Grilled Lemon Fish with 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.

🥘 Ingredients

Firm White Fish Fillets (Sea Bass, Halibut, or Mahi Mahi)
Salted Butter
Fresh Garlic
Black Pepper
Fresh Lemon
Fresh Parsley

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.

💭 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.