Easy Baked Chilean Sea Bass with Lemon Butter Sauce

Ready in just 30 minutes this is the easiest baked Chilean sea bass recipe you'll ever make! The subtle flavors of the smooth and buttery sea bass are enhanced with a simple sauce of lemon, butter and thyme and served on a bed of sautéed spinach. You must try this simple, yet elegant, restaurant-quality meal.

A Deliciously Different Baked Fish Recipe

This no-fuss recipe is perfect for those times when you need something tasty, impressive and elegant but are short on time.

• Quick and easy. With only minutes of prep work this recipe is a perfect choice for romantic weeknight dinners. Because of its high fat content, cooking this type of fish is very easy as it is hard to overcook.
• Buttery, flaky fish. Chilean sea bass has a unique buttery taste and melt-in-your mouth tender, flaky, white meat.
• That "WOW" factor. Forever associated with fine dining, this white fish never fails to impress. It's one of my favorite fish recipes because you can easily make it at home for far less than the price charged at restaurants!

So, what is Chilean Sea Bass?

Chilean Sea Bass is a saltwater fish which lives in very frigid deep waters. It has a very high fat content and is rich in Omega-3 fatty acids. Its rich, melt-in-your-mouth taste makes it one of the tastiest fish available.

Fun Fact: Chilean sea bass is not part of the bass family - its actual name is Patagonian Toothfish. The name "Chilean Sea Bass" was invented by a fish wholesaler called Lee Lantz in 1977 to make the fish more attractive to the US market.

Ingredients

This recipe consists of simple ingredients which are easily available at a local grocery store.

For baking the fish

• Chilean sea bass can be purchased from local fish markets or specialty supermarkets like as Whole Foods and Costco. This recipe accommodates fresh fish fillets, frozen fillets, and whole fish. If Chilean sea bass is unavailable, other fish varieties like red snapper, cod, mahi-mahi, and grouper can be substituted.
• Salt and black pepper is used to season the fish. Use a fine salt like table salt as opposed to kosher salt or sea salt so that you don't get too much salt in a single bite.
• A brush of olive oil helps keep the fish moist while baking.

For making the spinach and sauce

• Unsalted butter is the base of the sauce. You can also use olive oil.
• The lemon juice adds a refreshing touch of acid which brightens the flavor of the fish.
• Salt and thyme are used to season the sauce.
• I added some red serrano chili and yellow and orange sweet peppers for some texture and visual interest. Red chili flakes, red onion, fresh parsley, lemon zest or lemon wedges can also be used.
• Fresh baby spinach. You can substitute the fresh baby spinach with frozen spinach or other sides like roasted carrots and asparagus, mashed potatoes or basmati rice.
• We use olive oil in this recipe to sauté the spinach. You can also use butter or other oils.

How to make this baked sea bass recipe

Step 1: Bake the Fish

• Preheat the oven to 450°F.
• Place the room temperature fillets on a baking dish or baking sheet. Brush with olive oil, then season with a pinch of salt and pepper. Place the fillets skin side down on the baking dish.
• Bake the fillets in the preheated oven for about 20-25 minutes until done. Fillets are done when the fish flakes easily when poked with a fork or the internal temperature reaches about 145°F when an instant read thermometer is inserted into the thickest part of the fillet.
• Cover the fillets with aluminum foil or parchment paper until ready to plate (no more than 10 minutes).

Step 2: Sauté the spinach (while the fish bakes)

• Add some olive oil to a pan over medium heat.
• Once the oil is warm, add the baby spinach leaves and a pinch of salt and pepper. Sauté the spinach in the hot pan until just wilted.
• Place half the spinach on each serving plate.

Step 3: Make the sauce (while the fish bakes)

• In the same pan that was used for the spinach, add the butter and heat over medium heat.
• Once the butter has melted add the lemon juice, sliced chili, sweet pepper, thyme and salt. Sauté for about 1 minute, then set aside.

Step 4: Plate the fish

• Put a fillet on top of the spinach on the serving plates. Drizzle with the lemon butter sauce. Serve immediately.

Tips

• Use similar sized fillets. Select fillets of similar sizes and thickness so they cook evenly together.
• Make sure the fillets are at room temperature. Allow the fillets to rest for at least 20 minutes at room temperature. The filets will cook unevenly if cooked straight out of the fridge.
• Do not over season. Do not use spices that overwhelm the subtle flavors of this fish.
• Consider varying cooking times. Thicker fillets will take longer to cook than thinner ones.
• Multi-task. Cook the spinach and sauce while the fish bakes. For optimal flavor, the fish should be served immediately or within 10 minutes of baking.

Storage

Refrigerator: Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator (after cooling), this deep-water fish will last for about 3-4 days.

To reheat: The best way to reheat fish is through steaming. To heat on a skillet, add a few teaspoons of water and cover until warmed through. Microwaving is not recommended as it tends to overcook the fish.

Nutritional Information

Each serving of this Chilean sea bass recipe has about 604 calories, 39.4g of fat and 16.4g of carbohydrates (12.3g of net carbs).

This fish recipe yields approximately 2 servings. The nutrition information has been calculated using an online recipe nutrition calculator and is intended for informational purposes only and should be used as a general guideline. If the nutrition information is important to you, you should independently verify it using your preferred tool.

Suggested Side Dishes

Delicious, flaky sea bass goes well with a number of sides including roasted roasted carrots and asparagus, mashed potatoes and steamed basmati rice. The buttery texture of this fish also pairs well with fresh salads like Greek Salad and Lebanese Tabbouleh.

Variations

An easy way to add an Asian touch to this easy baked sea bass recipe is by drizzling it with a delicious homemade sauce like Nuoc Cham or a little soy sauce instead of the garlic butter. An impressive way to serve this fish is to bake a whole sea bass on a baking tray.

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