Pan Seared Chilean Sea Bass Recipe
This pan seared Chilean Sea Bass recipe is incredibly tender and flavorful! This one pan 20 minute meal comes together quickly and easily. A simple lemon herb butter sauce takes this fish to the next level! This sea bass recipe is an easy, healthy and delicious meal that feels fancy. Check out the video in the recipe card below for the step by step process!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- This pan seared Chilean sea bass recipe is quick and easy to make.
- It is made in one skillet and takes only 20 minutes.
- This is the best way to cook Chilean sea bass!
- As someone who loves to workout and eat healthy, this is the ultimate meal! It is high in protein and contains no added sugar. I make this twice per week!
- The sear from the pan gives the fish a crispy crunchy skin.
- This meal feels sophisticated and fancy, but it is incredibly straightforward and simple.
- This recipe is Whole30 compliant, Paleo, gluten free, sugar free, Keto and low carb.
- Check out this Blackened Mahi Mahi or this Baked Tilapia for another great seafood recipe!
What is Chilean Sea Bass?
Chilean sea bass is the nickname for Antarctic toothfish and Patagonian toothfish. These two species of fish inhabit cold water and can be found in the Pacific, southern Atlantic, and Indian Oceans. In fact, these fish are actually a type of cod.
These fish are typically 10 to 20 pounds in weight. In addition, they have a lifespan of 50 years.
Chilean sea bass is an expensive and sought after fish due to its rich flavor. This white fish is healthy, high in protein, and low in carbs. For a more mild flavor, try this Cod Fish Recipe.
Sea bass is a more generic name given to many different types of fish. Chilean sea bass is specifically the Antarctic and Patagonian toothfish.
Sea bass is the most common name, but these fish can go by a variety of different names. These include hamlet, jewfish, grouper, graysby, cony, and hind.
Today, giant sea bass is on the endangered species list. Chilean sea bass are not endangered, but illegal fishing has become an issue.
Ingredients & Substitutions
These are the ingredients and substitutions for this pan seared Chilean sea bass recipe.
Choose high quality Chilean sea bass filets for best results. This recipe can also be made with cod or haddock. A high quality white fish will yield the most flavor.
Sea salt and pepper seasons this pan seared Chilean sea bass. A little bit goes a long way!
The butter is used in both the pan searing and in the lemon garlic herb butter sauce. Feel free to use grass fed butter, ghee, Vegan butter, or even olive oil if needed.
The minced garlic adds a big punch of flavor!
A little oregano is the best seasoning for this fish. It adds color, flavor, and taste.
The lemon slices add the perfect amount of tartness.
Garnish with fresh parsley if desired.
Taste & Texture
This pan seared Chilean sea bass has a mild buttery lemon flavor. The taste itself is not fishy. This is the reason why I love this sea bass fillet!
The texture is moist, juicy, and flaky.
How to Make
Step 1
First, pat sea bass dry with paper towels.
Step 2
Then, season on both sides with sea salt and pepper.
Step 3
Add 1 tablespoon butter to a large skillet over medium heat.
Step 4
Once butter melts, place fish skin side down. Cook for 5 minutes.
Step 5
Meanwhile, melt the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter in the microwave. Stir in minced garlic and oregano.
Step 6
Flip fish. Then, pour butter sauce over the fish. Add sliced lemons to the skillet.
Step 7
Cook for another 5 minutes or until fish is flaky.
Step 8
Finally, remove from skillet and serve pan seared Chilean sea bass. Garnish with sauce from pan and fresh parsley if desired.
Oven Method
To make oven baked Chilean sea bass, preheat oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit. Spray baking dish with nonstick spray.
Pat dry both sides of the fish. Season with sea salt and pepper.
In a microwave safe dish, melt butter. Stir in minced garlic and oregano.
Place fish skin side down in baking dish. Pour the melted butter mixture over the white fish. Top with sliced lemon.
Bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until the fish is flaky.
Serve with pan juices and fresh parsley.
Air Fryer Method
To make air fryer Chilean sea bass, preheat your air fryer to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
Season the fish. Lightly spray the air fryer basket with nonstick spray.
Place skin side down in the air fryer basket.
Air fry for 10 to 11 minutes or until the fish is flaky.
Finally, remove from the air fryer. Brush with melted butter. Serve with fresh herbs and sliced lemons.
Expert Tips & Tricks
A high quality Chilean sea bass makes all the difference! Haddock or cod work well too.
To pick the best fish, look for one with no strong odors. The fillets should look moist and juicy. For best results, cook them fresh, not from frozen.
Do not over cook fish. Once it is flaky, remove from heat.
Serve with juices from pan. This helps the fish remain juicy and tender.
How to Serve & Store
Serve pan roasted Chilean sea bass hot from the pan or oven. Top with a little Whole30 Garlic Aioli!
This fish is great with mashed potatoes, roasted veggies, or a side salad. For a healthier version of fish and chips, serve with these Whole30 French Fries!
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Store with juices from pan.
How to Buy the Best White Fish
Here are some things to look for when buying white fish.
The smell of the fish is very important! If the fish smells very fishy, it is not fresh. Instead, fresh fish should have an almost sweet smell.
For the freshest fish, there should be no brown spots. Take a look at the color of the fish to ensure it is not discolored.
Since access to fish can be limited, frozen fish is a great option. Look for high quality frozen fish in your freezer aisle.
Frequently Asked Questions
Sure! Use Vegan butter or oilve oil in place of butter.
The fish is done cooking when it is easily flaking.
Sure! Haddock or cod work well too.
Chilean sea bass is a specific type of sea bass. It comes from the Patagonian and Antarctic toothfish, whereas sea bass is a more general term.
To make air fryer Chilean sea bass, air fry at 375 degrees Fahrenheit for 10 minutes.
You May Also Like
If you make this pan seared Chilean sea bass recipe, I would really appreciate a review! You can find me on Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest. I would love for you to follow along! For more ideas, see these Lunch and Dinner Recipes.
Get the Recipe: Pan Seared Chilean Sea Bass Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 filets Chilean sea bass, about 5 to 6 ounces each
- 1 tsp sea salt
- 1 tsp ground pepper
- 3 tbsp butter or ghee, divided
- 1 tsp minced garlic
- 1 tsp oregano
- 1 lemon
- parsley, to garnish
Instructions
- First, pat sea bass dry with paper towels. Season on both sides with sea salt and pepper.
- In a large skillet over medium heat, add 1 tablespoon butter. Once butter has melted, place fish skin side down in skillet.
- Cook for 5 minutes.
- Meanwhile, melt remaining 2 tablespoons butter in microwave safe dish. Stir in minced garlic and oregano.
- After 5 minutes, flip fish. Pour butter herb sauce over fish.
- Slice lemons into round discs. Place lemon slices in skillet.
- Cook for 5 more minutes or until fish is flaky.
- Finally, remove from pan. Pour sauce from pan on fish. Garnish with fresh parsley if desired.
Video
Notes
- Depending on thickness of sea bass, cooking time may vary slightly.
- If the skillet becomes dry, add more butter.
- Cook fish until it is flaky.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
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164 Comments on “Pan Seared Chilean Sea Bass Recipe”
Great recipe! Loved the buttery taste. However, I want to make sure I read the recipe correctly. Do you pour the melted butter with garlic and oregano over the skin side of the fish?
Hi Mary Ann! I am so glad you enjoyed the recipe. Yes, that’s how it is written, but I think it makes just as much sense to pour the butter over the non-skin side. Either way will work!
Amazing
Awesome recipe, did mine slightly different by pan searing skin side down in cast iron for 5 minutes. Poured melted butter/minced garlic and lime juice mixture on top and oven roasted at 450 for 10 minutes. Delicious!
Hi Chad! That sounds delicious. I am happy you enjoyed this recipe. Thank you for taking the time to leave a comment!
Toothfish, renamed Chilean sea bass to make it sound more appetizing, is becoming an endangered species! See National Geographic story. They are a very deep water fish caught by huge trawlers in vast deep nets that also catch seals. Please do not support this heinous practice with recipes for it. Do you also eat tiger?
Tiger is also delicious but only the paws. Thanks male Karen
This recipe was amazing and so simple! Thank you for sharing!!!
Hi Lynn! Thrilled to hear that. Thank you for leaving a glowing review!
Cooked this last week.
Served this with mashed potatoes and fresh green beans and now that’s all they want. Thank You again for sharing.
It really is that good
Ed R.
Hi Ed! Thank you for taking the time to leave a nice comment. I am so glad you enjoyed this recipe.
We cooked this last night and it was delicious! We used the oven method. We also found that it took longer to get the desired flakiness, but well worth the wait! Who knew something so simple could be so delicious?! We paired ours with pan seared carrots with butter, shallots and garlic. Delicious and healthy!
Hi Wendy! Thank you for letting me know how the oven method worked for you. I am happy to hear you enjoyed it. Those pan seared carrots sound amazing!
Chilean sea bass or halibut? That was my dilemma. I made this recipe as written and it was excellent. We had never tried Sea Bass before, I’m glad we did. It was moist and flavorful. Served with asparagus and an heirloom tomato salad…perfect!!
Hi Lori! I am so happy you tried Chilean sea bass for the first time and loved it. Thank you for trying my recipe and taking the time to come back and leave a review!
Made exactly as recommended on the stove. The flavor was amazing and the fish was moist and delicious . Will make again and again!
Hi Lucia! I am so happy to hear you enjoyed this sea bass. Thank you for making my recipe and thank you for taking the time to leave a review. I really appreciate it!
So excited to try this recipe tonight! Do you recommend freshly minced garlic or minced garlic from a jar?
Hi Erica! I hope you love it. Both work well. I always have minced garlic from a jar, so that’s typically what I use. If you have fresh, that is great too. Enjoy!
So. Dang. Good. We licked our plates clean! I used a cast iron pan which put a nice sear on it.
Hi Kim! I am so happy to hear that. “Lick the plate clean” is the ultimate compliment. Thank you for making my recipe and taking the time to leave a review.