You want dinner that looks fancy, cooks fast, and doesn’t blow up your carbs? This is that move. Pan-seared sea bass, buttery spinach, and a lemon-garlic pan sauce that makes you feel like you own a bistro.
No weird ingredients, no culinary school required—just a skillet and some swagger. If you can flip a fillet and squeeze a lemon, you’re about to crush dinner like a pro.
Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Ultra-fast: From fridge to fork in about 15–20 minutes. Perfect for weeknights or impressing guests without anxiety.
- Low-carb powerhouse: Each serving is loaded with protein, healthy fats, and micronutrients—without the carb crash.
- Restaurant flavor, home effort: Crispy skin, tender flesh, bright lemon-garlic sauce.
It’s a vibe.
- Minimal cleanup: One skillet, one cutting board, done.
- Flexible: Works with different white fish and leafy greens. Your fridge won’t boss you around.
What Goes Into This Recipe – Ingredients
- Sea bass fillets (2 fillets, 5–6 oz each), skin-on if possible
- Baby spinach (6–8 cups, about 6 oz)
- Olive oil (2 tablespoons), divided
- Butter or ghee (2 tablespoons)
- Garlic (3 cloves), thinly sliced or minced
- Lemon (1), zested and juiced
- Dry white wine or chicken broth (1/4 cup), optional but recommended
- Capers (1 tablespoon), drained
- Crushed red pepper flakes (a pinch), optional
- Fresh parsley (2 tablespoons), chopped
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- Avocado oil (1 tablespoon), for high-heat sear if your pan runs hot
- Lemon wedges, for serving
How to Make It – Instructions
- Prep the fish: Pat sea bass very dry with paper towels. Score the skin lightly with a few shallow cuts to prevent curling.
Season both sides with salt and pepper.
- Heat the pan: Set a large stainless or cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add 1 tablespoon olive oil (and avocado oil if using). When the oil shimmers, you’re ready.
- Sear skin-side down: Place fillets skin-side down.
Press gently with a spatula for 10 seconds so the skin stays flat. Cook 3–4 minutes until the edges are opaque and the skin is crisp.
- Flip and finish: Turn the fillets and cook 1–2 more minutes, depending on thickness, until just cooked through (opaque and flakes easily). Transfer to a plate; tent loosely with foil.
- Sauté the aromatics: Lower heat to medium.
Add 1 tablespoon butter and the garlic. Stir 30–45 seconds until fragrant—don’t brown it.
- Deglaze: Pour in white wine or broth to deglaze the pan, scraping up browned bits. Simmer 60–90 seconds to reduce slightly.
- Build the sauce: Add remaining butter, capers, lemon zest, and half the lemon juice.
Swirl until glossy. Taste and adjust salt, pepper, and acidity.
- Wilt the spinach: Add remaining tablespoon olive oil and all the spinach. Toss until just wilted, 1–2 minutes.
Season lightly with salt, pepper, and a pinch of red pepper flakes if using.
- Plate: Mound spinach on plates, top with sea bass, and spoon sauce over. Finish with parsley and extra lemon juice as desired.
- Serve immediately: Add lemon wedges on the side. Flex a little.
You earned it.
Storage Tips
- Refrigeration: Store leftover sea bass and spinach in separate airtight containers for up to 2 days. Fish texture degrades fast—sooner is better.
- Reheating: Warm fish gently in a skillet over low heat with a splash of broth or water, covered, 3–4 minutes. Or use the oven at 275°F for 8–10 minutes.
Avoid the microwave if you like crisp skin and friends.
- Freezing: Not recommended for cooked sea bass with sauce; texture suffers. If you must, freeze the fish portion only, tightly wrapped, up to 1 month.
- Make-ahead: You can prep the sauce base (minus spinach) 1 day ahead; reheat and finish with butter and lemon just before serving.
Why This is Good for You
- Protein-rich: Sea bass delivers high-quality protein for muscle repair and satiety without the carb baggage.
- Healthy fats: Olive oil and butter provide satiating fats that support ketosis and flavor. Sea bass also contains omega-3s for heart and brain health.
- Micronutrient boost: Spinach brings vitamin K, folate, magnesium, and iron.
Lemon adds vitamin C, which helps iron absorption—nice little tag team.
- Low-carb, high satisfaction: This dish keeps net carbs low while maximizing taste and texture. Translation: you won’t go hunting for snacks 30 minutes later.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Skipping the dry-off: Wet fish won’t crisp. Pat the fillets dry like you mean it.
- Overcooking: Sea bass goes from perfect to chalky fast.
Pull it when it flakes and looks just opaque.
- Cold pan syndrome: If the pan isn’t hot, the skin sticks. Wait for shimmering oil and test with a tiny sizzle.
- Burning the garlic: Brown garlic = bitter sauce. Keep heat moderate after searing and move fast.
- Flooding the spinach: Don’t over-salt early.
Spinach collapses and concentrates seasoning; taste at the end.
Alternatives
- Different fish: Swap sea bass for cod, halibut, snapper, or barramundi. Adjust cook time based on thickness.
- Dairy-free: Use ghee or a quality dairy-free butter. Or rely on olive oil and a splash of coconut cream for body.
- Greens swap: Try Swiss chard, kale (thinly sliced), or arugula.
Chard and kale need 1–2 extra minutes to soften.
- Sauce variations: Add a teaspoon of Dijon, a splash of coconut aminos, or a knob of mascarpone for richness (still keto-friendly in moderate amounts).
- Crunch factor: Toasted almond slivers or pine nuts on top add texture without carbs—lightly brown in the pan first.
FAQ
Is sea bass truly keto-friendly?
Yes. Sea bass is a zero-carb protein. Paired with spinach, butter, and olive oil, this meal is naturally low-carb and ideal for keto.
Can I use frozen fish?
Absolutely—just thaw overnight in the fridge and pat dry thoroughly.
Excess moisture is the enemy of crispy skin.
What if I don’t have capers?
Use chopped green olives or a splash of extra lemon juice for brightness. Capers add briny pop, but the dish survives without them, IMO.
How do I know when the fish is done?
The flesh turns opaque and flakes easily with a fork. Internal temp should be about 130–135°F for moist, silky results after resting.
Can I cook this in the oven?
Yes.
Sear skin-side down for 1–2 minutes on the stove, then bake at 400°F for 6–8 minutes depending on thickness. Finish the sauce on the stovetop.
Is this recipe spicy?
Only if you add red pepper flakes. Keep it mild or bring the heat—it’s your dinner, not a committee decision.
What sides go well with this?
Cauliflower mash, roasted asparagus, zucchini ribbons, or a simple fennel salad.
Keep it low-carb and let the sauce do the heavy lifting.
The Bottom Line
Keto Sea Bass & Spinach delivers chef-level flavor with weeknight effort. Crisp skin, flaky fish, silky greens, and a bright lemon-caper sauce that feels indulgent without the carb tax. It’s fast, flexible, and nutrient-dense—aka the win-win-win.
Make it once, and it’ll slip into your weekly rotation like it always belonged there.
