Pan-Seared Sea Bass with Lemon & Herbs
A restaurant-quality sea bass fillet with crispy skin, finished with bright lemon and fresh herbs in under 20 minutes. Perfect weeknight dinner that looks fancy but tastes effortless.
- Total time
- 18 min
- Servings
- 2
- Calories
- 285
- Protein
- 34g
Ingredients
- 2 fillets (6 oz each) sea bass fillets, skin-on
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 whole lemon
- ¼ cup fresh parsley or dill, roughly chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 pinch each salt and pepper
Instructions
- 1
Pat the sea bass fillets dry on both sides using paper towels, pressing gently but firmly so the skin is completely dry — this helps the skin crisp up when cooked.
- 2
Sprinkle a pinch of salt and pepper evenly across both sides of each fillet, making sure to season the flesh and skin equally.
- 3
Cut the lemon in half lengthwise from tip to root, then slice one half into thin half-moons about 1/8-inch thick, cutting straight down perpendicular to the cutting board.
- 4
Mince the garlic until the pieces are smaller than a grain of rice — about pencil-tip dot size — and place in a small bowl next to the stove.
- 5
Place a 12-inch nonstick or stainless steel skillet on the stove and set the heat to medium-high; wait 2 minutes until the pan is hot enough that a drop of water sizzles and evaporates immediately when it hits the surface.
- 6
Pour the 2 tablespoons of olive oil into the hot pan and tilt the pan to coat the bottom evenly; wait 30 seconds until the oil shimmers and slides quickly when you tilt the pan.
- 7
Place the sea bass fillets into the oil skin-side down, laying them away from your body to avoid splattering; you should hear an immediate steady sizzle.
- 8
Do not move the fillets — let them cook undisturbed for 5 minutes until the skin turns golden brown and looks crispy, like a potato chip.
- 9
Gently slide a thin spatula under each fillet and flip it over in one smooth motion; the flesh should now face the pan.
- 10
Scatter the minced garlic into the pan around the fillets and cook for 2 minutes, stirring the garlic once every 30 seconds, until the fish is opaque and flakes easily when you press it gently with a fork.
- 11
Remove the pan from the heat and squeeze the juice from the lemon half over both fillets, distributing it evenly across the flesh.
- 12
Scatter the chopped fresh herbs and lemon slices over the top of both fillets in a thin, even layer.
- 13
Slide each fillet onto a plate using a thin spatula, tilting the spatula so the fish slides off gently skin-side up, leaving the pan sauce and herbs behind.
- 14
Spoon the warm pan oil, garlic, and any browned bits from the bottom of the skillet over the top of each fillet.
Tools you’ll need
- 12-inch nonstick or stainless steel skillet
- paper towels
- cutting board
- chef's knife
- small bowl
- thin metal spatula
- fork
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