Pan-Roasted Sea Bass with Lemon Thyme Brown 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.

Delicate sea bass fillets pan-roasted and finished with a nutty brown butter sauce infused with fresh lemon and thyme. This Mediterranean-inspired seafood recipe, ready in about 20 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: 5 min Cook: 15 min Serves 4 Mediterranean cuisine 280 cal/serving
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Ingredients

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Instructions

  1. Step 1: Pat dry 4 sea bass fillets and season both sides with 1 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp black pepper. Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering.
  2. Step 2: Place the fillets skin-side down in the skillet and cook for 4-5 minutes without moving until the skin is crisp and golden. Flip and cook for another 2 minutes until the fish flakes easily.
  3. Step 3: Remove fillets to a plate and reduce heat to medium. Add 4 tbsp unsalted butter and 1 smashed garlic clove to the skillet.
  4. Step 4: Stir butter frequently as it melts and begins to brown, about 3-4 minutes, until it smells nutty and the foam subsides. Remove and discard garlic.
  5. Step 5: Stir in 1 tbsp chopped fresh thyme, 1 tsp lemon zest, and 1 tbsp lemon juice into the brown butter. Pour sauce over the sea bass fillets and serve immediately.

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