Pan-Seared Atlantic Sea Bass with Chermoula and Preserved Lemon

By AislePrompt Editorial · Published 2026-07-09 · Updated 2026-07-09

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.

Delicate pan-seared sea bass fillets topped with a bright, herbaceous Moroccan chermoula sauce accented by preserved lemon and cumin. This African-inspired seafood recipe, ready in about 20 minutes, pairs sea bass fillets, olive oil, fresh cilantro for a weeknight-friendly dinner that comes together with one pan and minimal cleanup. Each serving lands at about 310 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 African cuisine 310 cal/serving

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Ingredients

4 fillets, about 6 oz each sea bass fillets
3 tbsp, divided olive oil
1/2 cup, chopped fresh cilantro
1/2 cup, chopped fresh parsley
3, minced garlic cloves
1 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp smoked paprika
1, rind finely chopped preserved lemon
1 tbsp, freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper

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Instructions

Step 1: In a small bowl, combine 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro, 1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley, 3 minced garlic cloves, 1 tsp ground cumin, 1/2 tsp smoked paprika, 1 chopped preserved lemon rind, 1 tbsp lemon juice, 1 tsp salt, and 2 tbsp olive oil. Mix well to form the chermoula sauce.
Step 2: Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Pat dry 4 sea bass fillets and season each with 1/2 tsp black pepper. Place fillets skin-side down and cook for 4-5 minutes until the skin is crisp and golden.
Step 3: Flip fillets carefully and cook for an additional 3-4 minutes until fish is opaque and flakes easily with a fork.
Step 4: Transfer the sea bass to plates and spoon the chermoula sauce generously over the top. Serve immediately.