Pan-Fried Flounder with Browned Butter (Printable Version)

Delicate flounder fillets pan-fried until golden and topped with nutty browned butter and bright lemon sauce.

# The Ingredients You'll Need:

→ Fish

01 - 4 flounder fillets (about 5.3 oz each), skin removed
02 - 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
03 - 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

→ Dredging

04 - 1/2 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

# Step-by-Step Instructions:

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 coating.
03 - Heat 2 tablespoons butter and olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat.
04 - When the butter is foamy, add the fillets in batches if necessary. Cook 2-3 minutes per side until golden and cooked through. Transfer to a warm platter.
05 - Wipe out the skillet. Add the remaining 4 tablespoons butter. Cook over medium heat until golden brown and nutty-scented, 2-3 minutes.
06 - Remove from heat. Stir in lemon juice and parsley. Immediately spoon the browned butter sauce over the cooked fish.
07 - Serve at once with lemon wedges on the side.

# Additional Tips::

01 -
  • It tastes like you spent hours in the kitchen, but you'll be plating in twenty minutes flat.
  • The browned butter sauce is so good you'll want to keep a spoon nearby for sneaky tastes.
  • Flounder is mild and forgiving, so even if you're nervous about cooking fish, this one won't betray you.
  • It's fancy enough to impress dinner guests but cozy enough for a quiet Tuesday night.
02 -
  • Don't skip drying the fish. Any moisture will cause the flour to clump and the fillets to steam instead of sear.
  • Watch the butter closely when it browns. It goes from golden to burned in seconds, and there's no coming back from that bitterness.
  • If your skillet isn't big enough for all four fillets at once, cook them in two batches and keep the first batch warm in a low oven.
03 -
  • Use a light hand when dredging. Too much flour makes the crust gummy instead of crisp.
  • Let the butter brown in a stainless or light-colored pan so you can see the color change clearly.
  • Serve this dish immediately. The magic fades as it sits, and the sauce loses its glossy, silky texture.
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