Pan-Seared Trout with Michigan Cherry Balsamic Glaze
Fresh trout fillets pan-seared to a golden crust and finished with a sweet-tart Michigan cherry balsamic reduction, capturing the essence of the Great Lakes region. This American-inspired seafood recipe, ready in about 25 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.
Ingredients
- 4 fillets, about 6 oz each trout fillets
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1/3 cup Michigan dried cherries
- 1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
- 1 tbsp honey
- 1 tsp fresh thyme leaves
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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 trout fillets and season both sides with 1 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp black pepper. Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering.
- Step 2: Place the trout fillets skin-side down and cook for 4 minutes without moving, until the skin is crisp and golden. Flip and cook for another 2 minutes until just cooked through, then remove from pan and keep warm.
- Step 3: In a small saucepan, combine 1/3 cup Michigan dried cherries, 1/2 cup balsamic vinegar, 1 tbsp honey, and 1 tsp fresh thyme leaves. Bring to a simmer over medium heat and reduce for about 8 minutes until the glaze thickens and coats the back of a spoon.
- Step 4: Spoon the warm cherry balsamic glaze over the trout fillets and serve immediately, pairing the tart-sweet sauce with the delicate fish.







