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My pan seared rockfish recipe yields flaky, tender fillets with a crispy crust and garlic butter caper sauce. It’s ready in 10 minutes and is an easy weeknight dinner.
Table of Contents
If you’ve never tried rockfish, my simple rockfish recipe is the best place to start. Like pan-seared salmon, rockfish doesn’t need much to taste incredible; Just a handful of ingredients, a few minutes in the pan, and dinner practically serves itself. It’s simple yet elegant and so versatile.
Rockfish has a uniquely sweet, mild flavor with a hint of nuttiness. The fish itself is flaky, tender and the lemon caper sauce is just magic.
If you’re looking for more white fish recipes, try my lemon butter baked halibut, red snapper, or pan-grilled grouper next!
Key ingredients
- Rockfish fillets. If possible, I suggest seeking out sustainably caught or wild Pacific rockfish, as I’ve found the flavor is always superior. If you’re using frozen fillets, make sure they’re fully thawed.
- Kosher salt and black pepper. To taste.
- All-purpose flour. To crisp up the exterior. Regular AP flour or gluten-free flour both work.
For the garlic butter caper sauce:
- Unsalted butter. I definitely suggest using unsalted butter over salted butter, as you don’t want the sauce overly salty.
- Garlic. Use fresh garlic or bottled minced garlic here–it makes all the difference!
- Capers. For a uniquely savory, minerally flavor. Drain them first.
- White wine. For body and depth of flavor. For a non-alcoholic version, use equal portions of low-sodium chicken broth.
- Fresh lemon juice. For brightness and acidity.
- Fresh parsley. For color.
How to make pan-seared rockfish
This is an overview with step-by-step photos. Full ingredients & instructions are in the recipe card below.
Step 1- Season. Pat the fillets with paper towels, season all sides with salt and pepper, then lightly coat each fillet in flour.
Step 2- Pan-sear. Heat oil in a skillet and cook the fillets until they achieve a golden brown color on both sides, then set aside.
Step 3- Make the sauce. Melt butter and saute the garlic and capers. Pour the wine and simmer briefly. Add the lemon juice and parsley, then turn off the heat.
Step 4- Serve. Serve the fillets warm with garlic butter drizzled on top.
Arman’s recipe tips
- Look for fillets of even thickness. So they cook at the same rate.
- Use a meat thermometer. Rock cod cooks quickly, so you’ll want to watch it to ensure it doesn’t become rubbery. I suggest looking for a temp of 140- 145F.
- Bring the fish to room temperature. This helps the fish cook quickly and more evenly.
Storage instructions
To store: Let the leftovers cool completely, then transfer them to an airtight container and store them in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.
To freeze: Place the fully cooled fish fillets in a freezer bag and freeze for 3 months. Let the fish thaw fully before reheating.
To reheat: Warm the fillets on the stovetop over medium-high heat (flipping often) or in the oven at 350F for 7-8 minutes.
Frequently asked questions
Yes, if you’d rather skip the butter, use any type of neutral-flavored oil (I prefer olive oil or canola oil).
Yes, you can. I found that thawing them completely worked so much better than cooking them from frozen. If you can, refrigerate the fillets overnight in the fridge.
What to serve with this
If you tried this Rockfish Recipe or any other recipe on my website, please rate the recipe and let me know how it went in the comments below. It really helps others thinking of making the recipe.
Pan Seared Rockfish
Ingredients
- 4 4-6 ounce fillets rockfish
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
Garlic butter caper sauce
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 2 tablespoons capers drained
- 1/2 cup white wine or chicken broth
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
Instructions
- Pat the rockfish fillets dry with paper towels. Season both sides with salt and pepper.
- Dredge each fillet in the flour, lightly coating both sides.
- Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the fillets and cook for 2 minutes per side or until golden brown and flaky. Remove and set aside.
- In the same pan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the minced garlic and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant. Stir in the capers and cook for another 30 seconds.
- Pour in the white wine (or chicken broth) and let it simmer for 2 minutes, scraping up any browned bits. Add lemon juice and fresh parsley, then stir to combine.
- Spoon the garlic butter caper sauce over the rockfish fillets. Serve immediately with lemon wedges.
Notes
- More lemon flavor. When you flip the rockfish for the last time, place a few lemon slices on each fillet so the flavor seeps into the meat.
- Add cream. For an even more decadent sauce, add a splash of heavy cream right before removing it from the heat.
- Swap the fresh herbs. Try fresh dill, rosemary, or thyme, depending on the flavor profile you’re after.
