Pan-Seared Sea Bass with Olive and Tomato Tapenade
Crisp-skinned sea bass fillets topped with a vibrant olive and tomato tapenade that captures the essence of the Mediterranean coast. This Greek-inspired seafood recipe (mediterranean), ready in about 20 minutes, pairs sea bass fillets, skin on, olive oil, salt for a weeknight-friendly dinner that comes together with one pan and minimal cleanup. Each serving lands at about 350 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 (6 oz each) sea bass fillets, skin on
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1/2 cup kalamata olives, pitted and chopped
- 1/3 cup sun-dried tomatoes, finely chopped
- 2 tbsp capers, rinsed
- 2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
- 1 tsp lemon zest
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
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Equipment for this recipe
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Instructions
- Step 1: Pat dry 4 sea bass fillets and season both sides with 1 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp black pepper. Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat.
- Step 2: Place fillets skin-side down in the skillet and cook for 4-5 minutes without moving until skin is crisp and golden. Flip and cook for 2-3 minutes until fish is opaque and flakes easily.
- Step 3: Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine 1/2 cup chopped kalamata olives, 1/3 cup finely chopped sun-dried tomatoes, 2 tbsp rinsed capers, 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley, 1 tsp lemon zest, and 1 tbsp lemon juice. Stir well to create tapenade.
- Step 4: Remove fish from heat and spoon olive and tomato tapenade evenly over each fillet.
- Step 5: Drizzle remaining 1 tbsp olive oil over the plated fish and serve immediately with a side of steamed vegetables or rice.








