Pan-Roasted Sea Bass with Citrus Herb Butter

By AislePrompt Editorial · ·

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 drafted and published.

Delicately pan-roasted sea bass fillets topped with a bright citrus herb butter sauce that enhances the mild flavor of the fish. This Mediterranean-inspired seafood recipe, ready in about 25 minutes, pairs sea bass fillets, salt, black pepper for a weeknight-friendly dinner that comes together with one pan and minimal cleanup. Each serving lands at about 280 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: 15 min Serves 4 Mediterranean cuisine 280 cal/serving
Build a week of meals around this recipe → Shop this recipe on Instacart → Shop equipment ↓

Ingredients

The pan we’d use for this → Best Nonstick Cookware for 2026: Top 5 Skillet Picks + Buying Guide

Affiliate disclosure: AislePrompt may earn a commission on qualifying purchases made through Amazon links, at no additional cost to you. See our policy →

Equipment for this recipe

Tools this recipe's steps call for, with a link to each on Amazon.

More Cookware & pots → Shop all kitchen tools →

Instructions

  1. Step 1: Pat dry 4 sea bass fillets and season both sides with 1 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp black pepper.
  2. Step 2: Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Place the fillets skin-side down and cook for 4-5 minutes until the skin is crisp and golden.
  3. Step 3: Flip the fillets carefully and cook for another 3 minutes until the fish is opaque and flakes easily.
  4. Step 4: Remove the fillets from the skillet and set aside on a warm plate.
  5. Step 5: Lower heat to medium, add 4 tbsp unsalted butter, 2 minced garlic cloves, and stir until butter is melted and garlic is fragrant, about 1 minute.
  6. Step 6: Stir in 2 tbsp lemon juice, 1 tsp orange zest, 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley, and 1 tsp fresh thyme leaves. Cook for 30 seconds until the sauce thickens slightly.
  7. Step 7: Spoon the citrus herb butter over the sea bass fillets and serve immediately.

Related recipes