Pan Roasted Flounder Recipe

Prep fillets

Pat the flounder fillets dry with paper towels. Season both sides evenly with the kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper. Lightly dust both sides of each fillet with the all-purpose flour and shake off excess — this helps form a golden crust and thickens the sauce slightly.

Bring to room temperature

Let the seasoned fillets sit at room temperature for 10 minutes while you heat the pan. This promotes even cooking.

Heat pan and fats

Place a large nonstick or stainless-steel skillet over medium-high heat. Add the olive oil and 1 tablespoon of the unsalted butter. Heat until the butter foams and the fat is hot but not smoking (about 1–2 minutes).

Pan-roast the fillets

Carefully add the fillets to the hot pan presentation-side down (skin-side down if skin-on). Do not overcrowd — cook in batches if necessary. Cook undisturbed for 2–3 minutes until the edges turn opaque and a golden crust forms. Gently flip each fillet with a thin spatula and reduce heat to medium. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons butter, the minced garlic, minced shallot, and thyme to the pan and spoon the melted butter and aromatics over the fillets (basting) for another 1–2 minutes, until the fish is opaque through and flakes easily with a fork (internal temperature about 135–140°F / 57–60°C). Total cook time per fillet ~4–5 minutes depending on thickness.

Deglaze and build sauce

Remove the cooked fillets to a warm plate and tent loosely with foil. With the pan still over medium heat, add the white wine (or chicken broth) to deglaze, scraping up any browned bits with a wooden spoon. Let it reduce by about half (about 1 minute).

Add lemon, capers, and mount

Stir in the lemon juice and capers. Remove the pan from the heat and whisk in the cold 1 tablespoon of butter, a piece at a time, to create a glossy, slightly thickened sauce (this is called mounting). Taste and adjust seasoning with a pinch of salt and pepper if needed.

Finish and serve

Return the fillets to the pan briefly (30 seconds) to warm in the sauce and spoon sauce over them. Sprinkle chopped fresh parsley on top and serve immediately with extra lemon wedges on the side.