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This Chilean sea bass recipe is succulent and flavorful! The buttery white fish is pan-seared and paired with garlic, lemon, and herbs.
Chilean sea bass is one of the most expensive fish dishes on a restaurant menu, and one bite tells you why! The tender fillet has a succulent, buttery texture that tastes positively glamorous. If you’re lucky enough to score yourself a fillet or two, here’s the recipe for them.
Lightly season the fillets and pan-fry until golden and crisp, then season with garlic, butter, lemon, and herbs. This simple treatment lets the rich texture of this luxurious fish shine through! Pair it with a few sides, and it’s a restaurant-quality dinner recipe with little effort.
What is Chilean Sea Bass?
Chilean sea bass is a large fish native to the cold waters of the Pacific and Antarctic Oceans. Despite its name, it is not primarily from Chile, nor is it a bass.
Originally called the Patagonian toothfish, it’s a type of cod. It got its new name from a clever marketing ploy in the 1970’s to boost sales of the fish (read more about it here). By the 1990’s, it was served at the Four Seasons hotel as a high-end entrée.
Chilean sea bass has a buttery mouthfeel and a clean, sweet finish. The high fat content makes it taste almost like a cross between a white fish and a scallop. It’s no wonder the secrets of this under-the-radar fish were discovered; it is a true flavor treat!
Ingredients You’ll Need
There are lots of ways to cook Chilean sea bass, but the most popular is seared. Pan searing makes a nice brown crust on the exterior of the fish, leaving the inside smooth and buttery like a Seared Scallop.
You don’t need much in the way of ingredients to really make the flavors sing here! You can get a little fancier by adding a sauce, which gives this Chilean sea bass recipe a punch. The ingredients you’ll need are:
- Chilean sea bass
- Garlic powder
- Paprika
- Salt and pepper
- Olive oil
- Butter
- Garlic
- Fresh thyme or parsley
- Lemon juice
Tips for Cooking
This fish is quick and easy to cook. There are just a few things to note about cooking time and temperature! Here are a few tips for cooking Chilean sea bass:
- Allow the sea bass to stand at room temperature while preparing the recipe. This allows it to cook as evenly as possible.
- Pan-sear for 2 to 4 minutes per side. Use a large skillet and medium-high heat.
- Cook until the internal temperature reaches 140°F to 145°F. The exterior should become crisp and golden brown.
- If desired, make the pan sauce. Remove the fish. Add butter, minced garlic, and finely chopped herbs, and heat for 30 seconds. Then add the fish back and spoon over the juices.
Variation: Grill It!
Chilean sea bass also works grilled! You can use the same basic principles as pan-searing the fish. Preheat a grill to medium-high heat (375 to 450°F). Grill the fillets, skin side up, over indirect heat for 3 to 4 minutes, until they release from the grates.
Flip and cook for another 3 to 4 minutes, until the fish is tender and just cooked through, with an internal temperature of 130 to 140°F.
Sauces for Serving
This Chilean sea bass recipe is bursting with flavor as is! But if you’d like, you can also serve with a sauce to really enhance the flavors. Here are a few of my favorite sauce ideas for fish:
- Try Garlic Butter Sauce or Lemon Butter Sauce
- Opt for Lemon Pepper Sauce
- Go herby with green Chimichurri Sauce
- Mix up Lemon Caper Sauce or Lemon Herb Sauce
- Add creamy Garlic Aioli
Tips for Buying This Fish
Chilean sea bass can be found at grocery stores’ fish counters. It is sometimes available frozen, but it’s worth seeking out this fish. There are a few things to note about the sustainability of Chilean sea bass (per this source):
- The lines used to catch Chilean sea bass were infamous for drowning seabirds, but the industry has made strides in reducing bycatch.
- The best options for Chilean sea bass are options from Heard and McDonald, the Falklands, or Macquarie as Eco-Best. Chilean sea bass from the Ross Sea, South Georgia, or Kerguelen qualify as an Eco-OK.
- Avoid Chilean sea bass from Chile, as it faces management and bycatch issues.
- Where possible, look for the blue eco-label of the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) for certified sustainable Chilean sea bass products.
Ways to Serve It
Want to make a stunning meal out of Chilean sea bass? Here are a few sides I’d pair with it for a show-stopping, restaurant-style meal:
- Add Simple Roasted Broccolini or Sauteed Broccolini
- Serve over Garlic Mashed Potatoes, Best Mashed Potatoes, or Horseradish Mashed Potatoes, or on a bed of Parmesan Risotto
- Pair it with an Endive Salad with Parmesan & Orange or Fennel Salad
Dietary Notes
This recipe is gluten-free and pescatarian.
Seared Chilean Sea Bass
This Chilean sea bass recipe is succulent and flavorful! The buttery white fish is pan-seared and paired with garlic, lemon, and herbs.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 5 minutes
- Total Time: 15 minutes
- Yield: 4 1x
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Seafood
- Diet: Gluten Free
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 pounds Chilean sea bass (4 filets)
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoon salted butter
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh thyme or parsley, plus more for serving
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- Lemon wedges, for serving
Instructions
- (Allow the sea bass to stand at room temperature while preparing the recipe.) In a small bowl, combine the garlic powder, onion powder, black pepper, and kosher salt. Pat the Chilean sea bass fillets dry and sprinkle all sides with the seasoning.
- Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and add the olive oil. Add the sea bass and cook for 2 to 4 minutes per side (depending on the thickness), until the exterior is browned and the internal temperature reaches 140°F to 145°F.
- Remove the filets to a plate and reduce the temperature to very low. Add the butter, garlic, and parsley or thyme and cook until garlic is lightly browned, scraping the bottom of the pan while it cooks, about 30 seconds.
- Turn off the heat, stir in lemon juice and add the fish back to the pan, spooning the juices over the fish until basted. Serve immediately with a fresh spritz of lemon and a garnish of parsley or thyme.
This was delicious! I had a pound of fish cut really thick, so had to cook the portions on all sides, and finish in the oven (checking the temp with a meat thermometer).
My husband was bowled over by the excellent flavor of the fish.
While making the fish I roasted purple cauliflower, adding asparagus, then halved grape tomatoes (all drizzled with olive oil and herbs, topped with Parmesan bread crumbs the last few minutes). A very easy and lovely meal!
So glad you enjoyed it! Thanks for the comment
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Thank You
Jes
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