Lemon Sole Recipe: How to Cook Lemon Sole
Written by MasterClass
Last updated: Jun 3, 2023 • 2 min read
Lemon sole is an easy and quick-cooking preparation for any cooking level, from beginner cooks to seasoned home chefs. Simply cook thin fillets of sole or flounder quickly in butter before basting them with a lemon-and-herb pan sauce. This simple fish dish goes well with mashed potatoes and spring vegetables like asparagus, fava beans, and snap peas.
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What Is Lemon Sole?
Lemon sole is a simple fish preparation involving thin flatfish fillets prepared in a lemon butter sauce. Sear the lightly dredged skinless fillets in butter, then make a pan sauce with lemon juice, tarragon, and fresh parsley to pour over the fish. A similar dish called sole meunière often uses white wine and capers for acidity and tartness; try Chef Thomas Keller’s version with this Dover sole recipe.
Lemon sole is also a common name for a type of flatfish. Flatfish are a family of mild whitefish that includes flounder, sole, fluke, and halibut. Halibut and Dover sole fillets tend to be thick and large, so a more petite fillet such as fluke or flounder is ideal for a lemon sole recipe.
3 Tips for Cooking Lemon Sole
Here are some tips for making a quick and easy lemon sole at home.
- 1. Choose even-sized fillets. Lemon sole cooks relatively quickly, so it’s essential to choose evenly sized fillets to ensure they finish cooking simultaneously. Look for thin skinless fillets that would fit in a frying pan whole without having to trim or slice them in half. Learn how to buy fish with Chef Thomas Keller.
- 2. Use a nonstick pan. Delicate fish, like sole, is lean and contains a lot of water, making it likely to stick to a regular pan. Use a high-quality nonstick pan and a thin, flexible spatula to avoid tearing your pan-seared lemon sole while flipping.
- 3. Cook with butter. Butter’s fat-to-water ratio makes it an ideal ingredient for quick pan sauces because it thickens and emulsifies with the lemon juice and herbs differently than fats like vegetable or olive oil. Try this easy and flavorful BBQ fish recipe if you’re looking for a dairy-free fish preparation.
Simple Lemon Sole Recipe
makes
prep time
1 mintotal time
6 mincook time
5 minIngredients
- 1
Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat.
- 2
Pat the fish dry with paper towels.
- 3
Add the flour, salt, and pepper to a large plate and stir to mix.
- 4
Spread the seasoned flour mixture in an even layer on the plate, then dredge the fillets in the flour mixture.
- 5
Add 1 tablespoon of the butter to the hot skillet and let it melt until it starts to brown.
- 6
Lightly tap any excess flour from the fillets and carefully place them into the butter.
- 7
Sear until golden brown on both sides, about 2 minutes per side.
- 8
Transfer the seared fillets to a clean plate and tent with foil.
- 9
Reduce the heat to low, and add the lemon juice and water to the warm pan.
- 10
Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter to the pan along with the tarragon sprigs.
- 11
Swirl the pan continuously to melt the butter and emulsify it with the lemon juice.
- 12
Once the butter has melted and a creamy sauce has formed, stir in the parsley and lemon zest and turn off the heat.
- 13
Season the sauce to taste with salt and pepper.
- 14
Pour the lemon butter sauce over the seared fillets and serve immediately with lemon slices (if using).
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