This Easy Lemon Butter Fish only takes 20 minutes and a handful of ingredients. It's a delicious and nutritious weeknight meal the entire family will devour (even non-fish eaters!)
Prep Time: 7 minutesmins
Cook Time: 12 minutesmins
Total Time: 19 minutesmins
Servings: 4
Ingredients
4firm white fish fillets, about 6 inches long, 1-inch thickness throughout (cod, halibut, or mahi mahi are great )
freshly chopped basil or parsley leaves, for garnish and flavor
extra lemon slices for serving
Instructions
Use paper towels to thoroughly pat-dry excess moisture from fish fillets. This step is crucial for fish to brown nicely in pan - otherwise, it will steam instead of brown. Set aside.
In a bowl, combine melted butter, lemon juice and zest, and 1/2 tsp kosher salt. Stir to combine well. Taste and add a bit more kosher salt, if desired.
In a separate bowl, combine the remaining 1/2 tsp kosher salt, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, and black pepper. Evenly press spice mixture onto all sides of fish fillets.
In a large, heavy pan over medium high heat, heat up the olive oil until hot. Once your oil is sizzling, Cook 2 fish fillets at a time to avoid overcrowding (allows for even browning). Cook each side just until fish becomes opaque, feels somewhat firm in the center, and is browned, about 2-3 minutes per side; lightly drizzle some of the lemon butter sauce as you cook, reserving the rest for serving. Take care not to over-cook, as that will result in a tougher texture. Season with extra kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste.
Serve fish with with remaining lemon butter sauce, basil or parsley, and lemon wedges.
*Be sure to use coarse kosher salt, not fine table salt. Learn more about kosher salt!*Actual cook time varies, depending on type, cut, and starting temp of fish. I typically cook 2-3 minutes per side for cold fish fillets that are 1-inch in thickness.*Check for doneness by lightly pressing fillet centers for firmness. Once it feels somewhat firm, it's usually done. The key to tender, flaky fish is to not overcook. *A large splatter guard helps a ton against random oil splattering during cooking.*Serve with Perfect Instant Pot Brown Rice or Best Easy Roasted Vegetables Recipe for a healthy meal that happens to be gluten-free.If you enjoyed this recipe, please come back and give it a rating ♡