Pan-Seared Sea Bass with Lemon-Thyme Butter Sauce

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 finished with a fragrant lemon-thyme butter sauce, perfect for a light yet flavorful dinner. This Mediterranean-inspired seafood recipe, ready in about 25 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 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: 15 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 oz each) and season both sides with 1 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp black pepper.
  2. Step 2: Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering, about 2 minutes.
  3. Step 3: Place the fillets skin-side down in the skillet and cook for 4-5 minutes without moving until the skin is crisp and golden.
  4. Step 4: Flip the fillets carefully and cook for another 2-3 minutes until the fish is opaque and flakes easily.
  5. Step 5: Remove the fillets and set aside on a warm plate.
  6. Step 6: Reduce heat to medium, add 4 tbsp unsalted butter, 2 minced garlic cloves, and 4 fresh thyme sprigs to the skillet; cook for 1 minute until fragrant and butter is melted.
  7. Step 7: Stir in 1 tsp lemon zest and 2 tbsp lemon juice, swirling the pan to combine and letting the sauce thicken slightly, about 1 minute.
  8. Step 8: Spoon the lemon-thyme butter sauce over the sea bass fillets and serve immediately.

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