White Fish with Lemon Butter Sauce

By Amy Dong
Published Apr. 18, 2024

This White Fish with Lemon Butter Sauce is one of the most delicious yet simple ways to enjoy fish for dinner. The flavors of garlic, butter, and lemon fuse together to create a healthy and mouthwatering meal the whole family will devour.

white fish with lemon butter sauce plated and garnished. — White Fish with Lemon Butter Sauce is the perfect healthy weeknight meal that the whole family will love.

Why This Recipe Stands Out
Which Fish Are White Fish?
What Is The Best Tasting White Fish?
Is White Fish Healthy?
Key Recipe Ingredients
Substitutions And Variations
Step-By-Step Recipe Instructions
How To Prep Ahead
What to Serve With White Fish
Commonly Asked Questions
Did you make this?
White Fish with Lemon Butter Sauce Recipe
More To Cook And Eat

Why This Recipe Stands Out

This White Fish with Lemon Butter Sauce is one of our favorite 30-minute meals for busy weeknights. Here’s why this recipe works:

Feel Great About Serving It: White fish is packed with protein and relatively low in fat. Serve this dish with a fresh veggie side, and you’ve got a scrumptious and nutritious meal!
Not Fishy At All: If you’ve got picky eaters in your house, you may just convert them with this recipe. White fish is super flaky and mild in flavor – not at all fishy.
Tender and Flavorful: We infuse this fish with bold flavors – fresh lemons, butter, white wine, fresh parsley, and minced garlic.
Quick and Easy: From beginning to end, this meal comes together in just 25 minutes and it couldn’t be easier to make!

Which Fish Are White Fish?

Unlike varieties of fish like tuna and salmon, white fish have white flesh, are lower in fat, tend to flake easily, and have a very mild flavor. Common white fish include halibut, cod, sea bass, flounder, and sole. Some of our favorite white fish recipes include are seared halibut, cod with lemon butter, this easy barramundi recipe, and mahi mahi.

What Is The Best Tasting White Fish?

The best kind of white fish will depend on your personal preference and what dish you’re using it for. But in general, cod, grouper, and halibut are all great options if you want a sturdy, flaky, thick, and mild fillet. For a thinner fillet, we like using haddock or flounder.

In this recipe, we recommend using cod, halibut, or mahi-mahi. The important thing here is to make sure your fillets are at least 1-inch thick.

Is White Fish Healthy?

White fish is just about as healthy as it gets when it comes to protein sources, which is why we love recipes like this Lemon Butter Cod. Not only are white fish rich in protein and low in fat, they’re also packed with essential nutrients like magnesium, vitamin B12, selenium, and potassium. To get all these health benefits, we recommend choosing wild-caught over farm-raised fillets.

Key Recipe Ingredients

lemon peel and fresh lemons for lemon custard cake.

White Fish – Look for fillets that are at least 1″ thick and around 6-8 oz. each. We love cod, halibut, and mahi-mahi for this recipe.
Salted Butter – Salted butter infuses this fish with moisture and flavor.
Aromatics – Fresh minced garlic and shallots bring sweet, spicy, and pungent flavors to this dish.
Dry White Wine – White wine works together with the lemon juice to provide acidity that helps bring out the flavors of the fish and helps with tenderness.
Lemon – Both lemon juice and zest bring fresh, vibrant flavors that balance the richness of butter.
Fresh Parsley – A little sprinkle of fresh chopped parsley goes a long way in adding a burst of color and sharp, earthy flavor to white fish.

Substitutions And Variations

Take a look at some of our favorite variations for this White Fish with Lemon Butter Sauce:

Shrimp: For an even quicker dinner, try using the sauce in this recipe on shrimp. Check out our recipe for 10-Minute Garlic Shrimp for tips and tricks on how to cook shrimp.
Herbs: If you’re making this recipe on repeat and want to switch up the flavors a bit, try tweaking the herbs you use. Instead of parsley, sprinkle fresh basil, dill, cilantro, rosemary, or sage on your fish.
Toppings: We love topping any white fish recipe with this vibrant, flavorful mango salsa from this Pan Seared Mahi-Mahi Recipe. We also think this Fresh Corn Salsa would make an amazing topping for white fish.

Step-By-Step Recipe Instructions

Let fish drain in colander at room temperature for 30 minutes.
Cook butter, shallots, and garlic in a large frying pan on medium heat for 2 minutes.
Add wine and lemon juice and bring to a boil. Let boil until sauce thickens. Stir in parsley and lemon zest. Season with pinches of salt and pepper to taste. Keep warm.
Pat dry fillets with paper towels and sprinkle with salt and pepper – don’t skip this very important step, as it helps ensure fish will brown vs. steam in the pan.
Heat olive oil over medium heat in large, nonstick frying pan. Arrange 2 fillets in the pan and cook with lid ajar to allow steam to escape. Cook for 3-4 minutes.
Flip and cook other side for 3-4 min. Repeat with other 2 fillets.
Plate the fillets and pour lemon butter sauce on top. Enjoy!

For full list of ingredients and instructions, see recipe card below.

How To Prep Ahead

We have a few tricks for making white fish even quicker. Check them out:

Make the Sauce: The lemon butter sauce in this recipe can actually be made up to 4 days in advance. Just let it cool completely before storing it in an airtight container in the fridge. Warm it on the stovetop or in the microwave when you’re ready to eat.
Thaw the Fish: If you’re using flash frozen fillets for this recipe, make sure to take them out in advance so they have enough time to thaw. We like transferring our fillets from the freezer to the fridge 2 nights before.
Cook the Fish: Cooked white fish will stay fresh for 3 days in the fridge. So, feel free to make the dish in advance for an easy prep-ahead dinner. Store the fish and sauce separately for best results.

fully finished white fish with lemon butter sauce.

What to Serve With White Fish

Rice and Potatoes

We love serving this fish over rice, especially when we’re in a time crunch. Check out our favorite recipes for Instant Pot Jasmine Rice and Instant Pot Brown Rice.
On nights when you have more cooking time, try serving this Wild Rice Pilaf with white fish.
For a stick-to-your-bones potato side to this dish, check out our recipe for Instant Pot Baby Potatoes.

Vegetables

This fresh Strawberry Salad with Asparagus goes amazingly with White Fish with Lemon Butter Sauce.
If you’re making this healthy meal in the summer, take advantage of the warm weather and make this Grilled Zucchini.
Kale Brussel Sprouts Salad with Honey Mustard Dressing is an irresistible, crunchy veggie side for any fish recipe.

Desserts

For a cool, refreshing finish to this meal, try making this Easy Egg-Free Vanilla Ice Cream or this Green Tea Ice Cream.
If you have extra lemons left over, you should definitely try these Lemon Bars with Shortbread Crust.

Commonly Asked Questions

How do I prevent fish from falling apart while cooking?

The key to keeping your fish in one piece while searing it on the stove is to only flip it once. Do not move it around once it’s in the pan. Wait until the bottom of your fillets are browned on the first side (about 3-4 minutes) before flipping. Then let it sit until browned on the other side before carefully removing from the heat.

Why isn’t my fish getting browned on the outside?

There are a few things that could be preventing your fish from properly browning. First, check the heat. You’ll want to give your pan some time to fully heat up before placing your fillets in the pan. Second, make sure to thoroughly pat your fish dry before cooking them. Excess moisture causes fish to steam rather than browning nicely. Third, don’t overcrowd your fish. You want to leave some room between your fillets to allow air flow. We like cooking our fish in two batches for this recipe. If they’re too close together they’ll end up steaming instead of browning.

What’s the difference between shallots and onions?

Shallots are sweeter and less sharp-tasting than onions. However, the two are pretty similar in taste when you’re cooking them. So, feel free to substitute one medium-sized onion for the two shallots in this recipe.

What is the healthiest kind of fish?

Tuna and Salmon are notoriously healthy fish because of their Omega-3 fatty acids. If you’re looking for a delicious tuna or salmon recipe, check out our Marinated Seared Ahi Tuna or Easy Baked Salmon Recipe. White fish like cod and halibut are also known for being super healthy fillets because they’re high in protein and low in fat and calories.

Did you make this?

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