This post may contain affiliate links. Please see ours privacy policy for details.
Tender, juicy, flaky fish with a lemon-garlic sauce that will knock your socks off. 20 Minute Dinner Recipe – So Fast, So Easy, So Good!
Why you’ll love this lemon butter fish recipe
- It comes together in a flash. We’re talking 20 minutes from start to finish! Preparation time is kept to a minimum along with a very short list of ingredients.
- Restaurant quality food. Fine dining just got so easy (and so much cheaper!). This lemon butter fish tastes like it was made in a 5-star restaurant and will be one of those recipes you’ll come back to again and again.
- A flexible recipe. This recipe works with so many different types of white fish and can be changed and adapted to what you have on hand (add any other herbs right into the butter sauce!), making it suitable and budget-friendly for the whole family.
key ingredients in lemon oil fish
oil
Use a quality salted butter (we love Kerrygold in this recipe). If salted butter is not available, use unsalted butter, adding salt to taste.
garlic
1 clove is used here, but additional garlic cloves can be added for extra garlic flavor.
A lemon
You will need 1 lemon for zest, juice and lemon wedges for serving.
parsley
This adds vibrant color and flavor but can be omitted if needed.
White fish
Fillets of orange roughy, snapper, sole or rockfish are great options – they are soft, firm and flaky varieties of whitefish and can be cooked in minutes.
All purpose flour
A thin, light coating of flour on the fish fillets will help create a textured, seared crust when pan-fried.
Vegetable oil
Vegetable oil is a neutral oil with a high smoke point, ideal for achieving the beloved golden brown crust of fish.
How to make fish with lemon oil
- Make the butter sauce. Melt the butter over medium heat until the foam subsides, being careful not to burn it – it will turn a very golden brown. Stir in all the toppings – garlic, lemon and parsley (or any other herbs and spices you have on hand).
- Prepare the fish. Pat the fish dry of excess moisture before seasoning with salt + pepper and dusting lightly with all-purpose flour, shaking off any excess flour.
- Fry the fish in a pan. Fry the fish in a neutral oil (eg vegetable oil) for that beautiful golden brown crust.
- Add finishing touches. Finish with a spoon and drizzle of lemon butter sauce just before serving.
- Serve. Let the fish rest for 3-5 minutes before serving warm crusty bread and a a simple side salad.
Pro tips for lemon butter sauce
- Use cold oil. The slow melting process will help create that creamy butter sauce rather than a greasy pool of melted butter.
- Reduce the heat. Never let the butter boil or the fat will separate and the sauce will fall apart.
- Keep moving. Stir frequently and continuously, keeping the butter sauce moving to force the melted butter and lemon juice to emulsify.
- A splash of wine will do wonders. Add some depth by adding some white wine to the sauce.
- Add to taste. The sauce will be rich! Add little by little to taste without overdoing the fish.
What to serve with lemon butter fish
Fish with lemon oil: frequently asked questions
Firm white fish such as orange fillets, snapper, sole or rockfish are ideal as they can hold up very well in the lemon butter sauce.
Absolutely! Just remember to thaw the fish before use, ideally in the fridge overnight for a permanent thaw.
yes You’ll want to use a neutral oil with a high smoke point, such as vegetable oil or avocado oil.
The fish is done when it turns opaque (no longer transparent) and tears apart easily with a fork.
This dish goes very well with rice, broccoli, potatoesand carrots.
Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 1-2 days.
Fish with lemon oil
#wprm-recipe-rating-3 .wprm-rating-star.wprm-rating-star-full svg * { fill: #343434; }#wprm-recipe-rating-3 .wprm-rating-star.wprm-rating-star-33 svg * { fill: url(#wprm-recipe-rating-3-33); }#wprm-recipe-rating-3 .wprm-rating-star.wprm-rating-star-50 svg * { fill: url(#wprm-recipe-rating-3-50); }#wprm-recipe-rating-3 .wprm-rating-star.wprm-rating-star-66 svg * { fill: url(#wprm-recipe-rating-3-66); }linearGradient#wprm-recipe-rating-3-33 stop {stop-color: #343434; }linearGradient#wprm-recipe-rating-3-50 stop {stop-color: #343434; }linearGradient#wprm-recipe-rating-3-66 stop {stop-color: #343434; }
Equipment
ingredients
- ½ cup cold salted butter sliced
- 1 clove garlic minced meat
- 1 tablespoon lemon peel
- 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons chopped leaves of fresh parsley
- 1 ¼ pound fillets of orange roughy, snapper, sole or rockfish
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- 4 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 4 wedges lemon
Instructions
-
Melt the butter in medium pot over medium heat, stirring frequently, until melted and foam subsides, about 3-4 minutes. Stir in garlic until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
-
Remove from heat; stir in lemon zest, lemon juice and parsley. Set aside.
-
Season the fish with salt and pepper; to taste. Dip fish in flour until evenly coated, shaking off excess flour.
-
Heat 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil in a large skillet non-stick pan on medium high heat. Working in batches, add fish to the pan in a single layer and cook until golden brown and cooked through, about 2-4 minutes per side.
-
Serve immediately, drizzled with butter and garnished with lemon wedges, if desired.
video
Notes
- Salted butter goes a long way. Kerrygold salted butter will work very well here (along with any other European-style butter) due to its higher fat content (82% vs. 80% for standard butter), providing a richer, creamier, smoother emulsification for your butter sauce.
- Dry. Dry the fish completely with paper towels to remove surface moisture (moisture equals steam), which allows for better searing and a crispy, golden-brown crust.
- Use neutral oil. Skip the olive oil and use a neutral-flavored oil with a high smoke point, such as vegetable oil or peanut oil, to pan-fry the fish to get a crispy appearance without burning the fish.
- Stir it up. Add extra garlic cloves or any other herbs you have on hand (basil, thyme, dill or rosemary) or even a teaspoon of Italian seasoning.
- Cook in batches. Work in batches to properly pan-fry the fish for that beloved golden brown crust. An overcrowded pan will smother the fish instead.
- Use fresh lemons. Fresh lemon juice is perfect here with its bright, vibrant, strong flavors cutting through the richness of the butter, while bottled lemon juice can have a muted, flat taste.
- Add a splash of white wine. If you happen to have an open bottle of wine, add some wine to the sauce. It will reduce the saturation and further balance the flavors, turning the lemon butter sauce into restaurant-quality goodness. Pinot Grigio, Sauvignon Blanc or raw Chardonnay are solid options.
- Let him rest. Let the fish rest for 5 minutes before serving to allow the juices to distribute.
Submitted comment
Dave
10 more comments