This easy pan seared fish with lemon butter caper sauce—also known as the Italian recipe fish piccata—is ready in about 30 minutes and only has 7 ingredients. It's a simple pantry pull that is fancy enough for holidays, but quick enough for weeknight dinners!
What if I told you that you could have silky, tangy, buttery, briny, and fresh flavors and textures all in one dish, and it would look just as pretty as if you went to a restaurant? Are you game?
Well then, get ready because we're making crisp, golden-brown fish with a light lemon, butter, caper sauce AND doing it all in one pan in under 30 minutes. Let's go!
And these flavors! Lemon and caper together is totally my jam and can be incorporated into endless recipes, so once you've got a jar of capers hanging around in the fridge, use them to make chicken thighs with garlic, capers, and lemon or this raw zucchini salad with lemon caper vinaigrette.
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Debra's Details: Fish with lemon, butter, caper sauce is simple, quick, and classic.
- 7 simple ingredients, many are pantry staples.
- Ready in about 30 minutes.
- It's the classic Italian recipe known as fish piccata.
- Elegant enough for a holiday meal, but quick enough for a weeknight.
- Easy gluten-free and alcohol-free swaps.
Ingredients you'll need
- Firm-fleshed white fish: Think tilapia, snapper, haddock, grouper, barramundi, etc. I will say that I tested this with cod and it did not work well. The cod fillets were too thick and flaky and did not hold together. I used tilapia because it's affordable and easy to find.
- Fresh-squeezed lemon juice and zest: I mean, fish and lemon, right? But if you know me at all you know I always want you to use the citrus zest, too! It adds bright, floral flavor and aroma that gives the dish that special something that makes it taste so good!
- Unsalted butter: So you can control the amount of salt yourself.
- Capers: Capers are little flower buds that have been pickled in brine and they are one of my favorite ingredients ever! I love them added to almost anything, try them in this pasta with olives and capers.
- White wine: I generally like to cook with a light-bodied wine like Pinot Grigio or Sauvignon Blanc, avoid anything to heavy or oaky like Chardonnay. And remember when cooking with wine, it doesn't have to be expensive, but always choose a wine that you would actually drink!
- Fresh parsley: It's not just there for garnish! Fresh herbs lighten the dish and keep the flavors in balance. You need something fresh to contrast with the butter and the breading on the fish.
- Flour, kosher salt, freshly ground black pepper
Variations
- Make it gluten-free: Use a gluten-free flour blend or rice flour.
- Make it alcohol-free: Substitute water plus 1 tablespoon of apple cider vinegar or white wine vinegar. (I don't like using chicken stock or vegetable stock here because when I tested it, it added unwanted flavor that tasted weird with the fish.)
- Make it dairy-free: Use margarine or vegan butter, be aware the texture of the sauce may be a little different.
How to make pan seared fish with lemon, butter, caper sauce
Step 1: Prep the lemon and parsley
Use a good chef's knife to chop the parsley. Use a microplane grater to zest the lemon, then juice it.
Have all your ingredients measured and ready!
This recipe goes very quickly. Be sure to have all of the ingredients prepped and ready before you start cooking! You'll be glad you did.
Step 2: Season and dredge the fish
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside. Season the fish on both sides with kosher salt.
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Dump a thin layer of flour onto a plate or into a casserole dish. Lay the fish in it to coat it, then flip it over and coat the other side. If there are bare spots, sprinkle flour over the top, then shake it or use a pastry brush to remove the excess flour and transfer to the prepared baking sheet.
Step 3: Pan sear the fish
Place a large non-stick or stainless steel skillet over medium-high heat and add 2 tablespoons of the butter. Once melted, add two fish fillets to the pan and sear for 3-4 minutes until you see that it's looking cooked around the edges and getting golden brown.
Gently flip the fish over and continue to cook for another 3-4 minutes until it's cooked through. If the butter seems to be getting too brown, turn the heat down. Transfer the fish to a serving plate. If cooking more than 2 fillets, repeat this process until all fish is cooked.
Step 4: Make the lemon, butter, caper sauce
Turn off the heat and wipe the skillet clean with a paper towel, then place it back over medium-high heat.
Pro tip
Use tongs to hold the paper towel when wiping out the pan to avoid accidentally burning your fingers!
Add the white wine and bring to a boil, continue boiling for about 2 minutes, until it has reduced by about half. Reduce the heat to medium, add the butter and capers and cook for another 2 minutes until the butter is melted. Turn off the heat, stir in lemon juice and zest.
Step 4: Top the fish with sauce and parsley and serve!
Pour the sauce over the fish, top with parsley and freshly ground black pepper and serve.
Expert tips
- Be careful when flipping the fish over: Always flip away from you to avoid being spattered with hot butter. I will say that a fish spatula is a very helpful tool and it's easier than using a traditional spatula for the flip.
- Keep the heat low when melting the butter: Only cook the butter to the point that it is melted and saucy. No boiling or bubbles, you don't want browned butter here.
- Cooking time will vary depending on the type of fish: If you're using thin fish like flounder it will cook more quickly maybe 2 minutes per side. If using halibut which is usually cut into thicker portions, it might take 5-6 minutes per side.
Make ahead
The lemon, butter, caper sauce can be made up to two days ahead and stored in the refrigerator—when you cook the fish, wipe the skillet clean and reheat over low heat as directed in the recipe instructions.
What to serve with lemon caper fish
- Salad: Try an Italian insalata mista or a massaged kale salad.
- Pasta or rice: Double the sauce recipe and serve the fish over plain pasta or rice to soak it up.
- Potatoes: No one ever said no to crispy roasted potatoes or pesto potato salad.
- Vegetable side dishes: Get your green veggies and make pan fried brussels sprouts or baked asparagus with parmesan.
More fish recipes
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Recipe
Pan Seared Fish with Lemon, Butter, Caper Sauce
Equipment
- 12" non-stick skillet or stainless steel skillet
- fish spatula (optional, or use a regular spatula)
Ingredients
- 2 firm flesh white fish fillets (tilapia, flounder, grouper, haddock, orange roughy, etc.)
- all-purpose flour for dredging
- ¾ cup dry white wine (such as pinot grigio or sauvignon blanc)
- 8 tablespoons butter divided
- 3 tablespoons drained capers
- 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
- zest of one lemon
- fresh parsley for serving
- kosher salt
- freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- NOTE: This recipe goes very quickly, so have all of your ingredients measured and ready before you start cooking!
- Use a good chef's knife to chop the parsley. Use a microplane grater to zest the lemon, then juice it. Set all aside.
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside. Season the fish on both sides with kosher salt.
- Dump a thin layer of flour onto a plate or into a casserole dish. Lay the fish in it to coat it, then flip it over and coat the other side. If there are bare spots, sprinkle flour over the top, then shake it or use a pastry brush to remove the excess flour and transfer to the prepared baking sheet.
- Place a large non-stick or stainless steel skillet over medium-high heat and add 2 tablespoons of the butter. Once melted, add both fish fillets to the pan and sear for 3-4 minutes until you see that it's looking cooked around the edges and getting golden brown. (See note about cooking times.)
- Gently flip the fish over and continue to cook for another 3-4 minutes until it's cooked through. If the butter seems to be getting too brown, turn the heat down. Transfer the fish to a serving plate. (If cooking more than 2 fillets, wipe the pan clean with a paper towel, then repeat this process until all fish is cooked.)
- Turn off the heat. Use tongs to hold a paper towel to wipe the skillet clean, then place it back over medium-high heat.
- Add the white wine and bring to a boil, continue boiling for about 2 minutes, until it has reduced by about half. Reduce the heat to medium, add the butter and capers and cook for another 2 minutes until the butter is melted.
- Turn off the heat, stir in lemon juice and zest.
- Pour the sauce over the fish, top with parsley and freshly ground black pepper and serve.
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Notes
- Cooking time will vary depending on the type of fish: If you're using thin fish like flounder it will cook more quickly maybe 2 minutes per side. If using halibut which is usually cut into thicker portions, it might take 5-6 minutes per side.
- Do ahead: The lemon, butter, caper sauce can be made up to two days ahead and stored in the refrigerator—when you cook the fish, wipe the skillet clean and reheat the sauce over low heat as directed in the recipe instructions.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated as an estimate. Calorie accuracy is not guaranteed.
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