Fish with lemon caper sauce is an easy dinner that comes together in about 20 minutes. Similar to fish piccata, white fish fillets are pan-seared until golden, then topped with a buttery sauce made with white wine, fresh lemon juice, garlic, and capers. Serve it with rice, potatoes or vegetables for a simple dinner.
Types of Fish To Use for Fish Piccata
Choose thin fillets for your fish piccata. I'm using yellowtail snapper for this dish because it's fresh and abundant down here in Key Largo.
Other good choices include red snapper, hogfish, mutton snapper, tripletail, snook, pompano, trout, wahoo, and sea bass.
If you have fresh mahi mahi or grouper, cook them for two minutes longer than the snapper. Hogfish is thin and may cook in under 2 minutes per side.
To make sure the fish is cooked through, check for an internal temperature of 145°F (63°C).
How To Thaw Frozen Fish
Thaw frozen fish overnight in the refrigerator. Keep it in its packaging or place it in a sealed plastic bag on a plate or tray.
For a quicker thaw, place the sealed fish in a bowl of cold water. Change the water every 15 minutes. Do not use hot water because it can begin cooking the fish.
What Are Capers?
Capers are small, unopened flower buds from the caper bush. They have a tangy, salty flavor and are usually sold packed in brine or dry salt.
Because capers are salty, this recipe uses only 2 teaspoons. Taste the sauce before adding more salt to the fish.
If you are using salt-packed capers, rinse them well before adding them to the sauce.
What You Need:
This recipe makes 2 servings. See the recipe card below for exact amounts and instructions.
- White fish fillets, 4 to 6 ounces each, skinless and deboned
- Kosher salt and black pepper
- Flour, or rice flour for gluten-free
- Unsalted butter
- Olive oil
- Garlic
- Capers
- Lemon juice and zest, plus lemon wedges for serving
- Dry white wine, or chicken stock for alcohol-free
- Parsley
How To Make Fish Piccata
Note: Cooking time will vary depending on the type and thickness of the fish. If the fish has skin, place it skin side down in the pan first.
- Pat the fish dry with paper towels.
- Lightly season the fillets with salt and pepper. Dredge them in flour, shaking off any excess.
- Heat the olive oil and 2 tablespoons of butter in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the fish and cook for about 3 minutes per side, until golden and cooked through. The fish should flake easily with a fork. Transfer it to a plate.
- Reduce the heat to medium. Add the garlic to the same skillet and cook for about 30 seconds, until fragrant.
- Pour in the wine or chicken broth. Add the lemon juice and zest, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Simmer for 2 to 3 minutes, until the sauce reduces slightly.
- Stir in the capers, parsley, and remaining tablespoon of butter. Cook just until the butter melts and the sauce is smooth.
- Pour the lemon caper sauce over the fish and serve immediately.
Storage and Leftovers
tore leftover fish and sauce in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
To reheat on the stovetop, place the fish in a nonstick skillet over medium-low heat with a small amount of butter or oil. Cover and warm for a few minutes, just until heated through.
To reheat in the microwave, place the fish on a microwave-safe plate and cover it loosely with a paper towel. Heat on low power in 30-second intervals to avoid overcooking.
What to Serve with Fish Piccata
Serve fish piccata with a simple rice, potato, or vegetable side dish. These recipes pair well with the lemon caper sauce:
FAQ
Fish piccata is an Italian-American dish made with thin fish fillets that are lightly coated in flour, pan-seared, and served with a lemon butter caper sauce.
Fish piccata pairs well with rice, pasta, mashed potatoes, or roasted potatoes. Steamed asparagus, green beans, broccoli, and other simple vegetables also work well.
Piccata sauce is made with lemon juice, white wine or chicken broth, capers, butter, garlic, and parsley. Simmer the sauce for a few minutes until it reduces slightly, then spoon it over the cooked fish.
Yes. Thaw the fish completely and pat it dry before cooking. Removing excess moisture helps the fish brown and keeps the sauce from becoming watery.
No. Replace the white wine with chicken broth or seafood stock. The sauce will still have plenty of flavor from the lemon, butter, garlic, and capers.
Fish with Lemon Caper Sauce
Ingredients
- 2 white fish fillets, (4-6 oz. each), skinless and boneless
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 2 tablespoons flour, (use rice flour for gluten-free)
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 small garlic clove, minced
- ⅔ cup dry white wine (or chicken stock for alcohol-free)
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- 2 teaspoons capers, drained
- 1 tablespoon chopped parsley, either flat-leaf or curly
- lemon wedges for serving
Instructions
- Pat the fish fillets dry with paper towels. Season both sides with salt and pepper.
- Place the flour in a shallow dish. Lightly dredge the fish in the flour, shaking off any excess.
- Heat the olive oil and 2 tablespoons of butter in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat.
- Add the fish and cook for about 3 minutes per side, until golden brown and cooked through. The fish should flake easily with a fork and reach an internal temperature of 145°F. Transfer the fish to a plate.
- Reduce the heat to medium. Add the garlic to the skillet and cook for about 30 seconds, until fragrant.
- Pour in the white wine or chicken broth. Add the lemon juice and zest, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan.
- Simmer for 2 to 3 minutes, until the sauce reduces slightly.
- Stir in the capers, parsley, and remaining tablespoon of butter. Cook just until the butter melts and the sauce is smooth.
- Spoon the lemon caper sauce over the fish. Serve immediately with lemon wedges.
