with rice or cauliflower rice.

Video

Notes

You'll need the recipe for my Trinity Roux to make this dish. The direct link is below.

Use fresh lemon zest and lemon juice for best results. Bottled lemon juice will not work in this recipe, and will add an unpleasant aftertaste to each bite. 

This post was originally published on May 18, 2018 and updated and republished on March 28, 2022. 

https://asprinklingofcayenne.com/trinity-roux-grain-free-paleo-gluten-free-roux

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The information shown is an estimate provided by a third-party, online computer-generated nutrition calculator, not a registered dietitian or certified nutritionist. Actual nutritional content will vary based upon brands used, measuring methods and individual portion sizes, along with other factors.

See our full nutrition disclaimer here.

Nutrition

Calories: 1305kcal | Carbohydrates: 5g | Protein: 222g | Fat: 38g | Saturated Fat: 10g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 12g | Monounsaturated Fat: 11g | Cholesterol: 783mg | Sodium: 1216mg | Potassium: 5047mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 1096IU | Vitamin C: 19mg | Calcium: 207mg | Iron: 5mg