Pan-Seared Rockfish

Published: May 27, 2022 · Modified: Feb 21, 2025 by Chef Dennis Littley

Pan-Seared Rockfish with a buttery lemon caper is an easy and delicious fish recipe that can be on your dinner table in less than thirty minutes. My rockfish recipe is one I used for years in the different restaurants I worked at. You can also use this method to cook other white fish fillets.

Pan seared rockfish with beurre blanc sauce with capers on a white plate with lemon circles.

Tender Rockfish fillets, lightly dredged in seasoned flour, then seared in a butter olive oil mixture until golden brown. The cooking method and light sauce let the delicate flavors of that mild white fish shine through. Making it the perfect date night meal or when guests come over to dinner.

It’s one of my favorite ways to prepare this delicious fish.

pan seared rockfish with a lemon caper sauce on a white plate

I love cooking with Alaskan rockfish, it has a flaky texture and mild flavor, and it can be fried, broiled, grilled, pan-sauteed, and even cooked in an air fryer. It has a flavor somewhere between Cod and Halibut.

And if you’re wondering what else you can use rockfish for, It also makes delicious rockfish tacos!

Table of Contents:

Ingredients to make Pan-Seared Rockfish

Let’s start by gathering the ingredients we need to make Pan Seared Rockfish with a lemon caper sauce. In Chef Speak, this is called the “Mise en Place,” which translates to “Everything in its Place.”

Not only does setting your ingredients up ahead of time speed up the cooking process, it also helps ensure you have everything you need to make the dish.

Made with simple ingredients

rockfish fillets
unsalted butter
fresh lemon juice
all-purpose flour (or gluten-free flour)
salt
black pepper
shallots
capers
Italian parsley

What is Rockfish?

Pacific Rockfish is a white-fleshed, mild-flavored fish with a delicate texture and a sweet and nutty taste. It’s also known as Alaskan rockfish, rock cod, red snapper, or Pacific red snapper and is a plentiful near-shore fish found on the west coast of North America. There are more than 70 types of rockfish, and they are part of the much larger fish genus of Sebass.

How to make Pan Seared Rockfish

The first step is to pat dry the rockfish with paper towels, then liberally season the fillets with sea salt and black pepper to taste.

*You can also season the rockfish filets with lemon pepper, cajun seasoning, or your favorite spices.

Next, prepare the seasoned flour by adding ½ teaspoon of salt and ¼ teaspoon of black pepper to all-purpose flour (or gluten-free flour) to a shallow bowl.

rockfish fillets coated with seasoned flour on a white platter

Dredge the rockfish in the seasoned flour, coating both sides of the fillets.

How to cook the rockfish fillets

*Preheat the oven to 250 degrees F. to use as a holding oven.

olive oil and butter in a large saute pan

Prepare the large skillet (or a large nonstick skillet) by placing it over medium-high heat with one tablespoon of butter and one tablespoon of olive oil (or your favorite cooking oil).

Once the butter has melted, turn the temperature down to medium heat. Make sure not to let the butter/oil mixture get brown before adding fish to the hot pan.

*If you have a cast iron skillet, you use that to pan-sear the fish, it will add amazing color to the rockfish.

rockfish in saute pan, seared side is up

Place the floured rockfish fillets in the hot skillet, cooking on the first side for 3-4 minutes. Don’t be tempted to turn it over too soon; you want that delicious crunch and golden brown color that comes from not moving the fillets around.

Turn the rockfish over and continue to saute for another 3-4 minutes. When the pan-seared rockfish is fully cooked, place it on a baking sheet and into the preheated 250-degree oven while you make the lemon caper sauce.

Pan searing is one of my favorite ways to prepare fish. It really brings out the natural flavor and can be done in minutes.

How do I make Lemon Caper Sauce?

collage showing how to make lemon caper sauce

Add the butter, shallots, and capers to another saute pan or medium saucepan over moderate heat. Saute for 1-2 minutes. Don’t let the butter burn!
Add the lemon juice and either an ounce of white wine or chicken stock to the pan.
When the liquids are hot, add one tablespoon of butter rolled in flour (beurre manie) to the pan. This will thicken the sauce.

*If the sauce gets too thick, add a little water, chicken broth, or if you want to take the sauce to the next level, a little heavy cream. You can even add your favorite fresh herbs to the sauce for extra flavor.

Pan seared rockfish with beurre blanc sauce with capers on a white plate with asparagus and lemon circles.

Serve the lemon caper pan sauce over this delicious pan-seared rockfish and garnish it with chopped parsley. You’re going to love the flaky texture of the rockfish, and I know you’ll agree that this is the best pan-seared rock fish recipe you’ve ever tried.

Serve the rockfish with wild rice, or your favorite grain along with your favorite green vegetable for a delicious healthy dinner the whole family will love.

Recipe FAQ’s

How do you pan-sear fish without it sticking to the pan?

Make sure the pan is hot before you add the fish to the pan will ensure that the fish will not stick and will give you a perfect flavorful crust. Heat your pan on medium-high heat, then add a small amount of oil and butter. When the oil and butter start to shimmer, add the fish to the pan.

Can I pan-sear fish without using flour?

Yes, you can.
While flour is generally the first choice for pan-searing fish, you can use finely ground cornmeal instead. To create that crunchy exterior we love, dip the fish in milk or beaten eggs before dredging the fillets in cornmeal.

What does rockfish taste like?

Rockfish is a mild whitefish that is somewhere between Cod and Halibut. Like most whitefish, rockfish has a flaky texture and mild flavor. It’s perfect fried, broiled, grilled or pan-sauteed. It also makes delicious rockfish tacos!

More Recipes You’ll Love!

Pan Seared Rockfish Recipe

Chef Dennis Littley

My pan-seared rockfish recipe couldn't be easier to make. The cooking method and light sauce let the delicate flavors of that mild white fish shine through. Making it the perfect date night meal or when guests come over to dinner.

4.98 from 97 votes

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Prep Time 5

Cook Time 14

Total Time 19

Course Entree

Cuisine American, French

Servings

Calories 715 kcal

Ingredients

Rockfish

14 ounce rockfish 2 fillets
¼ cup flour
1 tsp sea salt
½ teaspoon black pepper
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon butter

Lemon Butter Sauce

1 tablespoon shallots finely chopped – optional
1 tablespoon capers
1 tablespoon butter
1-2 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1-2 ounces white wine or chicken stock
1 tablespoon butter
1 teaspoon flour to roll butter in
1 teaspoon Italian parsley finely chopped

Instructions

Pat rockfish fillets dry with paper towels and season them liberally with sea salt and black pepper.
Dredge the rockfish filets in all-purpose flour, getting a good coating on both sides.
*Gluten-free flour can be substituted.
In a large saute pan (or cast iron pan) add the olive oil and 1 tablespoon of butter. Heat over medium-high until the butter is melted. Lower the heat to medium.
*Don't let the butter get brown.
Place the floured rockfish in the hot pan, cooking on the first side for 3-4 minutes. Don’t be tempted to turn it over too soon, you want that delicious crunch and golden brown color that comes from not moving the fillets around.
Turn the rockfish over and continue to saute for another 3-4 minutes. When the pan-seared rockfish is fully cooked, place it on a baking sheet and into a preheated 250-degree oven while you make the lemon caper sauce.
Add the butter, shallots and capers, to a saute pan or medium saucepan over medium heat. Saute for 1-2 minutes. Don’t let the butter burn!
Add the lemon juice and either an ounce of white wine or chicken stock to the pan.
When the liquids are hot, add 1 tablespoon of butter rolled in flour (beurre manie) to the pan. This will thicken the sauce.
Serve the lemon caper sauce over the pan-seared rockfish. garnish with chopped parsley and enjoy!

Notes

*You can also season the rockfish with lemon pepper, cajun seasoning, or your favorite spices.

*If the sauce gets too thick, add a little water, chicken stock or if you want to take the sauce to the next level, a little heavy cream. You can even add your favorite fresh herbs to the sauce for extra flavor.