This easy-to-make delicious Pan Fried Trout topped with lemon caper butter can be ready in just 20 minutes.
Perfect for any time you have access to freshly caught rainbow trout or other fresh fish fillets.
Trout with lemon caper sauce
Making trout is so easy! You just take really fresh fillets, add a little seasoning and pop them into a pan for 3-4 minutes per side.
The fillets are perfect just like that, but adding a super simple butter takes this fish to the next level. Serve this pan-fried trout to guests and they will be wowed!
The sauce is made with butter, garlic, freshly squeezed lemon, and capers. The tartness from the lemon and capers is perfect with the fish.
The sauce is done in no time at all. You melt the butter along with the other ingredients and give it a swirl. That's pretty much it! So easy!
You can add this lemon caper sauce to any fish dish and it would also be delicious spooned over chicken!
We've been busy catching trout and use our freshly caught trout within 1-3 days. You can also buy trout at many grocery stores.
I have a couple of different trout recipes for you to try - Trout Almondine and Baked Trout.
Key ingredients
- Trout - For this recipe, we used small rainbow trout. You could use larger fillets. Just be certain to adjust your cooking time. Other fresh fish can be used here too. Try walleye, bass, or any lighter-tasting fish.
- Butter - I use salted butter
- Lemon - Fresh squeezed lemon juice
- Capers - Capers are small pickled buds that have a ton of flavor. They can be omitted if you don't care for them or if they aren't available. Capers can usually be found in a small narrow jar in the condiment section in most grocery stores.
- Garlic - Freshly minced garlic adds a ton of flavor to the sauce. Freshly chopped or already minced garlic works fine.
- Italian Seasoning - Use a blend or use equal parts of thyme, oregano and parsley. You could also play around with the seasoning adding your favorites.
Step by step directions
- Season the fillets with salt and Italian seasoning. Just sprinkle across the top of each fillet
- Heat a skillet with a tablespoon of olive oil. When the oil is hot, but not smoking, add fish.
- Cook for 3-4 minutes per side
- When fish are cooked through and flakey in the thickest part, remove from pan and cover fish lightly with a piece of foil
- Turn off heat and allow pan to cool for a minute
- Add butter and garlic. Swirl around pan and then add capers and lemon juice.
- As soon as the butter is melted and the sauce is warm, spoon over fish fillets and serve
Recipe tips
- Cooking time will vary depending on your pan, your stove and the size of your fillets.
- To test if the fillets are cooked through, poke a fork into the thickest part of a fillet and twist slightly. If the fish flakes, it is done.
- You can cook fillets starting with skin side up or down. Crispier skin usually starts with skin side down.
- Fillets can be eaten with or without the lemon butter sauce
- Optional garnish is fresh chopped parsley
Make with other types of fish
If you don't have access to rainbow trout, try this with tilapia, sea bass, walleye, grouper or halibut. Almost any type of fish fillet will work. The cooking time will vary depending on the size of your fillets.
Frequently asked questions
The skin can be eaten on trout. It's really a personal preference whether you eat it or not. If you do eat the skin, it's best if it's served crispy.
Insert a fork in the thickest part of the trout and twist just slightly. If the trout flakes, it is done.
Serving suggestions
More quick and easy dinner recipes
- Easy Pan Fried Shrimp
- Chicken Fajita Casserole
- Chicken Philly Cheesesteak
- Cast Iron Chicken
- Ham and Pea Pasta
If you make this recipe, I’d love to hear about it! Leave a comment below and snap a picture and tag me on Instagram @beyondthechickencoop
Check out all my delicious fish recipes!
Pan Fried Trout
Ingredients
Fish
- 1 pound trout fillets (4 fillets, weight will vary)
- ½ teaspoon Italian seasoning
- salt
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
Sauce
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 2 cloves garlic (minced)
- 3 tablespoons lemon juice (fresh squeezed)
- 2 tablespoons capers
Instructions
Fish
- Season the fillets with salt and the Italian seasoning. Just sprinkle across the top of each fillet1 pound trout fillets, ½ teaspoon Italian seasoning, salt
- Heat a skillet with a tablespoon of olive oil. When oil is hot, but not smoking, add fish.1 tablespoon olive oil
- Cook for 3-4 minutes per side
- When fish are cooked through and flakey in the thickest part, remove from pan and cover fish lightly with a piece of foil
Sauce
- Turn off heat and allow pan to cool for a minute
- Add butter and garlic. Swirl around pan and then add capers and lemon juice.2 tablespoons butter, 2 cloves garlic, 3 tablespoons lemon juice, 2 tablespoons capers
- As soon as the butter is melted and the sauce is warm, spoon over fish fillets and serve
Notes
- Cooking time will vary depending on your pan, your stove and the size of your fillets.
- To test if the fillets are cooked through, poke a fork into the thickest part of a fillet and twist slightly. If the fish flakes, it is done.
- You can cook fillets starting with skin side up or down. Crispier skin usually starts with skin side down.
- Fillets can be eaten with or without the lemon butter sauce
- Garnish with fresh chopped parsley
Nutritional Disclaimer:
Nutritional information is provided as a courtesy and should only be construed as an estimate rather than a guarantee. To obtain the most precise nutritional information in a provided recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the exact ingredients you are using when preparing the recipe using your preferred nutrition calculator.
Craig Mossman says
Keeper recipe Kathy,
We swapped out garlic for shallot and cooked the trout in butter.
Thanks
Kathy says
Perfect! Glad you enjoyed it! 🙂
David @ Spiced says
I'm jealous with all of your fresh trout - that is definitely one of my favorite types of fish! That lemon caper sauce is super easy, but really packs the flavor. Thanks for sharing - I'm craving trout now!
Kathy says
It really is a great fish and you're right, that lemon caper sauce is super easy!