Blackened orange roughy recipe (2025)

Published: Nov 8, 2021 by Tatiana · 4 Comments

Delicious blackened orange roughy recipe is so buttery and tender, what a perfect quick weekday dinner. Ready in less than 10 minutes and can be served with rice, potatoes or salad.

Orange roughy is such a delicate mild flavored fish with large flakes also known as Red Roughy, Slimehead, or Deep Sea Perch. Flakes hold together very well when pan seared. Inside it is whitish(pearl white) in color when raw and opaque when cooked all the way. Besides that orange roughy is a deep ocean water fish and has a bright orange skin. That is how it got its name.

This fish can be baked, pan seared, sauteed or smoked. It is usually sold as fillets, i have never seen a whole orange roughy fish sold here in United States.

Fish has lots of vitamins and nutrients like Vitamin A and Niacin and low in calories. Unfortunately the fish also contains high amounts of Mercury, so it is recommended to eat it no more than twice per week for adults and no more than once for kids.

How to make blackened orange roughy recipe

Start with rinsing the fish with cold running water. Take paper towels and pat dry fillets. Prepare the spice mixture by mixing all the dry ingredients in the small bowl.

Cover the fish entirely with spices, equally on every side. Heat butter in the small pan. If you have a cast iron skillet, please use that. Its the best for blackened fish recipes.

Make sure the skillet is very hot before adding fish. Cook for about 3 minutes on each side. Do not move fish around until its time to flip it otherwise it might stick to the pan.

The kitchen will probably get smokey while you are cooking blackened fish and its completely normal. Just turn the fan on or open the window. Butter burns on the skillet when cooked on high temperatures.

Chop some cilantro or crispy green onions on top and serve.

What does it mean when the fish is bleckened

This is just another method of pan searing the fish. Traditionally cast iron skillet is used for this task but any other skillet will work. Just make sure its very hot.

Fish will need to be cooked in butter and covered in spice blend.Spices i used in this blackened orange roughy recipe:

• paprika
• black pepper
• cumin (just a touch)
• thyme or oregano
• garlic powder
• salt

The pan will be smoking and its totally normal. Do not move the fish for 3 minutes to make sure then the proper crust is forming. Than flip and cook on the other side.

Where to buy orange roughy

In California its not that easy to find this fish in stores. I have seen Walmart sells it but its very seasonal. I usually purchase it online and the fish comes frozen. Thawing process is very easy, just leave it in the fridge overnight. Or on the counter for a few hours if you are in rush.

Its much easier to buy this fish in Australia, you can get it fresh from the sea market.

Recipe tips and tricks

• Do not move fish during cooking otherwise it may stick to the skillet.
• You can check the internal temperature my sticking meat thermometer into the thickest part of the fish. It should read 145 degrees Fahrenheit when fully cooked.
• Top fish with chopped green onions, lemon slices, chopped cilantro or parsley.
• If you want to slice the fish, move it to the cutting board and slice into equal pieces using a sharp knife.

Is this recipe KETO

The short answer is yes. Orange roughy just like most white fish here is low in carbs and keto friendly. Butter used in this recipe is also keto so as spices.

Side dishes

I served blackened orange roughy as an appetizer and the only addition to the fish was cilantro and lemon. For dinner or lunch meal you will need a side dish. My favorite is just a bowl of white rice. You can’t go wrong with it.

Mashed potatoes are amazing with fish. So buttery and soft and creamy. Fresh vegetable salad will keep this dish low carb and healthy. Just mix tomatoes, onions, cucumbers in a bowl, add salt and pepper and a splash of olive oil. So good!

Leftovers

Store any leftovers in the air tight container in he fridge for up to 4 days. Sometimes i just cover the plate with foil and store it this way in the fridge. Use microwave to reheat fish. Don’t forget to take the foil off.

Also you can freeze cooked orange roughy. Use freezer safe ziplock bag and store in the freezer for 3-4 months. In fact you can store fish for much longer just make sure to use a very good freezer safe container to prevent fish from getting a freezer burn.

More seafood recipes

• Pompano recipe
• Cobia recipe
• Crab potato salad
• Crab guacamole
• White pomfret recipe
• Pan fried barramundi
• Yellow croaker recipe

Yield: 1

Prep Time: 3 minutes

Cook Time: 6 minutes

Total Time: 9 minutes

Delicious blackened orange roughy recipe is so buttery and tender, what a perfect quick weekday dinner. Ready in less than 10 minutes and can be served with rice, potatoes or salad.

Ingredients

• 1 orange roughy fillet
• 1 tablespoon butter
• ⅓ teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon paprika
• ½ teaspoon black pepper
• pinch of cumin
• ½ teaspoon thyme or oregano
• ½ teaspoon garlic powder
• ½ lemon

Instructions

1. Rinse orange roughy fillet in cold water and pat dry with paper towels.
2. Mix spices in a small bowl and cover the fish entirely.
3. Heat butter on the skillet (it has to be very hot) and place fish in it. Cook for 3 minutes on on side and than for another 3 minutes on another side.
4. Move to the plate and squeeze some lemon on top. Serve

Notes

Do not move fish during cooking otherwise it may stick to the skillet.

You can check the internal temperature my sticking meat thermometer into the thickest part of the fish. It should read 145 degrees Fahrenheit when fully cooked.

Top fish with chopped green onions, lemon slices, chopped cilantro or parsley.

If you want to slice the fish, move it to the cutting board and slice into equal pieces using a sharp knife.

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 1Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving:Calories: 218Total Fat: 13gSaturated Fat: 7gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 4gCholesterol: 99mgSodium: 2268mgCarbohydrates: 7gFiber: 2gSugar: 1gProtein: 20g