Flounder Meunière with Lemon Butter (Printable Version)

Golden pan-fried flounder with nutty browned lemon butter sauce. Ready in 20 minutes.

# What You'll Need:

→ Fish

01 - 4 flounder fillets (about 5.3 oz each), skin removed
02 - 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
03 - 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

→ Dredging

04 - 1/2 cup all-purpose flour

→ Cooking

05 - 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
06 - 2 tablespoons olive oil

→ Sauce

07 - 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
08 - 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
09 - 2 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley
10 - Lemon wedges for serving

# Directions:

01 - Pat flounder fillets dry with paper towels. Season both sides evenly with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper.
02 - Place flour on a shallow plate. Dredge each fillet lightly in flour, shaking off excess to ensure a light, even coating.
03 - Heat 2 tablespoons butter and olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until the butter becomes foamy.
04 - Add the flounder fillets to the hot skillet, working in batches if necessary. Cook 2 to 3 minutes per side until golden brown and cooked through. Transfer to a warm platter.
05 - Wipe out the skillet. Add the remaining 4 tablespoons butter and cook over medium heat until it turns golden brown with a nutty aroma, approximately 2 to 3 minutes.
06 - Remove from heat. Stir in lemon juice and chopped parsley. Immediately spoon the browned butter sauce over the fish.
07 - Transfer plated flounder to serving dishes and garnish with lemon wedges. Serve immediately.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It tastes like you spent hours cooking when you actually spent less time than it takes to watch a TV episode.
  • The browned butter sauce is where the magic lives, turning something simple into something that feels like a celebration.
  • Flounder is forgiving—it's delicate but nearly impossible to ruin if you pay attention for just a few minutes.
02 -
  • Don't skip the paper towels—wet fish won't brown properly, and you'll end up with steamed instead of seared fillets.
  • The browned butter is timing-critical; it goes from golden to burnt in seconds, so keep your eyes on it and remove it from heat the moment it smells nutty and rich.
03 -
  • If your fish fillets are very thin, reduce cooking time to 1 to 2 minutes per side so they don't dry out.
  • Having everything prepped and within arm's reach is essential—this dish happens fast and you won't have time to scramble for the lemon once you start cooking.
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