Pan-Seared Mediterranean Sea Bass with Lemon-Caper Sauce
A delicate pan-seared sea bass fillet dressed with a bright lemon-caper sauce and fresh herbs, evoking the flavors of the Mediterranean coast. This Mediterranean-inspired seafood recipe, ready in about 22 minutes, pairs sea bass fillets, olive oil, unsalted butter 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.
Ingredients
- 4 fillets (6 oz each) sea bass fillets
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 2 tbsp unsalted butter
- 3 cloves, minced garlic cloves
- 3 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- 2 tbsp, drained capers
- 2 tbsp, chopped fresh parsley
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
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Equipment for this recipe
Tools this recipe's steps call for, with a link to each on Amazon.
Instructions
- Step 1: Pat dry 4 sea bass fillets (6 oz each) and season both sides with 1 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp black pepper.
- Step 2: Heat 3 tbsp olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering, about 2 minutes.
- Step 3: Add the sea bass fillets skin side down and cook for 4-5 minutes without moving until the skin is crisp and golden brown.
- Step 4: Flip the fillets carefully and add 2 tbsp unsalted butter and 3 minced garlic cloves to the pan, spooning the melted butter over the fish for 2-3 minutes until the fish is opaque and flakes easily.
- Step 5: Remove the fillets to a warm plate and pour 3 tbsp fresh lemon juice and 2 tbsp drained capers into the skillet, stirring and scraping up browned bits for 1 minute until the sauce slightly thickens.
- Step 6: Stir in 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley, then spoon the sauce over the fillets and serve immediately.









