Spicy smokey stewed soy chorizo and pintos beans with crunchy broccoli in a garlic sauce elevate this super easy one-pot blackened trout dish with a kick of paprika, chilies, and cumin.
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Big Dog of All Spice Blends
Have you ever had blackened salmon? Well, you should try this Cajun-inspired blackened rainbow trout. This spicy seasoning blend recipe also goes great with both fish since they are oily with meaty, flaky flesh.
They can handle the big dog of all spice blends. Blackening the fish also enhanced the flavors of the smoked paprika and chili peppers. As a result, they complimented the fish perfectly using the same spice blend in the beans.
Additionally, the garlicky crunchy broccoli gave a good contrast to texture, making this combination excellent! This is also a great quick go-to dish using one pan for less mess in the kitchen.
Are you looking for more spicy fish recipes? Try the Chili Herb Crusted Rainbow Trout with Cannellini Beans, Spinach, Mushrooms, and Tomatoes with a Mediterranean twist. And for a more Caribbean vibe, check out the Spiced Salmon with Pepper Cabbage Slaw and Yellow Rice. But don't stop there. Let's travel to North Africa for this Maghrebian-inspired Roasted Harissa Salmon with Paprika Potatoes and Brussel Sprouts.
The French Connection
Not only is the fish in this recipe a star, but the beans have a rich flavor that almost tastes like it was stewed for hours. You work hard, so you deserve a great, quick meal at the end of the day!
This is it! This blackened trout dish is inspired by Cajun and Louisiana Creole cooking methods with a tomato base sauce and the "holy trinity" of three vegetables: celery, onions, and bell peppers.
Mirepoix vs. the Holy Trinity
However, we kept it French, too, with the addition of carrots for a slight crunch in texture combination. Furthermore, if you didn’t already know, there is a huge French influence on Cajun and Louisiana Creole cooking, from the naming of the dishes to their cooking methods.
Compared to the Cajun and Louisiana Creole cooking methods, the French tradition is mirepoix, combining carrots, onion, and celery. I find that many international cuisines always start this way; for example, in Vietnamese cuisine, for stocks, they would use onion or scallions and ginger, also known as aromatics. But let's get into this blackened trout recipe!
Ingredients and Instructions
To begin with, make the spice blend recipe by combining paprika, chili flakes, cumin, garlic powder, onion powder, ground mustard, dried thyme, oregano, salt, and pepper. Then, use some of this spice blend to coat the flesh of the trout fillets with olive oil.
Usually, blackening requires high heat and searing the oil-wet rub on the meat in a skillet, leaving the center sometimes more on the medium rare side. However, for this blackened trout dish, you will use medium-high heat, brush the oil onto the fish, then sprinkle on the spices.
See the blackened trout recipe card for quantities.
Garlicky Crunchy Broccoli
Next, you will turn ordinary broccoli into some deliciously fun broccoli just by tossing it in garlic and olive oil. It is super easy! And trust me, it makes a huge difference.
After tossing the cooked broccoli in the oil, you will season it with salt and pepper. Pssst. If you want, sprinkle some of the spice seasoning blends on there. I also usually steam my broccoli florets to keep more nutrients and not lose them in the boiling water.
Alternatively, you can use either method of steaming or boiling it. Then, finish with salt and pepper.
See the blackened trout recipe card for quantities.
Beans, Beans, the Magical Fruit …
Finally, the beans! Inspired by Mexican ingredients, chorizo and pinto beans, and Cajun and Louisiana Creole cooking. After heating your pan with oil, add onions, celery, carrots, and garlic.
Cook that for a bit, then add your tomato paste and spice blend to give the sauce its rich red color. Then, add the chorizo, beans, tomatoes, and bell peppers. Additionally, the bell pepper was added at the end for texture reasons.
Finally, add the broth and simmer. Once most liquid has evaporated, plate up and serve with a side of cooked brown rice and a lemon wedge. After that, get fancy and garnish with some chopped fresh parsley.
See the blackened trout recipe card for quantities.
Instructions
A great kitchen tool is these color-coded flexible cutting boards from Fotuouzy. They are excellent for preventing cross-contamination when preparing raw meats, vegetables, and ready-to-eat foods.
Busy Folks - Become a better home cook with cooking tips to help you cook more efficiently on Cook's Notebook tab. In addition, some related detailed steps can be found there.
Substitutions
- Rainbow Trout - Use salmon as the best substitute. However, you can also try using tilapia, snapper, or flounder.
- Soy Chorizo - Try regular pork chorizo. Compared to soy chorizo, this pork sausage will be more firm in texture and can easily be small-diced.
- Spice Blend - To shorten the prep time, replace the blackened trout recipe's spice blend with your favorite Cajun or Creole blend.
Change Heat Level - Modify the recipe's heat level to your liking and learn more about the Scoville Scale and Chili Pairings.
Variations
- Spicy Trout Bean Burrito - Use a large flour tortilla and add the blackened fish, beans mix, and rice.
- Blacken Fish Tacos - Try this with my spicy cabbage slaw on a small flour or corn tortillas.
Equipment
- Steamer - Used for steaming the broccoli. You can also boil it; just cook it for 2 to 3 minutes to maintain crispness.
- I used the Oster Stainless Steel Steamer. It comes in three parts. First, I fill the base with water, put the lid on, and boil the water. Then, add the vegetable to the basket and set aside.
- When the water is ready, I just add the basket. It's much better than adding the vegetables to the hot basket while steaming.
- Medium Saute Pan - Used for searing the fish, making the chorizo and beans, and sauteeing the broccoli. Because it's wide enough to saute and deep enough to simmer the beans like the All-Clad HA1 Hard Anodized Nonstick Sauté Pan with Lid.
- Medium Holding Tray - Used to hold the air-fried chicken. I suggest using a metal tray like the Nordic Ware Natural Aluminum Commercial Baker's Half Sheet Pan since it is the perfect size to place next to the stove to keep the ingredients warm.
Kitchen Must Haves - Find other tools I use here.
Storage
- Refrigerator - To store in the fridge, you can place each side separately or for meal prep in the same shallow 2-inch container to cool down quickly. Then, store in an air-tight sealing container. In addition, the meal will last up to two days.
- Freezer - Follow the refrigeration process mentioned above. Then, place it in the freezer in a labeled, airtight container.
Air Tight Food Containers - I use Glass Food Storage Containers with a plastic clipping lid to store food. For example, I always suggest glass storage containers since you can microwave them and hold food without staining the container, and the glass keeps them at a more stable temperature, which keeps the food fresher longer.
Cooking tips
- Cross Contamination and Cutting Boards - Use color-coded cutting boards to prevent using the same boards for raw and ready-to-eat foods.
- Why a Fish Spatula? Its shape is thin and wide enough to deal with a delicate piece of fish compared to a regular flipping spatula that might be thicker, making it hard to get under the fish and narrow, breaking the fish.
- Save on Vegetable Prep - Some grocery stores may sell chopped onions, celery, carrots, and bell peppers. I have also seen it in the frozen and fresh produce sections.
- Steam or Boil Broccoli? I usually steam broccoli to help keep in the nutrients. However, you can boil the broccoli in slightly salted water. Importantly, this recipe's cooking time for broccoli is for a crunchy texture. Don't cook your broccoli for over 3 minutes.
- Garnishing with Herbs and Storage - You can prep a batch of chopped parsley to store in your fridge for up to four days. Always also prepare your garnishes ahead of time. First, use one or half a bunch of fresh herbs. Then, soak the parsley with the stems in water. Learn more using a salad spinner to clean and dry herbs. To store, place leftovers in an air-tight container with a paper towel folded lining the bottom of the container and pour the chopped herbs on top.
Frequently Asked Questions
The term “Cajun” has a long and interesting origin. That is to say, these French settlers originated in Arcadia, a French colony in Canada. Who eventually ended up in Louisiana as part of a huge migration due to the extermination attempt of the population, which was a welcoming mix of the French and the American Indigenous population.
In contrast, Louisiana Creole is a mixture of these people and the American Indigenous of the south, the West Africans, and the Spanish.
For more fascinating history about the word “Creole,” check out my Papaya Rum Coconut Nice CREAMi recipe blog post.
Fish Recipes
Looking for other fish recipes like this? Try these:
- 20 Irresistible Fish Recipes
- Calabrian Pepper Salmon with Creamy Lemon Dill Sauce
- Seared Snapper Spicy Creole Sauce and Roasted Vegetables
- Sesame Seed-Crusted Ahi Tuna with Spicy Sesame-Soy Sauce
Quick and Easy Recipes
Looking for other surprisingly quick and easy recipes like this? Try these:
- How to Make Ata Gige Paste – A Nigerian Aromatic Base for Cooking
- Garlic and Ginger Paste: A Flavor Shortcut Every Home Cook Needs
- Haitian Djon Djon Rice Recipe (Diri Djon Djon)
- 4 Must-Try Tacos Recipes to Inspire Your Next Craving
Video
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📖 Recipe
Blackened Trout with Chorizo Beans, and Garlic Broccoli
Ingredients
Cajun Inspired Seasoning Blend
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper chili flakes
- ¼ teaspoon ground cumin
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon onion powder
- ¼ teaspoon ground mustard
- ¼ teaspoon dried thyme
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
Fish Prep
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 16 ounces rainbow trout fish fillets
Broccoli Prep
- 2 cups broccoli
- 2 tablespoons of olive oil
- 6 garlic cloves
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
Spicy Chorizo Beans
- ½ cup onion small diced
- ¼ cup celery small diced
- ¼ cup carrot small diced
- 2 garlic cloves garlic pressed or minced
- 2 teaspoons tomato paste
- 4 ounces soy chorizo remove the casing
- 1 cup of cooked pinto beans
- 1 cup tomatoes medium diced
- ¼ cup red bell pepper small diced
- ¼ cup vegetable broth
Sides and Garnishes
- 2 cups cooked brown basmati rice
- ½ tablespoon chopped parsley
Equipment
Instructions
- Save time in the kitchen: Read the instructions thoroughly, then gather and prep all your ingredients before cooking! Learn Prepping Tips.
- Make the Spice Blend: In a small mixing bowl, combine the paprika, chili flakes, cumin, garlic powder, onion powder, mustard, thyme, oregano, salt, and pepper and set aside.
- Prep the Fish: Pat dry both sides of each fish fillet with a paper towel. Then brush some oil onto the flesh side, sprinkle one teaspoon of the spice blend evenly on, and set aside.
- Prepare the Broccoli: Cook the broccoli in a steamer or pot with boiling water for 2 minutes, drain, and set aside.
- Heat a medium saute pan on medium heat with oil, add the garlic and cook til tender. Then toss in the steamed broccoli, salt, and pepper. Remove them from the pan, and set aside in a medium holding tray.
- Sear the Fish: Wipe the pan clean, place it back on the stove, and increase the heat to medium-high. Heat the oil, almost to smoking.
- Slowly place the seasoned side of the fish in the pan away from you to prevent oil splatter. Then brown the fish evenly for about 1 to 2 minutes, flip, then cook for another 1 to 2 minutes.
- Remove the fish and set it aside in the holding tray next to the stove.
- Make the Beans: Reduce the heat to medium and oil to the pan. Then saute the onions, celery, and carrots until the vegetables are halfway tender.
- Add the garlic, tomato paste, and 2 teaspoons of the spice blend, combine well, and brown.
- Add the crumbled chorizo, beans, tomatoes, and bell peppers. Then combine well and allow the tomatoes to cook and break down a little.
- Add the broth, reduce the heat to just a bit under medium, cover, and allow the beans to simmer. When the sauce has thickened, remove from the heat.
- Serve: Plate the rice, chorizo beans, and broccoli first. Then, place the fish fillet on top with blackened side up and garnish with chopped parsley.
Video
Nutrition
Food safety
- Cook chicken to a minimum temperature of 165 °F (74 °C).
- Do not use the same utensils on cooked food that previously touched raw meat to prevent foodborne illness from contaminated uncooked meats.
- Wash hands after touching raw meat to prevent cross-contamination.
- Don't leave food at room temperature for extended periods; this can breed bacteria.
- Never leave cooking food unattended to prevent burns and fires.
- Use oils with a high smoke point to avoid harmful compounds.
- Always have good ventilation when using a gas stove to prevent carbon monoxide poisoning.
See more guidelines at USDA.gov.
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