Nobu Chilean Sea Bass Recipe

Published: Mar 21, 2021 · Updated: Apr 30, 2021 by

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Pan Seared Chilean Sea Bass is a light, flaky, delectable seafood entree made for special occasions. Serve this simple, 15-minute entree over arugula salad topped with Chimichurri sauce for restaurant quality flavor and presentation.

Chilean Seabass on arugula salad with Chimichurri topping

Pan seared sea bass is one of the easiest and quickest dinner recipes you'll ever make. The trick to cooking this type of fish is to keep it simple. This pan fried sea bass recipe is perfect for even beginner cooks and get ready to WOW guests for any special occasion.

What Is Chilean Sea Bass?

Chilean sea bass is a delicate, white fish that's light and flaky like halibut or cod, and absolutely scrumptious. Once you try sea bass, prepare to be, well, hooked! Depending on your location, sea bass might be hard to find at times but we get ours from Costco. It's on the pricey side, but totally worth every penny for special occasions.

Chilean sea bass is also a good choice if you're following current dietary guidelines when it comes to servings of low-mercury fish per week.

Chilean sea bass recipe ingredients

The most important thing to keep in mind when cooking this fish is that it requires minimal prep before cooking. This recipe keeps it simple: sea bass (skin on or off), olive oil, salt, and pepper. You can top it with a Chimichurri sauce (recipe below) or a simple lemon twist!

uncooked sea bass on black cutting board next to chef knife and ramekins of olive oil and seasonings

Can I leave the skin on sea bass?

Yes! Pan searing sea bass with the skin on adds flavor, texture, and nutrients galore. Rendering the natural fat in fish skin to make it crispy ... is downright delectable. We love this article by Hank at Honest Food about how to do it with any fish, and what fish skin you can or can't eat. Spoiler, sea bass is on the can eat list! If you're a fan of fish, game, hunting, and foraging, you need to get obsessed with Hank's work!

How to cook Chilean sea bass (pan fried)

Prep: Cut filet to size and allow to rest at room temperature 20 minutes.

2 uncooked sea bass filets on black cutting board next to ramekins of olive oil and seasonings

Sear: Heat skillet with olive oil. Sear sea bass skin side down first until it releases (about 4 min). Flip and sear the other side until fish is opaque. I'm using a cast-iron skillet for this recipe, but any skillet works.

tongs turning pan seared sea bass pan in iron skillet showing seared top of filet

Serve: Serve warm any way you like! I love it over arugula salad topped with Chimichurri sauce (see recipe below).

This fool-proof sea bass recipe is so delicate and buttery. Fish should always be this easy and convenient! Believe me when I say this entree will take minimal effort on your part and require no special cooking skills! This recipe is simply foolproof, so don't be intimidated!

How to know when sea bass is cooked

When the innermost part of the fish becomes white or opaque (not transparent) and is flaky, you're right on the money! According to Seafood Health Facts, you should always check for an internal temperature of 145°F. This ensures that any parasites or pathogens have been destroyed.

Why Chilean sea bass can be pricey

Contrary to its name, sea bass aren't harvested in Chile. Chilean sea bass are actually caught in Antarctica. It's named "Chilean" because the Chileans were first to market this Patagonian toothfish. The worldwide stock has declined due to over-fishing, driving the price for this delicate, oily fish up to extreme heights. Due to its high price, this fish is best served in the company of people who will appreciate it.

What does sea bass taste like?

Chilean sea bass is far from "fishy," and has a rather neutral flavor. The texture is melt-in-your-mouth buttery and rich. The richness reminds me of scallops. Chilean sea bass has a mild flavor, so you can prepare it with any regional cuisine in mind.

How to serve Chilean sea bass

Like most seafood, sea bass has versatile serving options. My favorite way to serve this delicious fish is over a balsamic arugula salad topped with Chimichurri sauce for a Mediterranean twist. Generally, white fish goes well with salads, pasta sides, roasted veggies, and of course, white wine or a chilled pilsner.

More fish and seafood recipes

King Crab Legs with Garlic Butter
Garlic Butter Grilled Salmon
Easy Broiled Salmon
Instant Pot Shrimp with Lemon Cream Sauce
Smoked Salmon Dip

Grab these delicious dinner entree ideas

Greek Lemon Roasted Chicken Thighs
Herb Roasted Turkey Breast
Juicy Oven Baked Chicken Thighs
Easy Baked Chicken Leg Drumsticks

Recommended Tools

chef knife (if cutting fish)
8" iron skillet (or any skillet)
tongs or fish spatula

Chilean Seabass on arugula salad with Chimichurri topping

▢ 1 lb. Sea Bass, skin on or off
▢ 1 Tbsp Olive Oil
▢ pinch Kosher Salt
▢ pinch Black Pepper
▢ optional 1/2 cup Chimichurri, see recipe footnotes

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8" iron skillet (or any skillet)
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tongs or fish spatula

Cut SEA BASS filet down the center to create 2 pieces (1/2 lb. each). Allow to rest 20 minutes at room temp to remove chill.
Heat OLIVE OIL in skillet over medium-high until it reaches the smoke point.
Place sea bass (skin side down) in the hot skillet. Sprinkle SALT and PEPPER over the filet.
If you want crispy skin, press the filet down firmly with a spatula until it becomes visibly crispy. Turn the filet over and allow the non-skin side to sear until the filet is opaque throughout, reducing heat a notch or two as needed.
Transfer the filet to a plate and allow to rest a few minutes.
Serve sea bass warm with your favorite salad and side dish. Suggested: serve over salad greens topped with Chimichurri Sauce (see recipe in footnotes).

Visit the comments below and tell me how it went.

How to know when sea bass is cooked

When the innermost part of the fish becomes white or opaque (not transparent) and is flaky, you're right on the money! According to Seafood Health Facts, you should also check for an internal temperature of 145°F. This temperature will ensure that any parasites or pathogens have been destroyed.

Quick and Easy Chimichurri Sauce (yield 1/2 cup)

1/2 cup Fresh Parsley

1/4 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil

3 Garlic Cloves

1 Tbsp Fresh Oregano

1 Tbsp Red Wine Vinegar

1/4 tsp Sea Salt

1 pinch Crushed Red Pepper

Blend all ingredients until well combined. Serve over sea bass. Cover and refrigerate leftover sauce up to 5 days.

Nutrition data provided as courtesy estimates using unbranded ingredients from a nutrition database. Please consult preferred resource for precise data.

Course Dinner Recipes, Main Course

Cuisine Mediterranean

About The Kitchen Girl

Hi! I'm Traci and I'm sharing my easy recipes with everyday ingredients, straightforward instructions, and ALL the flavor. We have food for every occasion. Start with my easy dinner recipes and eat happy tonight!

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