Baked Chilean Sea Bass With Lemon Butter Sauce
Chilean sea bass is a delicious, mild fish with soft flakes. The lemony beurre blanc is the perfect sauce for this delectable fish!
I used Chilean sea bass to make this recipe—it is a delicious, mild fish with a soft, flaky texture. Chilean sea bass is similar in flavor to black cod, and either may be used in the recipe. The flakes are not firm like cod, but soft and delicate. The sauce would be excellent drizzled over halibut or haddock as well, but make sure to adjust the baking time if using a different species.
Despite its elegant presentation, this recipe is surprisingly simple. A short ingredient list and a reliable oven method make it perfect for both special occasions and effortless weeknight cooking. The lemon butter sauce can be prepared while the fish bakes, bringing everything together at just the right moment.
The recipe is easy to scale down, making it an excellent dish to serve for a special dinner for two.
What You’ll Like About This Dish
Restaurant-quality flavor. Tender sea bass with a classic, velvety beurre blanc.
Simple preparation. Bakes quickly and pairs with a sauce made from just a few ingredients.
Bright and buttery. Lemon and wine cut through the richness for perfect balance.
Elegant and reliable. Suitable for dinner parties, holidays, or date nights.
Ingredient Notes
- Dry white wine: Forms the base of the beurre blanc; choose something crisp and not too sweet.
- Shallots: Add gentle sweetness and aromatics to the reduction.
- Lemon juice and zest: Bring acidity and brightness to the sauce.
- Heavy cream: Helps stabilize the beurre blanc so it emulsifies smoothly.
- Butter: Must be cold; adds richness and creaminess to the sauce.
- Sea bass fillets: Rich, flaky fish that bakes beautifully.
- Paprika: Adds a bit of color and gentle flavor.
- Lemon wedges: Brighten the finished dish.
Steps to Make Baked Chilean Sea Bass With Lemon Butter Sauce
- Combine the wine, shallots, lemon juice, lemon zest, and cream in a saucepan and simmer until reduced.
- Whisk in cold butter a few cubes at a time until the sauce becomes velvety and smooth.
- Season the sauce and keep warm.
- Heat the oven and oil a baking rack set over a sheet pan.
- Season the sea bass with salt, pepper, and paprika.
- Bake until the fish flakes easily and reaches the desired doneness.
- Serve the sea bass with the lemon butter sauce and lemon wedges.
Pro Tip:
Use cold, diced butter for the beurre blanc. Adding it slowly while whisking ensures the sauce emulsifies into a silky, stable texture rather than splitting.
Recipe Variations
- Herb beurre blanc. Stir in fresh dill, tarragon, or chives just before serving.
- Garlic lemon version. Add a lightly smashed garlic clove to the wine reduction; remove before whisking in butter.
- Capers and lemon. Finish the sauce with a teaspoon of capers for briny contrast.
- Pan-seared option. Sear the fish in a skillet before finishing briefly in the oven.
- Citrus twist. Replace some of the lemon juice with orange zest and juice for a softer, sweeter note.
Serving Suggestions
- Serve with roasted asparagus, pea purée, or green beans for a simple, elegant plate.
- Pair with buttery mashed potatoes or creamy polenta.
- Add a crisp green salad dressed with lemon vinaigrette.
- Choose a chilled Sauvignon Blanc or Pinot Grigio for pairing.
How to Store Baked Chilean Sea Bass
Refrigerate: Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 2 days.
Reheat: Warm gently in a low oven (about 300°F) or in a covered skillet. Avoid high heat to prevent the fish from drying out.
Sauce: Beurre blanc does not reheat well. If it separates, whisk vigorously over very low heat to bring it back together.
Baked Chilean Sea Bass With Lemon Butter Sauce
Ingredients
For the Lemon Butter Sauce
- 1/2 cup dry white wine
- 2 tablespoons shallots, minced
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
- 2 tablespoons heavy cream
- 8 tablespoons unsalted butter, cold, diced into 1-inch cubes
- Salt, to taste
- Pinch cayenne pepper
For the Sea Bass
- Olive oil or olive oil spray
- 1 1/2 to 2 pounds sea bass fillets, 6 to 8 ounces each
- Dash kosher salt, to taste
- Dash freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- Dash paprika
- Lemon wedges, for serving
Instructions
Prepare the Sauce
- In a saucepan, combine the dry white wine, shallots, cream, lemon juice, and lemon zest. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to low and simmer until reduced by about 75 percent, about 5 to 7 minutes.
- While whisking constantly, add a few cubes of cold butter at a time. When 2 cubes melt and blend into the wine mixture, add 2 more cubes. Continue until all of the butter is incorporated.
- Taste the sauce and season with salt, and cayenne pepper.
- Keep the sauce warm.
Prepare the Sea Bass
- Heat the oven to 425°F and place a rack on a large rimmed baking sheet. Oil the rack with olive oil or olive oil spray.
- Sprinkle the sea bass all over with salt, pepper, and paprika.
- Place the sea bass on the oiled rack and bake for 12 to 18 minutes, depending on the thickness of the fish. Look for an internal temperature of 135 F to 140 F.
- Serve the sea bass with the beurre blank sauce and lemon wedges.
Nutrition
Disclaimer:
Our nutritional information is based on a third-party application that analyzes the ingredients list to determine the values. The information is meant to be helpful, but should be considered an estimate. Values may differ depending on measurements, brands, serving variations, and database availability.
