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Pan Fried Sea Bass with Lemon Garlic Herb Sauce

This pan fried sea bass with lemon garlic herb sauce is packed with flavor from fresh herbs. It's a delicious 20 minute Mediterranean recipe that's perfect for a busy weeknight!

Prep Time
10 mins
Cook Time
10 mins
Total Time
20 mins
Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 318 kcal
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American

Ingredients

  • 3 tablespoons butter divided
  • 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1.5 lbs. sea bass such as barramundi
  • 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt plus more if needed
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper plus more if needed
  • 2 cloves garlic minced
  • 1/4 cup dry white wine such as savignon blanc
  • 1/2 cup chicken stock/broth or water, in a pinch
  • Juice of one lemon about 2 tablespoons
  • 1 tablespoon fresh oregano roughly chopped
  • 1 tablespoon fresh thyme roughly chopped
  • 1 tablespoon fresh parsley roughly chopped
  • lemon wedges for serving optional

Instructions

    Cup of Yum
  1. Pat the fish dry with a paper towel.
  2. In a shallow dish, mix together the flour (1/4 cup), salt (1 teaspoon), and black pepper (1/2 teaspoon).
  3. Dredge each piece of fish in the flour mixture, coating the entire surface, and shake off any excess.
  4. In a large skillet, preferably stainless steel or nonstick, melt 1 tablespoon of the butter over medium high heat and add the olive oil (1 tablespoon).
  5. Cook the fish in the skillet for 3-4 minutes on each side, until golden brown and fully cooked. Try not to move the fish too much, especially if you are using a pan that isn't nonstick, otherwise the fish may be more likely to stick to the bottom and not get browned as nicely.
  6. Remove fish from the skillet to a plate.
  7. Turn down the heat to low. Add the white wine (1/4 cup) to the skillet to deglaze, stirring up any browned bits. Continue heating until almost all the wine has evaporated.
  8. Add one more tablespoon of butter to the skillet. Once it's melted, add the minced garlic (2 cloves) and fresh herbs (1 tablespoon each of oregano, thyme, and parsley) to the skillet and sauté until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
  9. Add the chicken broth (1/2 cup) and bring to a simmer. If sauce seems very thin, continue simmering until reduced and thicker to your liking.
  10. Turn off heat and stir in remaining 1 tablespoon butter and lemon juice (about 2 tablespoons). Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary.
  11. Serve sauce on top of fish.

Notes

  • To use dried herbs: Dried herbs have a bit of a different taste than fresh, but can certainly be used if fresh are not available. The general rule for substituting dried herbs for fresh is using about 1/3 of the measurement – so 1 teaspoon dried for every 1 tablespoon of fresh herbs. Since they are dried, they can cook a bit longer to absorb some liquid and soften up, so you might want to give the sauce a little more time on lower heat to cook.
  • Paleo / dairy free / grain free / gluten-free substitutions: You can use almond flour or coconut flour instead of all purpose flour, cornstarch or a GF flour mix, and or olive oil instead of butter, depending on your needs.
  • I used oregano, parsley, and thyme because it's what was growing in my garden. You can feel free to use other fresh herbs- dill, basil, or cilantro would be delicious as well!
  • Sea bass comes in all kinds of different thicknesses. You may have to adjust the cooking time if yours are especially thick- mine were thin (I used Barramundi, which is also pretty inexpensive as well, and available in the frozen seafood section).

Nutrition Information

Calories 318kcal (16%) Carbohydrates 7g (2%) Protein 31g (62%) Fat 16g (25%) Saturated Fat 6g (30%) Cholesterol 158mg (53%) Sodium 883mg (37%) Potassium 480mg (14%) Vitamin A 585IU (12%) Vitamin C 6.7mg (7%) Calcium 38mg (4%) Iron 2.2mg (12%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 4servings

Amount Per Serving

Calories 318

% Daily Value*

Calories 318kcal 16%
Carbohydrates 7g 2%
Protein 31g 62%
Fat 16g 25%
Saturated Fat 6g 30%
Cholesterol 158mg 53%
Sodium 883mg 37%
Potassium 480mg 10%
Vitamin A 585IU 12%
Vitamin C 6.7mg 7%
Calcium 38mg 4%
Iron 2.2mg 12%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.