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These Grilled Cajun Fish Bowls bring all the bold, zesty flavors of a classic po’ boy sandwich—minus the bread.
To me, there’s nothing like a grilled fish dinner! I can always count on a recipe like this one to be light, flavorful, and so nourishing. For this recipe, I like to serve grilled Cajun-seasoned red snapper over rice with crisp veggies and a tangy, creamy Cajun drizzle.
I like to make my own Cajun seasoning because 1) it allows me to control how salty this dish is and 2) I usually have all of the dried spices that I need anyway! Feel free to use the spice mix on other proteins like shrimp or chicken too — it’s just that good and it’s my favorite way to transform a basic protein into something really memorable and delicious.
Ingredients:
- Smoked Paprika
- Garlic Powder
- Dried Thyme
- Dried Oregano
- Freshly Ground Black Pepper
- Ground Cayenne Pepper
- Mayonnaise
- Whole Grain Mustard
- Louisiana-Style Hot Sauce
- Freshly Squeezed Lemon Juice
- Dill Relish
- Kosher Salt
- Skin-On Red Snapper Fillets
- Avocado Oil
- Cooked Rice, For Serving
- Green Onions, For Serving
- Roma Tomatoes, For Serving
- Shredded Iceberg Lettuce, For Serving
- Fresh Dill or Parsley, To Garnish
- Lemon Wedges, For Serving
Step-by-Step:
Step One: Prepare the Cajun Seasoning
In a small bowl, combine the smoked paprika, garlic powder, thyme, oregano, black pepper, and cayenne pepper. Set aside.
Step Two: Make the Creamy Cajun Drizzle
In a medium bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, whole Dijon mustard, 1 teaspoon of the prepared Cajun seasoning, hot sauce, lemon juice, dill relish, and a pinch of salt until smooth. Set aside.
Step Three: Season the Fish
Pat the red snapper fillets dry and place on a plate or tray. Drizzle with avocado oil and sprinkle evenly with the salt and remaining Cajun seasoning blend, pressing gently to adhere.
Step Four: Grill the Fish
Preheat the grill to medium heat (325°F to 350°F). Dip a wadded paper towel in the avocado oil and, using tongs, wipe the oil evenly over the grate. Be careful not to use too much oil to avoid flare-ups—a little goes a long way here. Place the fish on the grill, skin-side down, and cook for 10 to 15 minutes, or until the fish is opaque and flakes easily with a fork. Do not flip. Remove from the grill and set aside.
Step Five: Assemble the Bowls
Divide the cooked rice among serving bowls. Top with the grilled fish, green onions, sliced tomato, and shredded iceberg lettuce. Drizzle generously with the creamy Cajun sauce. Garnish with fresh dill or parsley and serve with lemon wedges on the side.
recipe faqs:
Yes! Greek yogurt or sour cream would work. Just be sure to use the full fat variety so that the sauce stays thick and creamy.
This would be great with mahi-mahi, salmon, or even shrimp!
If you’re looking to elevate a weeknight fish dinner, you need to try these Grilled Cajun Fish Bowls! Tag me on social @thedefineddish so I can see your final dish!
looking for more ways to cook with fish? try these recipes!
Creamy Poached Halibut with Leeks
Sheet Pan Miso-Marinated Cod with Broccolini
One-Pan Salmon with Herb Butter Couscous
Grilled Cajun Fish Bowls
Ingredients
For the Cajun Seasoning:
- 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
For the Creamy Cajun Drizzle:
- 1/3 cup mayonnaise
- 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon whole grain mustard
- 1 tablespoon Louisiana-style hot sauce
- 1 tablespoons dill relish
- kosher salt, to taste
For the Fish:
- 1½ pounds red snapper fillets, skin on
- 2 tablespoons avocado oil
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
For Serving:
- 1 cup prepared white or brown rice
- 4 green onions, thinly sliced on the diagonal
- 1 roma tomato, halved and thinly sliced
- 1 cup shredded iceberg lettuce
- 1 lemon, cut into wedges
- Fresh dill or parsley, for garnish
Instructions
Mix the Cajun Seasoning:
- In a small bowl, combine the smoked paprika, garlic powder, thyme, oregano, black pepper, and cayenne pepper. Set aside.
Make the Creamy Cajun Drizzle:
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, whole Dijon mustard, 1 teaspoon of the prepared Cajun seasoning, hot sauce, lemon juice, dill relish, and a pinch of salt until smooth. Set aside.
Season the Fish:
- Pat the red snapper fillets dry and place on a plate or tray. Drizzle with avocado oil and sprinkle evenly with the salt and remaining Cajun seasoning blend, pressing gently to adhere.
Grill the Fish:
- Preheat the grill to medium heat (325°F to 350°F). Dip a wadded paper towel in the avocado oil and, using tongs, wipe the oil evenly over the grate. Be careful not to use too much oil to avoid flare-ups—a little goes a long way here. Place the fish on the grill, skin-side down, and cook for 10 to 15 minutes, or until the fish is opaque and flakes easily with a fork. Do not flip. Remove from the grill and set aside.
Assemble the Bowls:
- Divide the cooked rice among serving bowls. Top with the grilled fish, green onions, sliced tomato, and shredded iceberg lettuce. Drizzle generously with the creamy Cajun sauce. Garnish with fresh dill or parsley and serve with lemon wedges on the side.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Photography and styling by Eat Love Eats.
This was such a simple, super flavorful and healthy recipe! We used freshly caught snapper, which we had already de-skinned when cleaning, but no matter, still grilled up perfectly on a grill grate. The drizzle sauce is awesome and we used the extra for our crab cake appetizers in lieu of remoulade. Definitely going on the rotation. Leftovers would be great as a fish sandwich with a fresh baguette (or vice versa!).
I made this with a few tweaks based on what we had on hand – I used mahi mahi filets and swapped shredded lettuce for steamed broccoli. I somehow had no Tabasco or Crystal’s, so Frank’s was the next best option. This was a delicious meal, and the extra squeeze of lemon before serving is key!
This was great, loved the flavors and the idea of a deconstructed po’boy! Will try this again sometime with shrimp!!
Made for dinner tonight – SO GOOD! Made one with redfish and one with trout to compare, both were perfect.
My husband and I are both Tobasco and Crystal lovers, so we loooved the sauce. However, if you are lukewarm on hot sauce, I would start with half a tbsp or 2 tsp and add more to taste from there. Overall, another slam dunk recipe from Alex!!!
Made this for dinner tonight, loved it! We made it with cod and it was perfect
This recipe looks tasty! For the creamy Cajun dressing, can you suggest a substitution for the mayo? Thanks!
You could try greek yogurt or sour cream if preferred!