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–+ servings
Two plated branzino fillets, one skin-side and one flesh-side up, with lemon and parsley
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Pan-Seared Branzino Fillet with Lemon Butter Sauce

Crispy-skin branzino fillets seared in olive oil, finished with a lemon, shallot, and butter sauce. A quick Mediterranean sea bass dinner.
Prep Time4 minutes
Cook Time6 minutes
Course: dinner, Main Course
Cuisine: American, belgian, Greek
Keyword: branzino, branzino fillet, lavraki, Mediterranean sea bass
Servings: 8

Ingredients

For the fish:

  • 8 branzino fillets Mediterranean sea bass fillets, skin on (from about 4 whole fish)
  • Salt
  • Olive oil for the pan
  • Black pepper added after cooking

For the lemon butter sauce:

  • 4 tbsp butter
  • 2 shallots finely chopped
  • Juice of 1 lemon
  • Pinch of salt
  • 2 tbsp chopped parsley
  • 1 garlic clove optional — omit for a milder sauce, I rarely add it
US Customary - Metric

Instructions

  • Pat the fillets completely dry; season with salt.
  • Heat olive oil in a non-stick pan over medium-high. Sear skin-side down, undisturbed, 2–3 minutes until crisp.
  • Flip and cook 2–3 minutes more, until opaque and flaking. Add pepper now, after cooking.
  • In a separate pan, melt the butter, soften the shallot 1 minute, then stir in lemon juice, salt, and parsley. Spoon over the fish.

Notes

  • Sear in batches so the pan isn't crowded — crowding steams the skin instead of crisping it.
  • The lemon-shallot butter sauce is also great spooned over the potatoes.

Nutrition

Calories: 437kcal | Protein: 80g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 360mg | Sodium: 311mg | Potassium: 1152mg | Vitamin A: 405IU | Calcium: 68mg | Iron: 4mg
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