Pan-Roasted Sea Bass with Tomato and Olive Ragout

By AislePrompt Editorial · Published 2026-06-09 · Updated 2026-06-09

Delicate sea bass fillets pan-roasted until crisp on the outside, served atop a fragrant ragout of tomatoes, olives, and garlic. 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 350 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.

Ingredients

• 4 fillets, about 5 oz each sea bass fillets
• 1 tsp, divided salt
• 1/2 tsp, divided black pepper
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 3, thinly sliced garlic cloves
• 1 1/2 cups, halved cherry tomatoes
• 1/2 cup, pitted and halved kalamata olives
• 1/4 cup, chopped fresh basil
• 1/4 cup white wine
• 1 tbsp lemon juice

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Instructions

1. Step 1: Pat dry 4 sea bass fillets (about 5 oz each) and season both sides with 1/2 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp black pepper.
2. Step 2: Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering, then add the fillets skin-side down. Cook for 3-4 minutes without moving until the skin is crisp and golden brown, then carefully flip and cook for another 2 minutes until the fish is opaque and flakes easily.
3. Step 3: Remove sea bass from the skillet and tent with foil to keep warm.
4. Step 4: Lower heat to medium, add 1 tbsp olive oil and 3 thinly sliced garlic cloves to the same skillet, sauté for 1 minute until fragrant.
5. Step 5: Add 1 1/2 cups halved cherry tomatoes and 1/2 cup halved pitted kalamata olives; cook for 4-5 minutes until tomatoes soften and release juices.
6. Step 6: Pour in 1/4 cup white wine and simmer until reduced by half, then stir in 1 tbsp lemon juice and 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil; season with remaining 1/2 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp black pepper.
7. Step 7: Spoon the tomato and olive ragout onto plates and top each with a sea bass fillet before serving immediately.