This easy recipe is packed full of crisp white wine and fresh dill flavor. Seared Rockfish with Dill Sauce is the perfect quick dinner with fancy restaurant flavor.
A sophisticated fish dinner made from a short list of simple ingredients. This is our kind of recipe, friends. Chill the wine and break out the fancy plates. Dinner will be ready in minutes!
What You'll Need to Make this Recipe:
Before we get to the step-by-step instructions, a few words about the ingredients:
Fish: I love using rockfish fillets in this recipe, but you can substitute any mild-flavored fish such as snapper, grouper, and sea bass (branzino), haddock, pollock or cod.
Onion: The white part of green onions bring a mildly oniony taste to the sauce. Substitute finely diced shallot, leeks or yellow onion for similar mild flavor.
Wine: If you prefer cooking without wine, substitute broth and a squeeze of fresh lemon juice for the wine. You may need to simmer the sauce a little longer before adding the herbs and cream to reduce the broth and thicken the sauce.
Mustard + Herbs: Dill and Dijon are a match made in heaven in this sauce. But if you don't care for mustard, skip it altogether. If you have another fresh herb like tarragon, basil or chives, they will also bring the sauce to life.
Full measurements and ingredients listed in the printable recipe card below.
How to make this saucy, pan-seared rockfish:
Step 1: Season Fish and Lightly Coat
Dry fish well with paper towels, then season both sides with salt and pepper. Dredge fillets in flour, dusting off any excess.
Step 2: Sear Fish to a Golden Brown
Heat one tablespoon of butter and two tablespoons of olive oil in a pan over medium heat. Add seasoned rockfish fillets to the hot pan. Cook for about 4 minutes. Using a fork or thin fish spatula, check fish for browning. Once you see a golden brown color, turn the fillets in the pan, leaving them to cook through. Cooking time will vary based on the size of the fillets, but generally about 3-3 ½ minutes on the second side.
Step 3: Keep Fish Warm While Making Creamy Dill Sauce
Set your oven to warm or 250℉, to hold the fish fillets while you prepare the quick sauce for the rockfish recipe. Once the fish is golden brown on each side, gently move them to a baking sheet and place in the oven. Wipe out the pan and return it to the burner.
Step 4: Make White Wine Dill Pan Sauce
Melt remaining 3 tablespoons of butter in the pan and add the diced green onions (but the white parts only). Sauté for 3-4 minutes, until tender and fragrant, but not browning. Add white wine to the pan, turning the burner up to medium-high heat to allow the wine to rapidly simmer and reduce, about 2 minutes.
Add stock and Dijon mustard, whisking and simmering until slightly thickened. Reduce heat to low and add cream and fresh dill, whisking to combine and heat through. Taste and adjust seasoning.
Step 5: Serve!
Plate your delicious pan-seared rockfish fillets with creamy white wine dill sauce and serve with lemon slices and more fresh herbs.
Frequently Asked Questions and Serving Suggestions:
No need to soak rockfish before cooking. Just dry them off with paper towels before seasoning and cooking.
Many kinds of fish in your local grocery store or fish market will work in this dish. Flaky fish like snapper, grouper, sea bass (branzino), haddock, pollock or cod are all a great choice for this cooking method.
I used a standard stainless steel skillet for this recipe, but you could use a cast iron skillet or nonstick pan with good results.
The creamy white wine dill sauce packs a ton of flavor, so adding a few simple sides like Garlic Lemon Green Beans and White Rice with Dill would be great options.
Rockfish is a type of fish known for its firm texture, mild and slightly sweet flavor. They are often called rock cod, Pacific snapper, or redfish. Similar fish types include snapper, grouper, and sea bass.
This pan-seared rockfish recipe is a winner, but Baked Rockfish with Pistachio Gremolata is another great option. Rockfish tacos can be made with a simple Baked Taco Recipe, or use rockfish fillets for a beer-battered Baja Fish Taco party.
Transfer leftover fish to an airtight container and keep in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. To reheat, warm gently in a saucepan over medium-low heat just until warmed through.
Pan-Seared Rockfish with Creamy Dill Sauce
- Total Time: 25 minutes
- Yield: 2 1x
Ingredients
2 (7-8 ounce) rockfish fillets
⅓ cup all purpose flour
Kosher salt and black pepper
4 tablespoons butter, divided
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 scallions, whites only, diced
⅓ cup white wine
3 tablespoons stock (vegetable or chicken)
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
¼ cup heavy cream
2-3 tablespoons fresh dill, chopped
Instructions
- Dry fish fillets well with a paper towel, then season both sides of the fish with salt and pepper. Dredge in flour, dusting off any excess. Heat one tablespoon of butter and two tablespoons of olive oil in a pan over medium heat. Once hot, add coated rockfish fillets to the pan. Leave the fish undisturbed for about 4 minutes. Using a fork or thin fish spatula, check rockfish fillets for browning. Once golden brown, turn the fish in the pan, leaving to cook through.
- Set your oven to warm or 250℉, to hold the fish fillets while you prepare the quick sauce for the rockfish recipe. Once the fish is golden brown on each side, gently move them to a baking dish or sheet pan and place in the oven. Wipe out the pan and return it to the burner.
- Melt remaining 3 tablespoons of butter in the pan and add the diced scallion whites. Saute for 3-4 minutes, until tender and fragrant, but not browning. Add white wine to the pan, turning the heat up a bit to allow the wine to rapidly simmer and reduce, about 2 minutes. Add stock and Dijon mustard, whisking and simmering until slightly thickened. Reduce heat to low and add cream and fresh dill, whisking to combine and heat through. Taste and adjust seasoning.
- To serve, plate golden brown rockfish fillets with creamy dill sauce and serve with lemon slices and more fresh herbs.
Notes
If you prefer cooking without wine, substitute broth and a squeeze of fresh lemon juice for the wine.
Fresh soft herbs like tarragon, basil or chives are great substitutes for dill, if you're looking for another option!
- Prep Time: 10
- Cook Time: 15
- Category: Easy Recipes
- Method: Stove Top
- Cuisine: American
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