Pan-Seared Adriatic Sea Bass with Istrian Olive Tapenade

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.

A delicate pan-seared sea bass fillet topped with a vibrant olive tapenade inspired by the coastal flavors of Istria, Croatia. This Mediterranean-inspired seafood recipe, ready in about 20 minutes, pairs sea bass fillets, extra virgin olive oil, black olives (pitted) 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: 10 min Serves 4 Mediterranean cuisine 280 cal/serving
Build a week of meals around this recipe → Shop this recipe on Instacart → Shop equipment ↓

Ingredients

Food processors worth buying for dips like this → Best Food Processors in 2026: Top 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: Finely chop 1/2 cup black olives, 1/4 cup green olives, 2 tbsp capers, and 2 tbsp fresh parsley. Mix with 1 tsp lemon zest, 2 minced garlic cloves, and 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil until combined to form the tapenade; set aside.
  2. Step 2: Pat dry 4 sea bass fillets and season both sides with 1 tsp sea salt and 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper.
  3. Step 3: Heat 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil in a large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering, about 2 minutes.
  4. Step 4: Place the fillets skin-side down and cook for 4-5 minutes without moving until the skin is crisp and golden.
  5. Step 5: Flip the fillets carefully and cook the other side for 2-3 minutes until the fish is opaque and flakes easily.
  6. Step 6: Transfer the fillets to serving plates and spoon the prepared olive tapenade generously over each fillet while still warm.

Related recipes