Pan-Seared Sea Bass with Citrus and Herb Butter

By AislePrompt Editorial · Published 2026-05-22 · Updated 2026-05-22

A tender sea bass fillet pan-seared to golden perfection, topped with a bright citrus and fresh herb butter sauce. 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 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
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 4 tbsp unsalted butter
• 2 tbsp lemon juice
• 1 tsp orange zest
• 2 tbsp finely chopped fresh parsley
• 1 tbsp finely chopped fresh thyme
• 2 cloves minced garlic

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Instructions

1. Step 1: Pat dry 4 sea bass fillets and season evenly with 1 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp black pepper on both sides.
2. Step 2: Heat 3 tbsp olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Place fillets skin-side down and sear for 4 minutes without moving until the edges turn crispy and golden.
3. Step 3: Flip the fillets carefully and add 4 tbsp unsalted butter, 2 minced garlic cloves, 2 tbsp lemon juice, 1 tsp orange zest, 2 tbsp chopped parsley, and 1 tbsp chopped thyme to the pan. Spoon the melted butter and herbs over the fillets as they cook for another 3 minutes until the fish is opaque and flakes easily.
4. Step 4: Remove the fillets from the pan and spoon the citrus herb butter sauce over each serving before plating.