Mediterranean Pan Seared Sea Bass Recipe with Garlic Bell Pepper Medley
Don't skip the garlic and bell peppers, they are far more than a garnish on this crispy pan seared sea bass recipe! This quick fish dinner is great served with plain pearl couscous (or another grain of your choice) or lemon rice.
Servings: 4 people
Ingredients
- 4 sea bass fillets, no skin (each piece about 6-0z in weight and 1 1/2 inches in thickness)
- salt
- extra virgin olive oil
- 1 green bell pepper, cored and chopped
- 1 red bell pepper, cored and chopped
- 3 shallots. chopped
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 1/2 cup pitted Kalamata olives, halved or chopped
- 1/2 lemon, juice off
Spice Mixture
- 1 1/2 teaspoons ground coriander
- 1 1/2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon Aleppo pepper or Sweet Spanish paprika
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Salt the fish. Take the fish out of the fridge about 20 minutes before cooking. Pat dry and sprinkle with salt on both sides and set aside.
- Combine the spices. In a small bowl, combine the coriander, garlic powder, aleppo pepper, ground cumin, and black pepper. Set aside for now.
- Cook the veggies. Set a large skillet over medium-high heat, and add 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Once the oil begins to shimmer, add the bell peppers, shallots, and garlic. Season with salt and 1 teaspoon of the spice mixture you prepared earlier. Cook, stirring regularly, for 5 minutes or until the peppers have softened. Turn the heat to the lowest temp, and stir in the chopped olives. Leave on low heat as you prepare the fish.
- Season the fish. Season fish fillets with the remaining spice mixture on both sides.
- Cook the sea bass. In a large skillet set over medium-high heat, add 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil. Once the oil begins to shimmer, add the fish pieces. Reduce the heat to medium. Push down on the middle (thickest part) for 30 seconds or so. Cook fish on one side, undisturbed, until nicely browned, about 4 to 6 minutes. Using a spatula, carefully turn fish over and cook on the other side for 3-4 minutes until nicely seared as well. (Important Note: Look for browned edges before you turn it over. If parts of the fish are stuck, you should be able to carefully scrape it with the spatula and turn. But if the fish is entirely stuck, it's not ready to be turned over. Leave it for a little bit. It should release when ready.)
- Finish and serve: Remove fish from heat, immediately drizzle lemon juice. Serve warm with the bell pepper medley spooned on top. Add a side of cooked pearl couscous or rice, if you like. Or add a gluten-free side of your choice. Enjoy!
Video
Notes
- Visit our shop to browse quality ingredients including olive oils and spices used in this recipe.
- Leftovers will keep in an airtight container in the fridge for 2 to 3 days. I like eating leftover fish at room temperature, so it doesn't become rubbery when reheated. But you can reheat it over medium-low heat until just warmed through.
Nutrition
Calories: 234.1kcal | Carbohydrates: 10.9g | Protein: 32.1g | Fat: 7.1g | Saturated Fat: 1.3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1.7g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3.2g | Cholesterol: 136.1mg | Sodium: 395.6mg | Potassium: 692.5mg | Fiber: 3.4g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 1420.9IU | Vitamin C: 71.8mg | Calcium: 67.9mg | Iron: 2.7mg
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