Blackened fish with lemon butter sauce is an easy skillet recipe made with thin white fish fillets, Cajun blackened seasoning, garlic, butter, and fresh lemon. Serve it with rice, asparagus, coleslaw, roasted potatoes, or a simple salad for a quick seafood dinner.
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What Is Blackened Fish?
Blackened fish is fish coated with Cajun blackened seasoning and seared in a hot skillet until the outside forms a dark, seasoned crust.
The seasoning is usually made with paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, black pepper, cayenne pepper, oregano, and thyme. It gives mild white fish plenty of flavor without breading or frying.
This recipe is finished with a simple lemon butter sauce made with butter, garlic, parsley, and fresh lemon juice.
Best Fish for Blackening
Today I'm using fresh hogfish from the Florida Keys. Hogfish is a mild white fish with a sweet flavor and soft, buttery texture. It is one of the best-tasting reef fish we get down here.
If you do not have hogfish, use another thin white fish fillet. Yellowtail snapper, red snapper, gray snapper, porgy, flounder, cod, haddock, sole, or tripletail all work well.
If your fish is frozen, thaw it overnight in the refrigerator. Pat it very dry before seasoning so the fish sears instead of steams.
Ingredients
Here's what you'll need to make blackened fish with lemon butter sauce. The exact amounts are in the recipe card below.
- Thin White Fish Fillets: Use boneless, thin white fish fillets, such as hogfish, snapper, sole, haddock, flounder, cod, porgy, or tripletail. If using frozen fish, thaw it overnight in the refrigerator and pat it dry before cooking.
- Blackened Seasoning: Use homemade blackened seasoning or a store-bought blend. Blackened seasoning usually contains salt, so go easy on extra salt until after the fish is cooked.
- Olive Oil: A little oil helps the fish sear in the skillet.
- Butter: Butter makes the lemon sauce rich and smooth.
- Lemon: Fresh lemon juice brightens the sauce and balances the spice.
- Garlic: Fresh garlic adds flavor to the butter sauce. Cook it briefly so it doesn't burn.
- Fresh Parsley: Parsley adds color and a clean finish.
- Salt and Pepper: Season lightly. You can always add more at the table.
How To Blacken Fish
- Take the fish out of the refrigerator about 15 minutes before cooking. Pat it very dry with paper towels.
- Season both sides of the fish with blackened seasoning. Press the seasoning gently onto the fillets so it sticks.
- Heat the olive oil in a large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. When the oil is hot but not smoking, add the fish. If the skin is still on, place the fish skin side down first.
- Cook thin white fish fillets for 2 to 3 minutes per side, until the outside is dark and seasoned and the inside flakes easily with a fork. Thicker fillets, such as mahi mahi or swordfish, may need 4 to 5 minutes per side.
- Transfer the fish to a plate and keep warm.
- Lower the heat to medium. Add the butter and garlic to the skillet. Cook for about 30 seconds, scraping up the browned bits from the pan.
- Stir in the lemon juice, a pinch of salt, and black pepper. Simmer for about 1 minute.
- Spoon the lemon butter sauce over the blackened fish. Garnish with parsley and serve with lemon wedges.
Top Tips for Searing Fish
- Pat the fish dry before cooking. Extra moisture keeps the fish from browning.
- Use a nonstick, cast iron, or stainless steel skillet. A nonstick skillet is easiest for thin fish fillets. Cast iron and stainless steel give better browning, but the pan needs to be hot before the fish goes in.
- Heat the oil before adding the fish. The oil should be hot, but not smoking.
- Once the fish is in the pan, leave it alone. Let it sear for a few minutes so it can form a crust and release naturally from the pan.
- Serve the fish right away. Thin fish fillets are best hot from the skillet.
Storage and Leftovers
Store leftover blackened fish in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.
Reheat it gently in a skillet over low heat with a little butter so it does not dry out.
Leftover blackened fish is great in fish tacos, rice bowls, salads, or fish omelets.
What Goes With Blackened Fish?
Blackened fish goes well with simple sides that balance the spice. Serve it with rice, potatoes, coleslaw, asparagus, green beans, roasted vegetables, or a fresh salad.
Good side dishes for blackened fish include Cajun dirty rice, steamed asparagus, seasoned red potatoes, sweet coleslaw, and lemon asparagus rice.
More Seafood Recipes To Try
If you liked this blackened fish, try one of these seafood recipes next:
- Blackened Swordfish
- Grilled Red Snapper
- Smoked Fish Dip
- Pan Fried Yellowtail Snapper
- Sautéed Bay Scallops
- Pan Seared Snapper Fillets
For more blackened seafood recipes, visit Blackened Fish Recipes.
FAQ
Yes. Thin white fish fillets work best. Hogfish, snapper, grouper, flounder, cod, haddock, sole, porgy, and tripletail are all good choices. If you use thicker fish, such as mahi mahi or swordfish, cook it a little longer, about 4 to 5 minutes per side.
The fish is done when it flakes easily with a fork and looks opaque in the thickest part. For the most accurate check, use an instant-read thermometer. Fish is done at 145°F.
Blackened fish is best served right after cooking, while the outside is still hot and seasoned. You can cook it a few hours ahead if needed, then reheat it gently in a skillet with a little butter.
Blackened fish has a little heat, but it does not have to be very spicy. The heat usually comes from cayenne pepper in the seasoning. For a milder flavor, use less blackened seasoning or choose a mild store-bought blend.
Yes. Cook the fish in batches so the skillet does not get crowded. Wipe out any burnt seasoning between batches and double the lemon butter sauce.
Blackened Fish With Lemon Butter Sauce
Ingredients
Blackened Fish
- 2 thin boneless white fish fillets, about 6 ounces each, thawed if frozen
- 1 tablespoon blackened seasoning, homemade or store-bought
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
Lemon Butter Sauce
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 small garlic clove, minced or pressed
- 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
- kosher salt and black pepper to taste
- lemon wedges for serving
Instructions
- Take the fish out of the refrigerator about 15 minutes before cooking. Pat dry with paper towels.
- Season both sides of the fish with blackened seasoning.
- Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large nonstick, cast iron, or stainless steel skillet over medium-high heat.
- When the oil is hot but not smoking, add the fish. If the skin is still on, place the fish skin side down first.
- Cook thin fillets for 2 to 3 minutes per side, until the outside is dark and seasoned. The fish is done when it flakes easily with a fork and reaches 145°F in the thickest part.
- Transfer the fish to a plate and keep warm.
- Lower the heat to medium. Add the butter and garlic to the same skillet. Cook for about 30 seconds, scraping up the browned bits from the pan. Stir in the lemon juice and parsley. Taste and add salt and black pepper if needed.
- Spoon the sauce over the fish and serve with lemon wedges.
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