This Grilled Sea Bass with Herb Butter is a restaurant-quality dish that combines crispy-skinned fish with a rich, aromatic garlic herb butter sauce. The sea bass is grilled to perfection and served over creamy mashed potatoes, then garnished with microgreens, thinly sliced radishes, and a charred lemon wedge for added freshness and texture. This elegant dish is perfect for impressing guests or indulging in a fine dining experience at home.

Full Recipe:

Ingredients

For the Sea Bass:

• 1 fillet of sea bass, skin-on

• 2 tbsp olive oil

• Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

For the Herb Butter Sauce:

• ½ cup unsalted butter

• 2 garlic cloves, minced

• 1 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped

• 1 tbsp fresh dill, chopped

• Juice of ½ lemon

For the Garnishes & Plating:

• 1 cup mashed potatoes

• 1 lemon, halved and charred

• Microgreens

• Thinly sliced radishes

Directions

1. Prepare the Sea Bass: Pat the sea bass dry with paper towels, then score the skin lightly. Season with salt and pepper, and let it sit at room temperature for 10 minutes before cooking.

2. Grill the Fish: Heat olive oil in a grill pan over medium-high heat. Place the sea bass skin-side down and press lightly with a spatula to ensure even contact. Grill for 3-4 minutes until the skin is crispy. Flip the fish and cook for an additional 2-3 minutes, until the flesh is opaque and flakes easily.

3. Prepare the Herb Butter Sauce: In a small saucepan, melt the butter over low heat. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir in the parsley, dill, and lemon juice, and cook for another 30 seconds. Remove from heat.

4. Assemble the Plate: Spread a layer of mashed potatoes on a plate. Place the grilled sea bass on top. Drizzle with the herb butter sauce and garnish with microgreens, radish slices, and the charred lemon wedges.

Nutrients (per serving)

• Calories: 450 kcal

• Carbohydrates: 15g

• Protein: 28g

• Fat: 33g

  • Saturated Fat: 8g

• Cholesterol: 85mg

• Sodium: 350mg

• Potassium: 900mg

• Fiber: 3g

• Sugar: 3g

The Sea Bass: Perfectly Grilled and Crispy

The star of this dish is the sea bass, a firm, mild fish known for its delicate flavor and tender flesh. To achieve a crispy skin and perfectly cooked fish, it’s essential to start with a fresh, high-quality fillet. First, pat the sea bass dry with paper towels to remove excess moisture, which helps achieve the desired crispy skin when grilling. Scoring the skin lightly ensures that it crisps evenly and prevents the fish from curling during cooking.

Once the sea bass is seasoned with salt and freshly ground black pepper, it’s allowed to sit at room temperature for 10 minutes. This resting period ensures even cooking. Grilling the sea bass on medium-high heat helps achieve a beautiful sear on the skin while keeping the flesh tender and flaky. The fish should be grilled skin-side down first for 3-4 minutes, allowing the skin to crisp up. After flipping the fish, it will need an additional 2-3 minutes to cook through. The result is a perfectly grilled sea bass with a crispy skin and tender, juicy interior.

The Herb Butter Sauce: Rich and Flavorful

The herb butter sauce is what takes this dish from good to great. Made with unsalted butter, garlic, fresh parsley, fresh dill, and a squeeze of lemon juice, the sauce is rich, aromatic, and tangy—perfect for complementing the mild flavors of the sea bass. The garlic is cooked until fragrant, infusing the butter with a savory depth, while the fresh herbs add brightness and complexity to the sauce. The lemon juice provides a refreshing acidity, balancing out the richness of the butter.

The sauce is prepared simply by melting the butter in a small saucepan and stirring in the garlic, parsley, dill, and lemon juice. This process only takes a few minutes and ensures that the butter sauce is light and fragrant, not too heavy. Drizzling the herb butter over the grilled sea bass adds richness and enhances the overall flavor of the dish.

Garnishes and Plating: Fresh and Colorful Touches

The garnishes and plating bring the dish to life and add a beautiful contrast to the richness of the fish and butter. Start by spreading a layer of creamy mashed potatoes on the plate, which serves as a base for the sea bass. The smooth, velvety potatoes provide a comforting and indulgent backdrop for the flavorful fish.

Next, place the grilled sea bass on top of the mashed potatoes and drizzle the herb butter sauce over the fish, allowing the flavors to soak into the tender flesh. To add freshness and texture, garnish the dish with microgreens, which provide a light, peppery bite that contrasts with the richness of the fish and butter. Thinly sliced radishes add a crisp, refreshing crunch, enhancing the dish with their slightly spicy flavor.

For a final touch, serve the dish with charred lemon wedges. Grilling the lemon wedges caramelizes their natural sugars and adds a smoky depth to the citrus flavor, which pairs beautifully with the fish. Squeezing the charred lemon over the fish before eating adds a burst of fresh acidity, brightening up the entire dish.

Serving Suggestions

Grilled Sea Bass with Herb Butter is an elegant and sophisticated dish that can be served as a main course for a special occasion or a fine dining experience at home. It pairs well with a variety of side dishes, such as roasted vegetables, sautéed greens, or a light salad. For a complete meal, consider serving the sea bass with a crisp, refreshing white wine like Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, or a light Pinot Grigio. The acidity and freshness of these wines complement the rich flavors of the fish and butter sauce.

This dish would be an excellent choice for holiday dinners, anniversaries, or any occasion where you want to impress your guests with a sophisticated and flavorful seafood dish.

Nutritional Information

Each serving of Grilled Sea Bass with Herb Butter contains approximately 450 calories, making it a satisfying yet healthy meal. The dish provides 28g of protein from the sea bass, which is a great source of lean protein. It also contains 25g of fat, with 8g of saturated fat from the butter and olive oil. While the fat content is relatively high, this dish remains balanced, with the richness of the butter and fish complemented by the fresh and crunchy garnishes.

The carbohydrates in this dish come mainly from the mashed potatoes, which contribute 15g of carbs per serving. The dish also provides 3g of fiber, which is helpful for digestion and satiety. With 200mg of cholesterol and 800mg of sodium, this dish is moderate in these nutrients, so it can be enjoyed in moderation as part of a balanced diet. Additionally, the sea bass and garnishes provide important micronutrients like potassium (900mg), calcium (150mg), and iron (3mg), making this a nutrient-dense meal.

Customizing the Recipe

While this Grilled Sea Bass with Herb Butter is delicious as written, there are a few ways to customize it based on your preferences. If you prefer a different fish, you can substitute the sea bass with other firm, white fish like halibut, cod, or snapper. The herb butter sauce works equally well with other types of fish, so feel free to experiment with your favorite seafood.

For those looking to make the dish lighter, you can reduce the amount of butter in the herb sauce or substitute it with a healthier fat, such as olive oil. To add a bit of extra flavor, consider incorporating additional herbs like tarragon, thyme, or basil into the butter sauce.

You can also try using sweet potatoes or cauliflower mash in place of regular mashed potatoes for a lower-carb or nutrient-dense alternative, or add a squeeze of citrus zest to the mashed potatoes for a bit of extra brightness.

Conclusion

Grilled Sea Bass with Herb Butter is a luxurious, elegant dish that combines the rich, delicate flavors of perfectly grilled sea bass with a flavorful garlic herb butter sauce. The creamy mashed potatoes, refreshing microgreens, crunchy radishes, and charred lemon wedges make this dish a complete and satisfying meal, ideal for impressing guests or enjoying a fine dining experience at home. With its beautiful presentation and balanced flavors, Grilled Sea Bass with Herb Butter is sure to become a favorite in your seafood repertoire.