Updated on June 27th, 2022
Sea bass is one of the delicate white fish species that tend to require little in the way of cooking, meaning that you don’t have to do so much in the kitchen to get maximum flavor and relish from eating them. Cooking sea bass in the oven with lemon and herbs is a simple but wonderful method to prepare it, and the results are so wonderful and satisfying.
In this article, we have outlined the proper cooking instructions to follow when attempting to make an oven-baked sea bass recipe. Make sure to pay attention to the important timing guidelines to ensure optimal results with your recipe.
Sea Bass Nutrition Facts
Tips for Cooking Sea Bass in Oven
We have outlined some helpful tips and instructions below to guide you through the process of cooking sea bass to excellent quality in the oven. Pay attention to the following:
Cooking a whole sea bass in the oven – Apart from cooking sea bass filets (as described in the accompanying recipe), another great way to cook them in the oven is in their whole form.
Purchasing and cooking this fish in its whole form saves money since you get more fish for your money, not to talk of the fact that the taste is better because the flesh is kept more delicate and juicy this way. Cooking a whole sea bass isn’t difficult because the fishmonger will perform all of the prep work for you, and all you have to do is pop it in the oven.
You’ll need the following ingredients:
- 1 whole sea bass (about 1.3 to 1.8kg), gutted and scaled
- 2 tablespoons of olive oil
- 2 lemons (juice of 1 and 1 sliced)
- One handful of thyme, roughly chopped
Follow these easy steps to cook whole sea bass in the oven:
- Preheat the oven to 190°C/gas mark 5. The sea bass should be washed inside out and then dried with kitchen paper. Make 3 to 4 slashes through the fish’s flesh, then place it in a roasting tin lined with foil.
- Season the fish with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper after combining the lemon juice, olive oil, and thyme. Afterward, drizzle the sauce all around and over the fish, tucking it in between the slashes you made earlier.
- Place the fish in the oven and bake it for 20 to 30 minutes, uncovered; the flesh should be firm when touched and should appear flaky and white. Take the dish out of the oven, then set it aside for 5 minutes before serving. Serve the sea bass flaked with a fork, alongside fresh lemon slices as well as a crisp green salad.
Whether you choose to cook your fish whole or in slices, you can be sure you’ll get the most delicious flavor, just make sure to follow the instructions properly.
View this post on Instagram
Cooking Time for Sea Bass in Oven
Keep the following timing guidelines in mind when cooking sea bass fillets in the oven:
| Cooking procedure | Cooking time |
| Cooking a whole sea bass in the oven at 190°C/gas mark 5 | 20 to 30 minutes |
| Cooking sea bass fillets in the oven at 425 degrees Fahrenheit | 15 to 20 minutes |
Easy Baked Chilean Sea Bass (4 Servings)
Ingredients
For the Fish:
- Olive oil, for greasing the pan
- 4 Chilean sea bass filets (6-ounce filets)
- Kosher salt, to taste
- Black pepper, to taste
- Creole seasoning (or seasoned salt), to taste
For the Lemon Beurre Blanc:
- ¼ cup of dry white wine
- 1½ tablespoons of white wine vinegar
- 1½ tablespoons of minced shallots
- 1 tablespoon of lemon juice, or more to taste
- 1 teaspoon of lemon zest
- 1 tablespoon of heavy cream
- 6 tablespoons of cold butter, cut into 1-inch pieces
- Lemon wedges, for garnish
Instructions
- Collect the necessary cooking ingredients.
- Heat up your oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit. Use olive oil to coat a broiler pan and rack, as well as a baking pan.
- Season the sea bass filets using Kosher salt, creole spice, and pepper; ensure to rub the seasoning ingredients all over.
- Arrange the Chilean sea bass with the skin-side facing down on the greased broiler rack.
- Bake the salmon fillets in the preheated oven for 15 to 20 minutes, depending on their thickness. When an instant-read thermometer pushed into the center of one of the filets registers 145 degrees Fahrenheit, you’ll know that the fish is done.
- Begin to prepare the lemon beurre blanc sauce while the fish is baking in the oven.
- Mix the white wine vinegar, dry white wine, and minced shallots in a saucepan.
- Reduce the liquid to around 2 tablespoons by bringing it to a simmer.
- Combine the lemon juice, lemon zest, and heavy cream in a large mixing bowl.
- Take the pan off the heat and put in 1 tablespoon of butter.
- Return it to a low heat setting and whisk the mixture until the butter is almost completely melted.
- Proceed with the remaining butter pieces until they’re all incorporated into the mixture.
- Season with salt and pepper to taste. Whisk until everything is well combined. The mixture may separate if the sauce is too hot or too cold, so make sure to keep it warm until serving time—at least 80 degrees Fahrenheit, but no higher than 135 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Set the fish on serving platters alongside lemon wedges as well as a lemon beurre blanc drizzle.
Recipe notes:
- Remove the Kosher salt from your recipe if you find that the Creole spice is salty.
- In case you would like to make the sauce in advance, you can just keep it heated over low heat, whisking occasionally to maintain the emulsion.
- If the pan gets too hot, remove it from the fire and whisk in the butter over very low heat; if the temperature is too high, the butter will melt too rapidly and the sauce will not get a chance to thicken sufficiently.
The sea bass as well as the accompanying beurre blanc is undeniably flavorful! This recipe makes for a super-quick and easy dinner option, and all the ingredients combine in the best of ways to deliver maximum flavor. Making a beurre blanc for your sea bass recipe can be a bit difficult, but if you follow the steps in this recipe, it should turn out wonderfully.
If you’d like to see more delicious ways to cook sea bass recipes in the oven, then we recommend that you check out this video recipe.
