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    Homepage » Recipes

    10- Minute Pan-Seared Branzino Fish Fillets with Lemon Butter

    Published: Sep 7, 2021 This post may contain affiliate links · This blog generates income via ads · 25 Comments

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    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe
    pan-seared branzino fish fillets recipe with lemon butter.

    If you purchased branzino fillets from Costco or any fish market and don't know what to do with them, try this one out! This pan-seared branzino with lemon butter recipe is just so good, seems like everyone young and old is a fan of it! A quick and easy dinner recipe to make on any weeknight or a special day like Valentine's.

    pan-seared branzino fish fillets.

    Have you always wondered how to make a restaurant-quality fish fillet at home? If you are looking for branzino recipes, try these pan-seared Branzino fish fillets with lemon butter. It's absolutely the best way to cook branzino fish.

    Jump to:
    • Easy Branzino Recipe
    • What is Branzino Fish
    • The Best Substitutes for Branzino
    • Where to Purchase and Branzino Fish Price
    • Ingredients for Pan-Seared Branzino
    • How to Pan-Sear Branzino Fillets
    • 📖 Recipe
    • 💬 Comments

    Easy Branzino Recipe

    This pan-seared branzino fish fillets recipe tastes as good as what you will find at seafood restaurants and doesn't cost a lot of money to make. Best of all, this recipe requires very minimal ingredients and preparation. It can be ready at your dinner table in about 10 minutes.

    For those who can't find Branzino, don't worry. You can still make this delicious recipe by using any white fish of your choice that is available in your area.

    pan-seared branzino fish fillets.

    What is Branzino Fish

    Branzino is a European or Mediterranean Sea Bass.  I'm a big fan of all types of sea bass and this one is definitely no exception! 

    Branzino has a mild and slightly sweet taste, similar to other types of sea bass and halibut. It is known for its lean white-firm meat and is perfectly grilled, roasted, baked, steamed, or pan-seared.

    What is Branzino.

    The Best Substitutes for Branzino

    If you can't find Branzino, feel free to substitute with flounder, Atlantic croaker, sea trout, red snapper, or any fish that is white, lean, and flaky.

    Where to Purchase and Branzino Fish Price

    You can purchase Branzino at Costco, Trader Joe's, Whole Foods, or any seafood market. It's sold both as a whole fish and as fillets. 

    It's around $6.99 per pound (whole fish) or $7 per pound (fillets).

    pan-seared branzino.

    Ingredients for Pan-Seared Branzino

    To make pan-seared branzino you will need branzino fillets, oil, lemon, butter, salt, black pepper, and fresh thyme leaves.

    ingredients for lemon butter.

    How to Pan-Sear Branzino Fillets

    I usually cook fish fillets skin-side down first. However, for this particular recipe, in order to keep the skin crispy after basting, I decided to cook the skin side up first.

    Basting will add flavor and keep the fish from drying out. The extra fat also helps crisp up the skin.

    Step 1. Add Seasoning to Fish

    • Pat the fish fillets dry with paper towels.
    • With your hand at least 12 inches away, lightly sprinkle salt and black pepper on both sides of the fish fillets in a single layer. 
    what is branzino.

    Step 2. Preheat Your Pan

    • Preheat a heavy large skillet over medium heat.
    • Add oil and wait a few seconds for the oil to heat. The oil should shimmer.

    Step. Pan-Sear

    Do not overcrowd the pan to prevent steaming. Work in multiple batches if needed.

    • Place the fish fillets in the hot pan, skin side up. Cook for about 45-60 seconds or until lightly golden browned.
    • Carefully flip the fish fillets and cook the skin for about 2 minutes.  Using a spatula, hold for a few seconds to ensure even cooking and crisp skin all over.
    cooking fish fillets.
    • Add butter, thyme, and fresh lemon juice to the pan. Tilt the pan slightly and use a spoon to baste the fish with melted butter. Continue basting until cooked through for a few seconds until the fish is fully cooked and the skin is crispy.
    easy branzino recipe.

    FAQ and Cooking Tips

    How to make fish skin crispy

    Here's how to get the perfect crispy skin:
    1. You have to dry the fish really well with paper towels. After that, place the fish fillets on a wire rack and let them come to room temperature on the counter for 15 minutes before you cook them.
    2. Do not overcrowd the pan to prevent steaming. The more food added, the lower the temperature falls. Make sure that the fish fillets have plenty of space and are not touching each other.
    3. Always preheat the skillet for a few minutes.
    4. Don't salt your fish until right before you put it in the pan because salt draws moisture to the surface of the fish.

    How to store leftover pan-seared fish

    Place the leftover cooked fish in an airtight container.  If the fish is still hot, then allow it to cool before sealing it. Properly stored, it can last 3-4 days in the fridge or up to a month in the freezer.

    How to reheat leftover pan-seared fish

    Place the leftover pan-seared fish on a lightly greased baking sheet. Broil for 1-3 minutes on each side to reheat it. Leave the oven door partially ajar during cooking.

    What to Serve with

    • Easy Sauteed Zucchini
    • Roasted Yellow Squash
    • 10-Minute Curry Couscous
    • Roasted Asparagus
    • Green Beans Almondine

    Check Out More Tasty Seafood Recipes

    • Really Tasty Salmon Cakes
    • Air Fryer Fish Sticks
    • Air Fryer Tilapia
    • Pan-Seared Tilapia
    • Easy Bouillabaise (French Fish Stew)
    • Easy Fish Soup
    • Fish Chowder
    • Pan-Fried Trout


    I hope you'll enjoy this recipe and share it with friends! If you try it and don’t mind, please leave me a comment and/or give this recipe a rating.

    📖 Recipe

    pan-seared branzino fish fillets recipfillets.
    4.79 from 23 votes

    Pan-Seared Branzino

    Rika
    This pan-seared branzino recipe is a speedy dinner for two that can be ready in about 10 minutes. It's a fancy dish you can serve for a romantic dinner without breaking your wallet.
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 4 mins
    Cook Time 6 mins
    Course Main Course
    Cuisine Italian, world
    Servings 2
    Calories 247 kcal

    Equipment

    • a stainless steel or cast-iron skillet

    Ingredients
     

    • 2 branzino fish fillets, (pat the fish dry with paper towels, let them come to room temperature)
    • sea salt and black pepper, (as needed)
    • 1 tablespoon canola, avocado, or olive oil
    • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
    • 2 sprigs thyme leaves
    • ½ tablespoon fresh lemon juice

    Instructions
     

    • With your hand at least 12 inches away, lightly sprinkle salt and black pepper on both sides of fish fillets in a single layer, right before cooking.
    • Preheat a large skillet over medium heat until hot but not smoking. Add oil and heat it for a few seconds until shimmers, and let it spread across the pan.
    • Cook fish fillets, skin-side up for about 45-60 seconds or until lightly golden browned. At this point, you only need to give the flesh a nice golden color as it will continue to cook after flipping.
    • Carefully flip the fish fillets and cook the skin for about 2 minutes. Using a spatula, hold for a few seconds to ensure even cooking and crisp skin all over.
    • Add butter, thyme, and fresh lemon juice to the pan. Tilt the pan slightly and use a spoon to baste the fish with melted butter. Continue basting for a few seconds until the fish is fully cooked and the skin is crispy.

    Notes

    Preheating the pan. I made a slight change to the preheating of the pan temperature to make it more suitable for all types of cooking pans (stainless or cast iron) and stoves (gas or electric).
    Here's how to test if your pan is hot enough for searing,  place a single drop of water into the pan if it sizzles or jumps around instead of evaporating instantly, your pan is ready.
    In this recipe, I used a stainless steel pan It can take about 2-3 minutes to preheat on a gas stove or longer if you are using an electric stove. 
    Cooking time. I also reduced the cooking time to prevent overcooking for some users due to differences in the type of pan and stove they are using.
     
    The cooking times will vary for a number of reasons. For example, a gas cooktop heats up more quickly than an electric one. For that reason, please check the doneness of the fish and adjust the cooking time accordingly to prevent undercooking, overcooking, and/or burning. 
     
    Non-stick pans. I do not recommend using a non-stick pan for searing crispy-skinned fish. The fish needs to be cooked in a preheated pan and non-stick pans will have serious problems (the coating will break down and start releasing toxic chemicals into the air) if you heat them without food in them.
    If you decide to use a non-stick pan, you should start with a cold pan and heat it up with some oil in it. Please keep in mind that the final result of the fish won't be as crisp as it could be.
    To store the leftover: Place the leftover pan-seared fish in an airtight container. Properly stored, it can last 3-4 days in the fridge or up to a month in the freezer. 
    To reheat the leftover: Place the fish fillets on a lightly greased baking sheet. Broil for 1-3 minutes on each side to reheat it. Leave the oven door partially ajar during cooking. 

    Nutrition

    Calories: 247kcalCarbohydrates: 1gProtein: 15gFat: 20gSaturated Fat: 9gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 9gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 98mgSodium: 60mgPotassium: 231mgFiber: 1gSugar: 1gVitamin A: 474IUVitamin C: 3mgCalcium: 20mgIron: 1mg
    Keyword branzino fish fillets, how to cook branzino fish, pan-seared branzino
    Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

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    1. Nancy

      April 24, 2022 at 4:10 pm

      I made this Pan seared Branzini for dinner this evening. It was delicious! The flavors blended beautifully to compliment the fish.

      Reply
      • Rika

        April 24, 2022 at 5:40 pm

        Hi Nancy,

        Thanks for trying this recipe for dinner! I am glad that the branzino fillet turned out well.

        Best,

        Rika

    2. Melissa

      June 22, 2022 at 3:20 pm

      I don’t understand. I’m making this right now because it sounds so great. But if you want crispy skin, how does cooking skin side first and then basting it with butter and lemon juice achieve that? I’ve been watching too much Master Chef. Confused.

      Reply
      • Rika

        June 22, 2022 at 7:00 pm

        Hi Melissa,

        I love Master Chef and learning cooking tips from the program. Per the post, I usually cook the skin first but for this particular recipe, I found that cooking the skin at the later step yields the crispiest result because the skin got the most heat and the flesh got the most aromatic butter (step #3, "Cook fish fillets, skin-side up for 90 seconds - 2 minutes until lightly browned. Carefully flip the fish fillets and cook the skin for 3 minutes"). Please let me know how it goes with your fish, always curious to hear how different methods turn out.

        Best,

        Rika

    3. Melissa

      June 23, 2022 at 7:16 am

      4 stars
      I didn’t get crispy skin. I don’t think I heated the pan enough. Cast iron might be better. But the fish was delicious.

      Reply
      • Rika

        June 23, 2022 at 12:54 pm

        Hi Melissa,

        Make sure that the skin is really dry before cooking it. Keep pressing the spatula onto the skin while cooking it skin side down to ensure maximum browning and crispness all over.
        I hope this method works, if not, maybe you can cook the skin side down first for about 3 minutes undisturbed until brown and crisp around all edges, flip it, baste and continue cooking the flesh until it’s fully cooked. And sorry if you've already tried this as it sounds like you are experienced in the kitchen and try different approaches. I can’t wait to hear how it goes and what works for you.

        Best,

        Rika

    4. melissa

      June 23, 2022 at 12:22 pm

      4 stars
      Rika
      I tried to post a comment but I think it got lost. The pan wasn’t hot enough. I will try again as I believe you, and the fish was delicious anyway. Used Meyer lemons and just-picked thyme. Master Chef sometimes drives me mad with the repetition of cauliflower purée, carrot purée, garlic potato purée… and the constant parade of seared scallops and herb-crusted
      rack of lamb. Which is part of why I appreciate your recipe here. Simple but different. I just have to learn how to get the heat right.

      Reply
      • Rika

        June 23, 2022 at 3:38 pm

        Hi Melissa,

        I just made this recipe again twice today using different pans and stoves. I made a slight change to the preheating temperature to make it suitable for most pans (preheat the pan on medium) and also reduce the cooking time to prevent overcooking for some users due to differences in the type of pan and stove they are using.

        Best,

        Rika

    5. Denise Shehab

      July 11, 2022 at 7:44 pm

      This was so easy and it came out perfect, crispy, and delicious. Thank you for a simple yet wonderful recipe.

      Reply
      • Rika

        July 11, 2022 at 7:47 pm

        Hi Denise,

        Thanks for letting me know that the fish turned out crispy. I am glad that you found it simple yet delicious.

        Best,

        Rika

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