Trout has very quickly moved to the top of the list of my favorite fish to prepare for many reasons! It has a mild, sweet flavor and flaky texture that I have yet to grow tired of. It’s quite affordable. And it’s on the table in 20 minutes. Those are all winning attributes that have recently put trout on the weekly rotation at my house!
One great thing about preparing this fish is that it doesn’t need a lot of flair. A little squeeze of fresh lemon juice or a simple sauce does the trick for a delicious meal.
Here’s what you need:
When preparing the sauce for this recipe, my main goal was not to overwhelm or cover up the delicate trout. Light, fresh flavors and simple ingredients really bring out its best side.
Rainbow trout fillets typically weigh 4 to 5 ounces. For me, 1 fillet is plenty, but I know that for some people, that would not be quite enough. That’s something to keep in mind when deciding how many to buy.
It’s important to have all of your ingredients measured out before beginning, because like I said, this dish comes together quickly. Also, if you are making multiple batches, have your oven or broiler on to do a quick reheat of the filets, since they will have likely cooled by the time they are all seared.
How to pan sear rainbow trout:
Begin by patting both sides of the fillets dry with paper towels. This step is important for getting a crisp skin and good browning. Sprinkle both sides with salt.
Heat a nonstick pan to medium-high. Add oil and wait for it to begin to smoke a little before adding the trout. Place the fillets in the pan skin-side down first and let them cook for 4 minutes, uninterrupted. Flip over and cook for just a minute more. Remove from the pan and place on a wire rack while you cook the other two fillets.
Once all 4 fillets have finished searing, turn the heat down to medium. Add a bit more oil and sauté the shallots for 2 minutes, until soft and translucent. Add the garlic and sauté for just a minute more. Garlic burns very easily and can turn bitter, so keep an eye on it.
Next, add the white wine and lemon juice. Use a wooden spoon to scrape up any of the brown bits left from cooking the trout. Those bits are going to flavor the sauce and make it taste amazing! Reduce the sauce by half, which will take approximately 5 minutes.
Once the sauce has reduced, turn off the heat and add the cold butter. Swirl it into the sauce to emulsify it. This technique is called ‘monter au beurre,’ which sounds so fancy but translates literally to ‘mount with butter.’ It gives the sauce viscosity and a rich mouthfeel. Plus you can casually throw out the phrase, ‘monter au beurre’ to your guests and they will think you are the fanciest French chef ever.
Before serving, add the fresh chopped dill to the sauce and give it a quick stir. If the fillets have cooled, blast them for a couple minutes in a hot oven or under a broiler, but don’t leave them in too long because they could dry out.
Spoon the sauce over the seared rainbow trout fillets and serve! I love serving this dish alongside my Sexy Garlic Sautéed Green Beans, Lemony Garlic Roasted Broccoli, Perfect Creamy Parmesan Polenta or Vanishing Garlic and Herb Roasted Potatoes!
Other recipes to try:
Pan Seared Trout with Lemon Dill Sauce
Ingredients
- 4 trout fillets skin on
- olive oil
- kosher salt
- 2 tbsp shallots finely diced
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 1/4 cup dry white wine
- 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice from 2 lemons
- 2 tbsp butter unsalted, cold
- 1 tbsp fresh dill chopped
Instructions
- Pat dry both sides of the fillets with paper towels and sprinkle both sides with a little salt. Heat about two tablespoons of olive oil in a skillet to medium-high and wait until it begins to smoke a little before adding the trout.Add the trout to the pan, skin side down first and sear, without touching it for 4 minutes to crisp the skin. Flip and sear for another minute or two. You will likely have to cook the fillets two at a time so each filet has its own space. When the first two are done, place them on a wire rack over a sheet pan. Add more olive oil and repeat the process with the other two filets. When all 4 fillets are finised searing, start on the sauce. Turn the heat down to medium. Add a touch more oil and then the shallots with a pinch of salt. Sauté the shallots until softened and translucent, about two minutes. Add the garlic and sauté another minute more. Deglaze the pan with the white wine. Use a wooden spoon to scrape up any of the brown bits left from the trout into the sauce. Add the lemon juice and allow the sauce to reduce by half, which should take around 5 minutes. Turn off the heat and add the butter. Swirl it around to emulsify the sauce, then add the fresh dill. You may want to pop the fillets into a hot oven or under a broiler for a few seconds if they have cooled too much. Spoon the sauce over the trout fillets and serve.