This Lemon Butter Sauce for fish is outrageous – 3 minutes, 2 ingredients, totally restaurant worthy.
The secret is browned butter – called Beurre noisette in French. Learn how to pronounce it so you can loftily tell your family and friends “we’re having French tonight!” (But don’t tell them how simple it is?)
Restaurant-style Lemon Butter Sauce for Fish!
Great quality fish is not cheap. But worthy of investment because:
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it’s good for you;
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a beautiful piece of fish requires very little done to it to make a meal that you’d pay serious $ for at a fancy seafood restaurant; and
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they’re quick to cook.
And so I present to you, your new favourite posh-yet-easy-and-super-quick way with fish: Pan fried until golden then drizzled with a 3 minute Lemon Butter Sauce that you’re going to go nuts over.
The Lemon Butter Sauce
The Lemon Butter Sauce is just made with butter and lemon. But it’s not “just” butter and lemon.
It’s brown butter and lemon.
If you’re new to brown butter, this is going to change your world – it’s addictive. Brown butter is everything you love about melted butter, boosted with an incredible nutty, toasty aroma.
The French call it Beurre noisette. The literal translation is “hazelnut butter”, and even though hazelnuts don’t come into the equation at all, we get it. 🙂
How to make Lemon Butter Sauce
3 minutes, 3 steps, 2 ingredients:
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Melt butter;
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Leave until the butter turns brown and the smell suddenly changes and becomes nutty – about 3 minutes;
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Stir through lemon juice.
The recipe video is helpful if you’re a first timer to browned butter – especially the pre and post comparison.
Quick Tips
While brown butter is simple to make, if it’s on too high a heat, it can go from nutty perfection to burnt in seconds. So here are a few quick tips:
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Use a silver based small skillet or pot so you can see when the butter changes colour;
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Make the Lemon Butter Sauce before the fish so you can concentrate on getting it right. It stays warm for up to 30 minutes – but if you are delayed and it solidifies, it only takes 10 seconds in the microwave to melt it back to its original state; and
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Don’t try to make the Lemon Butter Sauce in the same skillet as the fish – the pan will be too large.
Use sparingly – it’s rich!
And you don’t need much – this stuff is rich! The recipe makes slightly more than you need because running out of sauce in the middle of dinner is dismal, but in all honesty, my standard serving is 1 tablespoon of Sauce per fillet of fish.
It looks a lot browner in the bowl than it does when you drizzle it over the fish. Which is actually perfect – it’s a bright yellow Lemon colour once drizzled. 🙂 If it was just plain melted butter, you wouldn’t have that same intense deep yellow colour that you see on the plate – nor would it pool on the plate like in the photo below.
The fish fillet is pictured in this post with the Kale and Quinoa Salad I published on Monday. 🙂 Keeps for days in the fridge, my friends! Don’t think of it as a trendy “health food” salad. It’s just a darn tasty filling salad that just happens to star 2 superfoods. Tested and proven!
Here are a few more ideas for things to serve this fish with:
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Mashed potato or mashed cauliflower (for a low carb option)
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For a true indulgent restaurant experience, try Paris Mash – the richest, creamiest mashed potato in the world
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Curried Basmati Rice – this aromatic pilaf would be terrific paired with the fresh fish flavour
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A garden salad or leafy greens with French Vinaigrette or Italian Dressing
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Broccoli Salad or Magic Broccoli (the best roasted broccoli ever!)
And more fish recipes!
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Honey Garlic Salmon and Lemon Honey Glazed Salmon – super quick!
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See all Fish recipes
Hope you enjoy! – Nagi x
WATCH HOW TO MAKE IT
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Lemon Butter Sauce for Fish
Ingredients
Lemon Butter Sauce:
- 60 g / 4 tbsp unsalted butter , cut into pieces
- 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- Salt and finely ground pepper
Crispy Pan Fried Fish:
- 2 x thin white fish fillets (120-150g / 4-5oz each), skinless boneless (I used Bream, Note 1)
- Salt and pepper
- 2 tbsp white flour
- 2 tbsp oil (I use canola)
Serving:
- Lemon wedges
- Finely chopped parsley, optional
Instructions
Lemon Butter Sauce (see video):
- Place the butter in a light coloured saucepan or small skillet over medium heat.
- Melt butter then leave on the stove, whisking / stirring very now and then. When the butter turns golden brown and it smells nutty - about 3 minutes, remove from stove immediately and pour into small bowl. (Note 2)
- Add lemon juice and a pinch of salt and pepper. Stir then taste when it has cooled slightly. Adjust lemon/salt to taste.
- Set aside - it will stay pourable for 20 - 30 minutes. See Note 3 for storing.
Crispy Pan Fried Fish:
- Pat fish dry using paper towels. Sprinkle with salt & pepper, then flour. Use fingers to spread flour. Turn and repeat. Shake excess flour off well, slapping between hands if necessary.
- Heat oil in a non stick skillet over high heat. When the oil is shimmering and there are faint wisps of smoke, add fish. Cook for 1 1/2 minutes until golden and crispy on the edges, then turn and cook the other side for 1 1/2 minutes (cook longer if you have thicker fillets).
- Remove immediately onto serving plates. Drizzle each with about 1 tbsp of Sauce (avoid dark specks settled at the bottom of the bowl), garnish with parsley and serve with lemon on the side. Pictured in post with Kale and Quinoa Salad.
Recipe Notes:
Nutrition Information:
LIFE OF DOZER
3 hours ago: as usual, refusing to get out of the car knowing what lies ahead – a hose down.
I used this for frozen cod fillets that I cooked in the air fryer. Very nice.
Pan fried some fresh caught pike, and it was delicious. And it didn’t stick to the pan. Yay! Thanks.
Would this be okay with gluten free flour & avocado oil?
Wow !! 🤤 Where have you been all my life! Made this sauce tonight for the first time, so simple so delicious. It’s so tasty and masks the fish well that i feel it’s possible to mask any cheap crappy fish with it should the circumstances require that. 🤭 Great for those times! As well as all the other times. Wish I tried it years ago!
Excellent! I’ve never pan fried fish with flour – I’m hooked. You say you don’t need much sauce but I say the more the merrier. I can’t decide if it’s better with or without extra lemon on top. We used lingcod or sea bass from the freezer and it was divine 🤤😍 made the curried pilaf to go with and they seemed to compete a little so I’d go with a milder side next time.
Oh my goodness. This was soooo goooood. It was also easy and quick
Another fantastic, easy, elegant win from my favorite chef, Nagi! I got some fresh saddle-tail snapper on a super markdown and they were elevated into the heavens with your sauce. Thank you! PS: LOVE your cookbook.
PSS: hire someone to go through and remove the spam comments. xx
You need not try another fish recipe . This recipe is absolutely fool proof and delicious . I am in love w this fish , we make it once a week . Always make sure your fillets are dry .
You need ever try another fish recipe ! I love to cook , so let me tell you I’m picky . This recipe is HANDS DOWN the best white fish recipe I’ve ever tried !! We eat this once a week ! I’m in love w this fish , it’s perfect ! We use flounder . Thank you so much for a great recipe , from a lady who loves to cook and has tons on f recipes . You rock !!
I made the lemon garlic sauce. Served it over baked stuffed Cod. It was delicious, my husband loved it! Will definitely use again!
Thanks for sharing
My interest is more on the sauce!
How much lemon?
1tb. It’s in the recipe.
Delicious! I made this with Tilapia and it was very easy and flavorful!
Great recipe! So simple yet tasty. I added fresh, finely chopped parsley (just before plating) and the sauce so elevated my grouper fillets. Love your recipes Nagi!
I have tried your recipes especially the lemon sauce for fish l must say l was amazed how a simple dish can turn into an amazing unique cuisine please keep on posting more and make my cooking for family and friends easy
I am in awe at how easy this recipe is and how fantastically unique and delicious this sauce is! In heaven.
Hi Nagi, O my goodness made Lemon Butter Sauce for Fish. So taste delish, really enjoyed it. I just put a little more lemon. I love lemons. One of my favours and so easy and fast too. Thanks so much.
Hi Nagi, I’m going to make this tonight and will just use plain unsalted butter but wonder in future if Ghee would also be suitable to use?
Very yummy! I used tarakihi fillets, and added the zest of the lemon to the sauce as well. Served with roast veggies – really nice meal!
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