Easy Grilled Lemon Fish with a Garlic Butter Sauce

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My Grilled Lemon Fish is a quick, flavorful fish recipe made with white fish fillets, garlic butter, and fresh lemon slices. Cooked on a grill pan over medium-high heat, it’s an easy recipe that delivers flaky fish with bright, fresh flavor—perfect for a light dinner or summer meal.

Grilled Lemon Fish is a simple, flavorful fish recipe made by cooking firm white fish fillets—like sea bass or mahi mahi—on a grill pan over medium-high heat.

The fish is seasoned with a mixture of butter, garlic, and black pepper, then grilled until golden brown and flaky. It's typically served with grilled lemon slices, which add a fresh burst of acidity that complements the richness of the fish.

This method of cooking fish is one of the easiest ways to get great texture and flavor without a lot of fuss, making it perfect for healthy meals and quick weeknight dinners.

Looking for more? Try my Italian Poached Fish, Grilled Branzino, or Grilled Prawns.

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🌟 Why You'll Love this Recipe
🥘 Ingredients
🔪 Step by Step Instructions
👩🏼‍🍳 Chef's Tips
💭 Recipe FAQs
🌿 Related Recipes
🥗 Pairing Recommendations
📋 Recipe
🌡️ Food safety
💬 Reviews

🌟 Why You'll Love this Recipe

Simple, fresh ingredients – With just fish fillets, garlic, butter, and fresh lemon slices, this fish recipe is easy to make and full of bright, clean flavor.
Quick cook time – From prep to plate in under 25 minutes, it’s one of the easiest ways to cook flaky fish on a weeknight without sacrificing taste.
Perfect texture and flavor – Grilling on a hot grill pan gives the fish a golden brown sear while keeping it tender inside, and the grilled lemon adds just the right zing.

🥘 Ingredients

Firm White Fish Fillets (Sea Bass, Halibut, or Mahi Mahi) – The foundation of this recipe. These types of fish hold up beautifully on a grill pan, offering tender, flaky flesh with a mild flavor that soaks up the garlic butter perfectly.
Salted Butter – Adds rich flavor and helps the fish develop that golden brown sear. When spread on both sides of the fish, it locks in moisture and creates a lightly crisp finish.
Fresh Garlic – Finely minced or grated, it melts into the butter as the fish cooks, infusing every bite with deep, aromatic flavor.
Black Pepper – Adds just the right amount of warmth and sharpness to balance the richness of the butter and fish.
Fresh Lemon (Quartered) – Grilled cut-side down, the lemon slices caramelize slightly, releasing a mellow, citrusy punch that brightens the whole dish.
Fresh Parsley (For Serving) – A final touch of color and clean, herbal flavor that pairs beautifully with grilled fish and fresh lemon juice.

See recipe card for quantities.

🔪 Step by Step Instructions

Prepare the fish: Pat the fish fillets dry with paper towels to remove excess moisture. This helps the butter and seasonings stick and promotes a golden brown sear.

Season both sides: In a small bowl, mix the softened salted butter with the minced garlic and black pepper. Rub the mixture evenly over both sides of the fish fillets.

Preheat the grill pan: Heat a grill pan over medium-high heat until hot. A properly heated pan ensures the fish sears quickly and doesn’t stick.

Grill the first side: Place the fish fillets onto the grill pan and let them cook undisturbed for about 5 minutes, until the underside is golden brown and releases easily from the pan.

Flip and add lemon: Gently flip the fish with a spatula. Place the lemon quarters cut-side down in the pan next to the fillets to caramelize as the fish finishes cooking.

Finish cooking the fish: Grill for another 5–7 minutes, or until the fish flakes easily with a fork and reaches an internal temperature of 165°F.

Serve: Transfer the fish to a serving platter. Spoon over any remaining butter from the pan, sprinkle with fresh parsley, and serve with the grilled lemon wedges on the side.

👩🏼‍🍳 Chef's Tips

If the fish sticks to the grill pan when you try to flip it, don’t force it—just give it another minute. When the fish is ready, it will naturally release from the pan. Letting it sear undisturbed helps create that golden brown crust and prevents tearing the delicate fillets.

💭 Recipe FAQs

What type of fish works best for this recipe?

Firm white fish fillets like sea bass, halibut, or mahi mahi are the perfect choice. These types of fish hold their shape well on a grill pan, cook evenly, and turn tender and flaky without falling apart. Avoid delicate fish that may break down too easily during cooking.