Grilled Sea Bass
Grilled Sea Bass is a lovely tender fish marinated in a zesty Italian dressing mixture and cooked to perfection for an easy seafood dinner.
A 5-Ingredient Fish Recipe
I figured it’s about time I bring some more tasty seafood recipes to the site for those of you who love a tender, flaky fish. Y’all have been asking me for years for a grilled bass recipe and I finally have one, yay! If you like a firm white fish, this Sea Bass recipe is a good one to try. I marinate it to infuse it with lots of flavor and to tenderize it. You do not need any kind of sauce with it, it’s that good!
Frequently Asked Questions:
Sea bass has a mild flavor and tender texture, making it a great choice for people who don’t enjoy overly fishy seafood (I am included in this category, ha!).
The two most common types (especially in the Eastern U.S.) would be Black Sea bass or striped sea bass. Both offer a mild, flaky tender meat. Pretty much any type of sea bass will work with this recipe.
It’s best not to. The lemon juice in the marinade contains acid that can begin to break down the fish and affect the texture if left too long. The acid will basically start cooking the fish. For the best results, marinate for 15 minutes to no more than 1 hour.
Yes, se bass works great on the stove too. Heat a little oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat and cook the fillets until they reach an internal temperature of 145°F and flake easily with a fork.
Absolutely. This marinade also works well with cod, haddock, mahi mahi, halibut, and other firm white fish.
Removing excess moisture helps the marinade cling to the fish and allows the fillets to develop a better sear on the grill.
Sea bass is fully cooked when it reaches an internal temperature of 145°F and flakes easily when tested with a fork. This is a leaner white fish so be careful to not overcook.
It pairs well with rice, Green Beans, roasted potatoes, Mashed Potatoes, grilled vegetables, corn on the cob, pasta salad, Baked Potatoes, cucumber salad, or a simple green salad.
Yes. A grill pan or a cast iron skillet (or any heavy bottomed skillet) can be used if an outdoor grill isn’t available. Just cook until the fish reaches 145°F internally and flakes easily.
Store leftover grilled sea bass in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. For longer storage, freeze it for up to 3 months. To reheat, place the fish in a foil packet and warm it in the oven until heated through. This helps prevent the fish from drying out.
Ingredients Needed: (See Recipe Card Below For The Full Recipe)
- olive oil – you want to use a good quality olive oil here if possible.
- lemon juice– fresh squeezed is the preferred option. If you don’t have lemon juice, lime juice works well in this recipe and gives the marinade a slightly different flavor profile. You can use vinegar in place of lemon juice if you don’t have it on hand but fresh squeezed lemon juice will give you the best flavor with fish.
- Good Seasons zesty Italian salad dressing mix– See my ingredient image below. If you can’t find it, you can make a homemade version using pantry spices if needed. It’s a great option if you prefer to control the ingredients or don’t have a packet on hand. If you don’t have this brand, any other brand will work too.
- finely chopped parsley – this is optional. You can use curly or flat leaf parsley. It provides great color.
- sea bass filets – see my frequently asked questions above for the different types of bass you can use or other types of fish that will work with this recipe.
How To Make Grilled Sea Bass
Make the marinade
In a gallon sized ziploc bag, add the olive oil, lemon juice, salad dressing mix, and parsley. Close the bag and massage the ingredients together so they are well combined.
Add the filets to the marinade
Pat the bass filets all over with a paper towel to dry them. Place the sea bass into the bag with the marinade and coat the, with the sauce.
Grill the marinated bass
Marinade for 15 minutes to 1 hour, do not exceed 1 hour. Try and move them around every 10 minutes or so for an even marinade. Prepare the grill over high heat. Cook the filets, getting a good sear on all sides, for 8-10 minutes per side or until an internal temperature reaches 145°F. Use a spatula instead of tongs so the fish doesn’t fall apart.
Serve immediately. Note: I grilled some lemon halves to serve with the bass. You can squeeze some of the fresh lemon juice on top before enjoying.
Craving More Recipes?
Grilled Sea Bass
Ingredients
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 3 Tablespoons lemon juice fresh squeezed
- .7 ounce packet Good Seasons zesty Italian salad dressing mix
- 1 teaspoon finely chopped parsley
- 1 ½ pounds sea bass filets
Instructions
- In a gallon sized ziploc bag, add the ¼ cup olive oil, 3 Tablespoons lemon juice, .7 ounce packet Good Seasons zesty Italian salad dressing mix, and 1 teaspoon finely chopped parsley.
- Close the bag and massage the ingredients together so they are well combined.
- Pat the 1 ½ pounds sea bass filets all over with a paper towel to dry them.
- Place the sea bass into the bag with the marinade and coat the, with the sauce.
- Mariande for 15 minutes to 1 hour, do not exceed 1 hour. Try and move them around every 10 minutes or so for an even marinade.
- Clean the grill grates very well. Then preheat the grill to a medium-high heat.
- Cook the filets, getting a good sear on all sides, for about 5-7 minutes per side (they are ready to flip when the meat no longer sticks to the grates and use a spatula instead of tongs to flip so the fish doesn't fall apart) or until an internal temperature reaches 145°F (it should be flaky and opaque when ready) NOTE: I close the lid when cooking on the grill. Grills can definitely run at different temperatures depending on if you're using charcoal or gas and it can sometimes be difficult to maintain a specific temperature depending on your skill level with grilling. Please go by doneness and internal temperature of the fish, not just by time and keep an eye on the filets so they do not burn or over cook.
- Serve immediately.Note: I grilled some lemon halves to serve with the bass. You can squeeze some of the fresh lemon juice on top before enjoying.
Notes
- Please refer to my FAQ’s (Frequently Asked Questions) and ingredient list above for other substitutions or for the answers to the most common questions.
Nutrition
Nutritional Disclaimer
“The Country Cook” is not a dietician or nutritionist, and any nutritional information shared is an estimate. If calorie count and other nutritional values are important to you, we recommend running the ingredients through whichever online nutritional calculator you prefer. Calories and other nutritional values can vary quite a bit depending on which brands were used.
