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Black Sea Bass Recipe

This Black Sea Bass Recipe is simple, healthy way to make it and a nice way to get your omega-3 fatty acids. Wild caught black sea bass is breaded with panko breadcrumbs and parmesan cheese and pan-seared to perfection. You will love the flavors in this dish! 

Black Sea Bass Recipe in Cast Iron Skillet

BLACK SEA BASS RECIPE

I am excited to be sharing another fresh fish recipe with you guys. Today’s recipe is such a simple recipe which I love! 

One of my goals this year is to create more fish recipes to share.

This one is perfect for a quick weeknight dinner or even special occasions. Serve with a simple side salad and a glass of white wine.

We love eating seafood each week whether it is an Easy Blackened Fish, Mediterranean Salmon, Baked Cod with Lemon or this Air Fryer Cod.

Not only are they healthy for you, but seafood can be really easy to make on those busy nights.

Today’s Black Sea Bass Recipe is a quick one that you can make in under 15 minutes.

It uses bass filets that are breaded using panko breadcrumbs and parmesan cheese and then pan-seared and serve with spinach and cooked tomatoes.  

I like to finish it off with a squeeze of lemon juice or serve it with a lemon butter sauce.

Black Sea Bass Recipe in skillet

What Does Sea Bass Taste Like?

It has a mild flavor with a firm flesh. I personally love the delicate flavor of sea bass.

The sea bass’ flesh is moist and buttery, with firm flakes. The fish is milder than many other types of fish. This is one my kids love because it doesn’t have a strong fish taste.

Is Sea Bass Healthy?

Black sea bass is low in calories and fat, is a good source of protein, selenium, and contains omega-3 fatty acids.  It has low to moderate levels of mercury. It is a great choice if you want a wild caught, healthy seafood option! 

Black Sea Bass Recipe with spinach

Recipe Ingredients

  • BLACK SEA BASS: Black sea bass flesh is firm and lean, with a mild, delicate flavor. Black sea bass is a versatile and popular seafood, sold whole and as steaks or fillets. Treat similarly to striped bass or any firm, meaty, white-fleshed fish. It cooks very quickly, which I love! 
  • PANKO BREADCRUMBS: I liked the breading on this sea bass. I used panko breadcrumbs but you can use regular breadcrumbs. 
  • PARMESAN CHEESE: As part of the breading I like to add in Parmesan cheese to the breadcrumbs. It adds flavor and helps create a crisp crust on the fish. 
  • SPICES:  I used a mixture of spices with the breadcrumbs. You can use whatever spices you like. Italian seasoning would be a good pairing in this recipe also!
  • OLIVE OIL: I used olive oil to dredge the black sea bass in before the breadcrumbs. I also used olive oil when pan-searing the black sea bass. 
  • SPINACH: I like to pair seafood dishes with sautéed spinach or any greens you like.
  • CHERRY TOMATOES: I also love adding cherry tomatoes to the skillet and letting them burst. They add a nice acidic, sweet flavor next to the fish. 
Black Sea Bass Recipe with tomatoes

How to Make Black Sea Bass

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

1. Pat dry with the towel: Pat each of the bass fillets dry with a paper towel.

2. Mix together the breading: In a shallow bowl mix the panko breadcrumbs, Parmesan cheese, thyme, parsley, paprika, salt and pepper and stir until combined. Set aside. Pour the 1/4 cup olive oil into another shallow bowl.

3. Dredge the fish in breading: Dredge the black sea bass in the olive oil and then into the dry ingredients making sure both sides are coated. Place on a clean plate.

4. Sear in a skillet: Heat a cast iron skillet or a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat, warm the oil until a few water droplets sizzle when carefully sprinkled in the skillet. Sear the sea bass, skin side up, until it is well browned and easily releases from pan, about 3- 4 minutes. Flip over and cook until seared, about 1 minute.

5. Bake in the oven: Transfer the pan to the oven and roast about 4-5 minutes or cooked to the desired degree of doneness, at least 145 degrees F. Season fish with a quick sprinkle of salt and pepper. Garnish with fresh herbs and fresh lemon zest.

Tips for Cooking Black Sea Bass

  • Temperture: Black Sea Bass should be an internal temperature of 145 Fahrenheit when a thermometer is inserted into the thickest part of the fish. The flesh should be tender when flaked and separate easily.  fork-tender, meaning that it should be flaky and separate easily.
  • Skin: You might be wondering if the skin is edible on the fish. Black sea bass is great to cook as a whole fish because of its size. Whole or filleted, it can be steamed, poached, grilled, roasted. The skin is edible. 
  • Chilean Sea Bass vs. Black Sea Bass: Many people have asked what the difference between these two are. Black Sea Bass are a true bass that inhibits the Atlantic Coast or the US. Chilean Sea Bass is a Patagonia Toothfish, not a bass, and inhibits the waters around South America and the Antarctic.
  • Cleaning: You do not need to wash the sea bass before cooking it. You can pat it dry if you want to help it get a good sear.

Other Seafood Recipes You Might Like:

EASY PAN FRIED FISH

HONEY MUSTARD SALMON

HAWAIIAN SALMON 

AIR FRYER COD

LEMON GARLIC HALIBUT 

BAKED COD WITH LEMON

Black Sea Bass Recipe in Cast Iron Skillet

Black Sea Bass Recipe

Yield: 2-3
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 20 minutes

Ingredients

  • 8 ounce black sea bass, cut into 2 filets 
  • 1/4 cup + 2 Tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 cup panko breadcrumbs {or use regular breadcrumbs}
  • 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese  
  • 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder 
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried parsley
  • 1/4 teaspoon thyme
  • 1/2 teaspoon sweet paprika 
  • 1/8 teaspoon black pepper 
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
  2. Pat each filet dry with a paper towel.
  3. In a shallow bowl mix the panko breadcrumbs, Parmesan cheese, garlic powder, parsley, thyme, paprika, salt and pepper and stir until combined. Set aside.
  4. Pour the 1/4 cup olive oil into another shallow bowl.
  5. Dredge the black sea bass in the olive oil and then into the dry ingredients making sure both sides are coated. Place on a clean plate.
  6. Heat a cast iron skillet or a regular skillet over medium heat, warm the oil until a few water droplets sizzle when carefully sprinkled in the skillet.
  7. Sear the sea bass, skin side up, until it is well browned and easily releases from pan, about 3- 4 minutes. Flip over and cook until seared, about 1 minute.
  8. Transfer the pan to the oven and roast about 4-5 minutes or cooked to the desired degree of doneness, at least 145 degrees F.
  9. Serve with sautéed spinach and roasted tomatoes.

Notes

  • You can easily skip the breading and just season the sea bass with salt and pepper.
  • I like to drizzle a bit of olive oil and lemon juice on the fish if I am not doing a breading.

Today’s post is sponsored by Sitka Salmon Shares. They provide me with a shipment of their seafood to try and review. As always, opinions are 100% my own. 

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Jeffrey Bruskin

Thursday 12th of September 2024

Made this tonight with wild Black Sea Bass and it was sublime. There is one error as written though. The ingredients list mentions garlic powder but the directions do not. We missed adding it. I assume it should be added to the mix in the bowl.

Julia

Friday 13th of September 2024

So glad you enjoyed it! Thanks for letting me know about the garlic powder- I will add that in.

carol

Monday 19th of August 2024

This recipe was absolutely amazing! I got wild black sea bass from publix and made it exactly according to your recipe, except that I did not finish it in the oven, as the filets were thin enough they got done on the stove top, 4 minutes on 1 side, 2 minutes on the other. But what a fabulous flavor!

Julia

Tuesday 20th of August 2024

I am so glad that you enjoyed this recipe! Sounds like you made the right choice to not finish it off in the oven since it was so thin!

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