Pan-Seared Mediterranean Sea Bass with Lemon and 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.

Sea bass fillets are pan-seared to golden perfection and served with a vibrant tapenade of olives, capers, and fresh lemon zest. 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 320 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 320 cal/serving
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Ingredients

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Instructions

  1. Step 1: Pat dry 4 sea bass fillets (6 ounces each) and season both sides evenly with 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper.
  2. Step 2: Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add the fillets skin-side down and cook for 4-5 minutes until the skin is crisp and golden.
  3. Step 3: Carefully flip the fillets and cook for another 3-4 minutes until the fish flakes easily with a fork. Remove from the skillet and set aside.
  4. Step 4: In a small bowl, combine 1/2 cup chopped Kalamata olives, 2 tablespoons drained capers, 1 teaspoon fresh lemon zest, 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice, 1 tablespoon olive oil, and 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley to make the tapenade.
  5. Step 5: Spoon the olive tapenade generously over each sea bass fillet before serving.

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