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This pan-seared orange roughy recipe is well seasoned to let its natural sweet flavor shine! Ready in minutes, it’s tender and flaky on the outside and moist in the middle.
Craving fish for dinner? Try my blackened tilapia, baked sockeye salmon, rainbow trout, or Chilean sea bass next.
I first tried orange roughy almost ten years ago and am THRILLED that this delicious and mild flavored fish is now available in more and more fishmongers. My simple orange roughy recipe has a flavorful crust and is perfect for a quick and easy dinner.
What is orange roughy?
Orange roughy is a large deep sea fish known for its tender and moist white flesh. Its flavor is a lot like shellfish, with a subtly sweet and not too fishy taste.
Table of Contents
Why I love this recipe
- Quick and easy. From prep to plate, this fish cooks up in just 10 minutes.
- Moist and tender. Like my barramundi recipe, this fish is known for its naturally moist and tender meat. It also doesn’t taste fishy, so it’s great for picky eaters, too.
- So flavorful. Simple spices and herbs infuse the fish with savory flavors. Plus, you can even mix and match the herbs and seasonings to make this recipe your own.
- Multiple cooking options. While I prefer the simple stovetop cooking, I’ve tested this fish in the oven and the grill and it works a treat.
Ingredients needed
- Orange roughy filets. While more and more grocery stores are stocking this fish (both fresh and frozen fillets), I prefer to get mine from the fishmonger because I know it’s fresh, and I can choose my specific fillets. Opt for ones that are bright white in color and with very little marbling or scales on either side.
- Seasonings. I seasoned the fish with a savory and tangy blend of salt, lemon pepper, paprika, and garlic powder.
- Dried parsley. Adds a refreshing herbal flavor.
- Butter. For searing the fish.
How to cook orange roughy
I’ve included step-by-step photos below to make this recipe easy to follow at home. For the full printable recipe instructions and ingredient quantities, scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
Step 1 – Season the fish. Stir the seasonings and parsley together in a small bowl. Season the fish on all sides with the seasoning mixture.
Step 2 – Pan fry. Heat the butter in a skillet over medium heat. Once it’s melted, add the fish filets and cook for 3 minutes. Flip and cook on the other side for another 3 to 4 minutes.
Step 3 – Serve. Serve the fish with lemon wedges and drizzle the butter sauce in the pan over top. Enjoy!
Alternative cooking methods
As mentioned earlier, pan-searing is my preferred way to cook orange roughy, but I’ve included my methods of oven baking and grilling the fish too!
Oven method: To bake this orange roughy recipe, season the fish with olive oil and the seasoning blend and place it in a baking dish. Bake at 400ºF for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the fish is fully cooked and flakes easily.
Grill method: Once the fish is seasoned, place it on a hot charcoal grill and grill for 4-5 minutes per side. Once the fish is opaque in color and firm to touch, it’s ready to serve.
Recipe tips and variations
- Use fresh fish. While you technically can use frozen orange roughy for this recipe (thawed in the fridge overnight before cooking), I much prefer the flavor and texture of fresh fish.
- You’ll know orange roughy is done cooking when the fish flakes easily after running a fork over it or when a meat thermometer measures the internal temperature at 145ºF.
- Switch the seasonings. Season this mild fish with all kinds of herbs and spices to change the flavor profile. Experiment with salt, black pepper, dried rosemary, thyme, oregano, onion powder, cumin, and/or lemon zest.
- Finish with a garnish. Lemon wedges are my favorite garnish, but you can also use capers, fresh dill, lemon zest, or fresh parsley.
What to serve with this
To highlight its wonderful savory flavors, I like to serve orange roughy fish over a bed of quinoa with lemon wedges on the side. A healthy veggie dish like sautéed asparagus, air fryer brussels sprouts, or sautéed broccolini always rounds out the meal perfectly.
Storage instructions
To store: Roughy is best enjoyed hot and right out of the pan, but leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days.
To reheat: Reheat the leftovers quickly in the microwave, in a 350ºF oven, or in an oiled pan over medium heat until warmed through.
More easy seafood dinners
- Roasted Branzino
- Stuffed Salmon
- Tuna Carpaccio
- Blackened shrimp
- Pan-seared monkfish
- Or any of my seafood recipes
Pan-Seared Orange Roughy
Video
Ingredients
- 4 fillets orange roughy 4-6 ounces each
- 2 teaspoons paprika
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 2 teaspoons lemon pepper
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon dried parsley
- 2 tablespoons butter
Instructions
- Pat dry the fish with a paper towel.
- In a small bowl, add the paprika, salt, lemon pepper, garlic powder, and dried parsley. Season the fish fillets on all sides.
- Add butter to a large non-stick pan or cast iron skillet and place over medium-high heat. Once hot, place the fish on it and cook for 3 minutes per side.
- Serve the fish immediately.
I was Googling but never heard of roughy before. Can I maybe use some other meat other than roughy?
This orange roughy recipe is SO good!!! yummy.
This is SUCH an easy and delicious way to cook seafood!!! Love me some orange roughy!
Thanks, Adrianna!
Love how fast and easy your pan-seared orange roughy recipe is!
Thanks, Milania 🙂
Just made this for my family last night and WOW! It’s fast, tastes delicious, and such a simple way to cook orange roughy!