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A pan seared sea bass with a golden brown crust on top of mashed potatoes with a cherry tomato sauce on a white plate.
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5 from 5 votes

Pan Seared Sea Bass

An elegant meal in one pan, this recipe teaches you how to sear the perfect filet of fish.
Prep Time5 minutes
Cook Time15 minutes
Total Time20 minutes
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: American
Diet: Gluten Free, Low Salt
Servings: 4 people
Calories: 267kcal
Author: Alicia

Ingredients

  • 1 ¾ pounds Chilean Sea Bass, cut into 4 filets
  • kosher salt and black pepper
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil or avocado oil
  • 1 tablespoon butter
  • ¼ cup white wine or vegetable broth
  • 1 shallot, chopped small
  • 10 oz fresh cherry tomatoes or mini heirloom tomatoes, sliced in half if large (optional)
  • 1 tablespoon parsley, chopped

Instructions

  • Take the sea bass filets out of the fridge 10-15 minutes before you begin and pat dry. Season with kosher salt and black pepper on both sides. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F if using filets thicker than 1 ½ inches.
  • In an oven safe frying pan (or non-stick pan for smaller fillets that won't need to be baked), heat butter and olive oil over medium-high heat until butter is bubbling, but not smoking/burning. Add sea bass filets flesh side down and DON'T TOUCH THEM for 5 minutes. If it's cooking too quickly, turn down the heat to medium. If you move them around when they're not ready, they will stick to the pan.
  • Once a golden brown crust has formed, flip to skin side down. Deglaze the pan with wine or broth, add chopped shallots and tomatoes. Using a wooden spoon, stir them around the fish without moving the fish. Spoon some of the sauce over the sea bass as it cooks and pan sear for another 4-5 minutes.
  • For a very thick filet (the ones I used were about 2 inches thick), transfer the whole pan to the oven and bake for 4-7 minutes until fish has cooked through. Serve warm over mashed cauliflower or potatoes.

Notes

  • Use this same cooking technique with less expensive cuts of fish like cod or halibut and it will still be just as delicious. Just lower the cooking time or omit the oven step as they tend to be less thick.
  • For dairy free, all olive oil can be used. Ghee is also a good option with a high heat point.
  • If you don't like tomatoes, just omit them from the dish. The sauce is completely optional.
  • For a more decadent cream sauce, add ⅓-1/2 cup heavy cream to the sauce once the fish has been removed. Stir often over medium high heat as it simmers and thickens, which should take about 3-4 minutes. 

Nutrition

Serving: 1filet | Calories: 267kcal | Carbohydrates: 4g | Protein: 36g | Fat: 11g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 166mg | Sodium: 171mg | Potassium: 684mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 613IU | Vitamin C: 17mg | Calcium: 41mg | Iron: 2mg