Pan-Seared Trout 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.

Tender trout fillets pan-seared to golden perfection, finished with a fragrant lemon-thyme butter sauce that brightens the delicate fish flavor. This Mediterranean-inspired seafood recipe, ready in about 22 minutes, pairs trout 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.

Prep: 10 min Cook: 12 min Serves 4 Mediterranean cuisine 280 cal/serving
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Ingredients

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Instructions

  1. Step 1: Pat dry 4 trout fillets 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 nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Place the fillets skin-side down and sear for 4 minutes without moving, until edges turn crispy and golden.
  3. Step 3: Flip the fillets carefully and cook for 2 more minutes until the flesh is opaque and flakes easily.
  4. Step 4: Remove fillets to a warm plate and reduce heat to medium-low. Add 4 tbsp unsalted butter, 2 minced garlic cloves, 2 tsp chopped fresh thyme, and 1 tsp lemon zest to the skillet. Stir continuously until butter melts and garlic is fragrant, about 1 minute.
  5. Step 5: Stir in 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice and cook for 30 seconds until the sauce slightly thickens and coats the back of a spoon.
  6. Step 6: Spoon the lemon-thyme butter sauce over the trout fillets and serve immediately.

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