Legume Free Pan-Fried Branzino with Capers and Lemon
Branzino is one of those fish that rewards a little patience — press the skin down, leave it alone, and you're rewarded with a shatteringly crisp crust and tender, flaky flesh that tastes like something from a proper seaside restaurant. The pan sauce comes together in under two minutes using the same skillet, pulling in briny capers, golden garlic, a hit of red pepper flakes, and bright lemon juice to deglaze all those toasty browned bits. Fresh parsley stirred in at the end keeps everything vibrant and a little herbaceous. Every single ingredient here is naturally free of legumes, so there's no label-scanning or substitution gymnastics required — just clean, confident cooking. This is the kind of weeknight dinner that looks far more impressive than the effort involved, and the sauce is good enough that you'll want something crusty nearby to soak it up.
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Learn more →Ingredients
4 servings
- 4 branzino fillets (about 6 oz each), skin-on
- ½ tsp fine sea salt
- ¼ tsp black pepper, freshly ground
- 3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil, divided
For the pan sauce
- 3 tbsp capers, drained and rinsed
- 3 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
- ¼ tsp red pepper flakes
- 3 tbsp fresh lemon juice (from about 1 large lemon)
- 2 tbsp fresh flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
For serving
- lemon wedges, for serving (optional)
Instructions
- 1
Pat the branzino fillets thoroughly dry with paper towels. Season both sides evenly with the salt and black pepper.
- 2
Heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil in a 12-inch stainless steel or cast iron skillet over medium-high heat until the oil shimmers and a drop of water flicked in sizzles immediately.
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