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Garlic Butter Sea Bass
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5 from 1 vote

15-Minute Garlic Butter Sea Bass (Pan Seared)

This 15-minute Sea Bass Recipe with Garlic Butter is pan-seared to perfection and basted in a rich butter sauce infused with garlic and fresh herbs. An easy main dish perfect for the light, easy and quick dinner!
Prep Time5 minutes
Cook Time10 minutes
Total Time15 minutes
Course: dinner
Cuisine: American, Chilean
Keyword: garlic butter sea bass, pan seared sea bass, sea bass recipe
Servings: 1 people
Author: Olivia Ribas

Ingredients

  • 4 sea bass fillets
  • ½ teaspoon onion powder
  • ¼ teaspoon paprika
  • salt and black pepper
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 3 tablespoons butter cubed
  • 2 garlic cloves crushed and peeled
  • 4 sprigs fresh thyme
  • lemon wedges for serving

Instructions

  • Pat sea bass fillets dry and season with onion powder, paprika, salt and pepper. Heat olive oil in a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until it is hot but not smoking.
    seasoned raw sea bass on a marble countertop
  • Once heated, reduce the heat to medium and carefully place the sea bass fillets skinned side down in the skillet. Cook the fish without moving it until the underside is light golden brown. It’ll table about 3 to 4 minutes. Using two fish spatulas, gently flip the fillets and cook for an additional 1 to 2 minutes.
    Two fillets of fish with crispy skin are cooking in a black nonstick pan with a drizzle of oil. The fish is golden brown and slightly curled at the edges.
  • Add butter around the fish in the skillet. Once the butter is melted, add crushed garlic and fresh thyme. Tilt the skillet slightly toward you so that the butter pools at the front.
    Two fillets of fish with crispy skin are being pan-fried in a skillet with bubbling butter, fresh herbs, and garlic cloves.
  • Using a large spoon, scoop up the melted butter and pour it over the fish repeatedly for 15 seconds. Place the skillet flat on the burner and continue cooking for 30 seconds more. Tilt the skillet again and baste for another 15 seconds.
  • Keep the skillet flat on the burner and check the temperature of the thickest part of each fillet. Continue alternating between basting and cooking until the fillets reach an internal temperature of 135°F at the thickest point, which should take approximately 2 minutes more.
  • Transfer the cooked fish fillets to individual plates. Discard the garlic cloves and thyme. Top each fillet with some fresh thyme leaves, drizzle with the butter remaining in the skillet, and serve with lemon wedges.
    cooked sea bass on a white plate

Notes

To Store: Keep the cooled leftovers in an air-tight glass container in the fridge for 3 to 4 days.
To Freeze: You can freeze cooked sea bass for up to 3 months. Just let it cool completely before placing it in a freezer-safe container. And don’t forget the garlic butter – it freezes well too!
To Reheat: I reheat the leftovers in a skillet on the stovetop to keep the skin nice and crispy.  The air fryer is another great option!

Nutrition

Serving: 1/2 | Calories: 236kcal | Carbohydrates: 1g | Protein: 24g | Fat: 16g | Cholesterol: 23mg | Sodium: 215mg | Potassium: 18mg