Want a Fast but Fancy Dinner? Try Pan-Frying Fish

Trout, a member of the salmon family, is high in omega 3’s and low in fat.

A rich, fatty fish, trout is as flavorful as salmon. Dreamstime/TNS

By Beth Dooley The Minnesota Star Tribune

When it comes to fixing a fast dinner, I go with trout fillets. A rich, fatty fish, trout is as flavorful as salmon but the thinner fillets cook off in a jiff.

Most often sold skin-on, the fish has a high skin-to-flesh ratio. Even if you don’t care for the skin, cooking with it on intensifies the flavor and helps keep the fillet tasty and juicy. If you favor the skin, there’s plenty to savor when it cooks up to be crisp and salty. Plus, the bits and pieces left in the pan are the foundation for a terrific butter-lemon-herb sauce.

Trout is an especially healthy choice. A member of the salmon family, it is high in omega 3’s and low in fat. A lean, clean, low-calorie protein, trout is rich in vitamins and minerals

The best technique for cooking trout is also the fastest. All you need is good butter and a heavy skillet. The whole process takes less than 5 minutes from start to finish, and the short cooking time reduces the chance of those lingering fishy smells. Simply film the skillet with a neutral oil, and then sear the fish on both sides. Add a nob of butter to the pan and baste like crazy as it melts. The trout will form a lovely crust as the butter browns into a tasty, nutty base for a lemony sauce. The method works for most fillets that are a half-inch thick—Arctic char, cod, rockfish, sea bass, etc. It’s an easy technique adapted from restaurant chefs, whose fish must come to the table straight from the stove, hot and not overdone.

This simple weeknight dinner is also dinner-party worthy. Serve with boiled new potatoes, lightly smashed and gilded with that buttery lemon pan sauce, a side salad or steamed vegetables, and crusty bread to sop up all that goodness.

Pan-Fried Trout With Lemony Buttery Sauce

Serves 2, but is easily doubled.

All you need for this simple recipe is a heavy skillet and good butter. In this recipe we’ve sprinkled the trout with sesame seeds for additional crunch. The whole process takes less than 5 minutes. If you’re serving company, consider garnishing the fillets with capers or chopped olives and minced chives. Otherwise, just a sprinkling of parsley brings the whole thing together.

• 2 skin-on trout fillets, each about 6 to 8 ounces
• Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tablespoon sesame seeds, optional
• 1 tablespoon neutral oil, such as grapeseed, avocado, canola
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons whole milk Greek yogurt or heavy cream
• Chopped parsley, for garnish

Pat the trout dry with a paper towel and lightly season on both sides with salt and pepper. Sprinkle the sesame seeds on the flesh side of the trout.

Film a large heavy skillet with the oil and place over medium-high heat until shimmering. Place the trout skin-side down in the pan and cook undisturbed until the skin starts to brown and feels crisp when tapped, about 3 to 4 minutes. Add the butter to the skillet. Using a spatula, carefully flip the fillets and baste with the melting butter and cook until the fish is cooked through and the flesh begins to flake, about 1 to 2 minutes.

Remove the fish from the pan and quickly whisk in the lemon juice and yogurt and cook until it thickens, about 30 seconds. Serve the fish, flesh side up, drizzled with the pan sauce. Garnish with parsley before serving.

Beth Dooley is the author of “The Perennial Kitchen.” Find her at bethdooleyskitchen.com. Copyright 2025 The Minnesota Star Tribune. Visit at startribune.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

Dear Readers: We would love to hear from you. What topics would you like to read about? Please send your feedback and tips to [email protected].