Description
This Pan-Roasted Sea Bass with Garlic Butter is a simple yet elegant seafood dish featuring crispy skin and tender, flavorful fish topped with a rich garlic butter sauce accented by fresh lemon and parsley. Perfect for a quick weeknight dinner or a special occasion, it pairs beautifully with vegetables, potatoes, or salad.
Ingredients
Scale
Fish and Seasoning
- 4 sea bass fillets (about 6 ounces each), skin on
- Salt, to taste
- Black pepper, to taste
Cooking and Garnish
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley (optional)
- Lemon wedges for serving
Instructions
- Season the Fish: Pat the sea bass fillets dry with paper towels to ensure a crispy skin, then season both sides generously with salt and black pepper.
- Pan-Roast the Skin Side: Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until hot. Place the fillets skin-side down in the skillet and cook undisturbed for 4–5 minutes until the skin is crispy and the fish is mostly opaque.
- Flip and Add Garlic Butter: Flip the fillets carefully and reduce heat to medium. Add the butter and minced garlic to the skillet. As the butter melts, spoon it continuously over the fish to infuse flavor and complete cooking for another 2–3 minutes depending on thickness.
- Finish with Lemon and Serve: Stir in lemon juice and zest to the butter in the pan, then remove from heat. Transfer the fillets to serving plates, spoon the garlic butter sauce over the top, garnish with fresh parsley, and serve with lemon wedges.
Notes
- Serve this dish with steamed vegetables, roasted potatoes, or a light fresh salad to complete your meal.
- The recipe works equally well with other firm white fish such as halibut or snapper for variation.
- To achieve crispy skin, make sure the fillets are dry before seasoning and avoid moving the fish while cooking skin-side down.
