Pan-Fried Sea Bass with Lemon and Parsley Butter

By AislePrompt Editorial · Published 2026-05-08 · Updated 2026-05-08

How this recipe was made — this recipe was drafted by AislePrompt's AI-assisted pipeline from technique templates and USDA-sourced nutrition data, and published by AislePrompt Editorial — see how AislePrompt recipes are developed and reviewed.

Lightly pan-fried British sea bass fillets topped with a zesty lemon and parsley butter, ideal for a simple yet elegant dinner. This British-inspired seafood recipe, ready in about 20 minutes, pairs sea bass fillets, unsalted butter, fresh parsley, chopped for a weeknight-friendly dinner that comes together with one pan and minimal cleanup. Each serving lands at about 320 calories and feeds 4, so it slots cleanly into a weekly meal plan and pairs well with a quick salad or grain on the side. Tap "Plan a meal with the AI" below to drop this recipe into your week and send the ingredients straight to Instacart. Nutrition values are approximate, calculated from USDA FoodData Central (fdc.nal.usda.gov) — verify against ingredient labels for any health-driven dietary plan.

Prep: 10 min Cook: 10 min Serves 4 British cuisine 320 cal/serving

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Ingredients

4 fillets (6 oz each) sea bass fillets
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
1 teaspoon lemon zest
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper

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Instructions

Step 1: Pat dry 4 sea bass fillets and season both sides with 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper.
Step 2: Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the fillets skin-side down and cook for 4-5 minutes until the skin is golden and crisp.
Step 3: Flip the fillets and cook for another 3-4 minutes until the flesh is opaque and flakes easily.
Step 4: Meanwhile, melt 4 tablespoons unsalted butter in a small saucepan over low heat. Stir in 2 tablespoons lemon juice, 1 teaspoon lemon zest, and 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley until combined.
Step 5: Plate the sea bass fillets and spoon the lemon-parsley butter over the top while hot.