Flounder Meunière Lemon Butter (Printable)

Crispy golden fillets with nutty lemon butter sauce

# What You'll Need:

→ Fish

01 - 4 flounder fillets (about 5.3 oz each), skin removed
02 - 0.5 teaspoon kosher salt
03 - 0.25 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

→ Dredging

04 - 0.5 cup all-purpose flour

→ Cooking

05 - 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
06 - 2 tablespoons olive oil

→ Sauce

07 - 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
08 - 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
09 - 2 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley
10 - Lemon wedges for serving

# How-To Steps:

01 - Pat the flounder fillets dry with paper towels. Season both sides evenly with salt and pepper.
02 - Place flour on a shallow plate. Dredge each fillet lightly in flour, shaking off excess to ensure even coating.
03 - Heat 2 tablespoons butter and olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until the butter is foamy.
04 - Add the fillets to the hot skillet in batches if necessary. Cook 2 to 3 minutes per side until golden brown and cooked through. Transfer to a warm platter.
05 - Wipe out the skillet. Add the remaining 4 tablespoons butter and cook over medium heat until it turns golden brown and releases a nutty aroma, approximately 2 to 3 minutes.
06 - Remove from heat. Stir in lemon juice and parsley. Immediately spoon the browned butter sauce over the cooked fish.
07 - Serve immediately with lemon wedges on the side.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • Ready in 20 minutes flat, which means you can impress someone on a Tuesday night without the stress.
  • The brown butter sauce tastes like a secret, but it's just butter that's been listened to closely enough to know when to stop.
02 -
  • Brown butter can burn fast, so the moment it turns that golden-amber color and smells like toasted hazelnuts, you're done—don't chase it darker or you'll taste bitter regret instead.
  • The skillet needs to be truly hot before the fish goes in; a lazy pan makes pale, steamed fish, while a confident one creates that shimmering golden crust that changes everything.
03 -
  • Keep the fish warm on a platter in a low oven while you're making the sauce—this tiny act of planning means everything tastes correct when it reaches the table.
  • If you're cooking for more than four people, resist the urge to crowd the pan; cook the fish in batches and keep the first batch warm, because overcrowding drops the temperature and you'll lose that golden sear.
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