Pan-Seared Grouper

Published: Mar 13, 2021 · Modified: Mar 17, 2025 · 64 Comments

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This delicious pan-seared grouper is made with fish seared in butter and oil, and then served with a lemon and caper pan sauce.

pan-seared grouper with butter caper sauce on plates

The first time I tasted grouper it was in a little Italian restaurant. It was pan-seared and it was... so incredibly over-cooked and dry.

Cue the sad music. Wah wah waaaahhhh.

A few years later, I tasted some absolutely fabulous grouper in a little beachside café in Florida. I happily devoured a grouper Reuben and loved it so much that I make that tasty fish sandwich at home now.

I even make a cod Reuben, because I can't always find grouper!

Recently, though, I was thinking back to that less-than-satisfying pan-seared grouper. I wanted to try making it myself, and I was confident it would be better.

This pan-seared grouper is made with fish cooked in butter and topped with a lemon caper sauce. This post includes lots of tips to help make sure your fish doesn't get dried out while cooking!

Want more seafood recipes? Try some of our favorites: pan-seared hake, sardine fish cakes, seafood pot pie, salmon Caesar salad and honey bourbon salmon.

What Does Grouper Taste Like?

Grouper is a mild, slightly sweet white fish.

It's a fairly meaty fish, and its mild flavor makes it work with lots of different flavors.

In this recipe, though, we'll let the grouper's flavor shine.

Best Method for Pan-Searing Lean White Fish

Whenever I pan-sear white fish, I go back to my favorite technique, Julia Child's fish meunière.

This cooking method involves dusting the fish with flour and cooking it in a mixture of butter and oil. The flour helps to create a golden sear and the butter and oil help keep the fish tender and juicy.

Julia's method never fails me. I use it to pan-sear rockfish, pan-sear halibut, pan-sear lingcod and even to pan-sear snapper.

Can I Make This Recipe Gluten-Free?

Yes, absolutely!

The only gluten in this recipe is in the flour that you'll use to dust the fish before cooking.

To make it gluten-free, simply swap traditional all-purpose flour for a gluten-free all-purpose flour such as Cup 4 Cup.

Can I Skip The Flour?

You sure can!

The sear will be slightly less golden, but it will still taste delicious.

Pan-Seared Fish Tip!

Make sure to pat the fish dry before cooking. Damp or moist fillets are much more likely to stick to the pan.

How to Make Pan-Seared Grouper

Did you catch the grouper yourself? This recipe assumes that the fish has already been cleaned and filleted.

Start by patting the grouper fillets dry and dusting them with flour. Season the fish lightly with salt and set aside.

Next, add a little butter and oil to a heavy pan. I like to use this Lodge 12" carbon steel skillet.

When the butter melts, set the fish in the pan. Once you set the fish in the pan, don't touch it!

Cook the fish for three to four minutes, depending on how thick the fillets are.

I like to watch the side of the fish as it cooks. The fish will turn opaque from the bottom up, and I flip when it's about halfway cooked through.

When you think it's time to flip, use a thin metal spatula to test the fish. I use a Wusthof fish spatula but have also heard great things about this OXO fish spatula.

The fish will release from the pan easily when it's ready to flip.

After flipping, top each fillet with a little more butter.

Cook about three minutes after flipping, and then move the fish out of the pan.

Add lemon juice, capers and a handful of herbs to the pot, and stir, stir stir!

Drizzle the pan sauce over the fish and serve right away while everything is still hot.

I like to serve my pan-seared grouper along with some cauliflower garlic mash and green bean and almond salad.

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