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Tender, juicy, flaky fish with a lemon-garlic sauce that will knock your socks off. A 20 minute dinner recipe – so fast, so easy, so good!
Why you’ll love this lemon butter fish recipe
- Comes together lightning fast. We’re talking 20 minutes start to finish! Prep time is kept to a minimum along with a very short ingredient list.
- Restaurant-quality dish. Fine dining just got so easy (and so much cheaper!). This lemon butter fish tastes as if it’s been cooked in a 5-star restaurant, and it will be one of those recipes you’ll keep coming back to again and again.
- Flexible recipe. This recipe works with so many different types of white fish, and can be tweaked and adapted to what you have on hand (throwing in any leftover herbs right into the butter sauce!), making it suitable and budget-friendly for the entire family.
key ingredients in lemon butter fish
Butter
Use good quality salted butter (we love Kerrygold in this recipe). If salted butter is unavailable, use unsalted butter, adding salt, to taste.
Garlic
1 clove is used here but additional garlic cloves can be added for extra garlicky flavor goodness.
Lemon
You’ll 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
Orange roughy, snapper, sole, or rock fish fillets are all great options – they are mild, firm, and flaky white fish varieties and can be cooked in minutes.
All-purpose flour
A thin, light coating of flour on the fish fillets will help create a textured, browned crust when pan-seared.
Vegetable oil
Vegetable oil is a neutral oil with a high smoke point, ideal for achieving that favorited golden brown crust on the fish.
How to make lemon butter fish
- Make the butter sauce. Melt the butter over medium heat until the foam has subsided, watching carefully so it does not burn – it will be very golden brown in color. Stir in all the enhancements – garlic, lemon, and parsley (or any other herbs and seasonings you have on hand).
- Prep the fish. Pat the fish dry for any excess moisture before seasoning the fish with salt + pepper and coating lightly in all-purpose flour, shaking off any excess flour.
- Pan-fry the fish. Pan-sear the fish in a neutral oil (ex. vegetable oil) for that beautiful golden brown crust.
- Add finishing touches. Finish by spooning and drizzling the lemon butter sauce just before serving.
- Serve. Let the fish rest for 3-5 minutes before serving warm with crusty bread and a simple side salad.
Pro tips for the lemon butter sauce
- Use cold butter. The slow melting process will help create that creamy buttery sauce, rather than a greasy puddle of melted butter.
- Lower the heat. Never let the butter come to a boil or the fat will separate and the sauce will break.
- Keep it moving. Stir frequently and constantly, keeping the butter sauce moving to force the melted butter and lemon juice to emulsify.
- A splash of wine will do wonders. Add a little bit of depth by adding a splash of white wine to the sauce.
- Add to taste. The sauce will be rich! Add a little at a time, to taste, without overpowering the fish.
What to serve with lemon butter fish
- Italian Chopped Salad
- Easy No Knead Bread
- Simple Side Salad
- Roasted Sweet Potatoes
- Baked Garlic Herb Potato Wedges
Tools For This Recipe
Saucepan
Nonstick skillet
Lemon Butter Fish: Frequently Asked Questions
Firm white fish such as orange roughy, snapper, sole, or rock fish fillets are ideal, as they can hold up very well in the lemon butter sauce.
Absolutely! Just be sure to thaw the fish prior to using, ideally in the fridge overnight for a consistent 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 ready when it turns opaque (no longer translucent) and flakes easily with a fork.
This dish pairs very well with rice, broccoli, potatoes, and carrots.
Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for 1-2 days.
Lemon Butter Fish
Equipment
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Saucepan
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Nonstick Skillet
Ingredients
- ½ cup cold salted butter sliced
- 1 clove garlic minced
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest
- 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves
- 1 ¼ pounds orange roughy, snapper, sole, or rock fish fillets
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- 4 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 4 wedges lemon
Instructions
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Melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat, stirring frequently until melted and foam has subsided, about 3-4 minutes. Stir in garlic until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
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Remove from heat; stir in lemon zest, lemon juice and parsley. Set aside.
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Season fish with salt and pepper; to taste. Dredge fish in flour until evenly coated, shaking off excess flour.
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Heat 2 tablespoons vegetable oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium high heat. Working in batches, add fish to the skillet in a single layer and cook until golden brown and cooked through, about 2-4 minutes per side.
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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.
- Pat dry. Pat the fish completely dry with paper towels to remove any surface moisture (moisture equals steam), allowing for a better sear and achieving a crispy, golden-brown crust.
- Use a neutral oil. Skip the olive oil and use a neutral-flavored oil with a high smoke point such as vegetable oil or peanut oil for pan-frying the fish, yielding a crispy exterior without burning the fish.
- Mix it up. Add additional garlic cloves or any other herbs 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 favorited golden brown crust. An overcrowded pan will steam the fish instead.
- Use fresh lemons. Fresh lemon juice is ideal here for its bright, vibrant, strong flavors, cutting through the richness of the butter, whereas bottled lemon juice may have a muted, flat taste.
- Add a splash of white wine. If you happen to have an open bottle of wine, add a splash of wine to the sauce. It will cut through the richness and further balance the flavors, transforming the lemon butter sauce into restaurant-quality goodness. Pinot Grigio, Sauvignon Blanc, or unoaked Chardonnay are all solid options.
- Let it rest. Let the fish rest for 5 minutes before serving, allowing the juices to redistribute.
