Seared Trout With Creamy Parsley Sauce Recipe

Salmon and tuna might be seafood regulars in your meal rotation, but have you considered the flavorful addition of trout to your dinner plate? This seared trout with creamy parsley sauce is brought to us by recipe developer Catherine Brookes, and it's an elegant yet wonderfully simple dish that's equally perfect for a weeknight dinner or weekend gathering.

What makes this recipe extra special is the herby, tangy parsley sauce, which has a creamy texture, and the perfect balance of ingredients that work to highlight the delicate flavors of the trout. This sauce starts with a simple garlicky white sauce base, with the addition of Dijon mustard, zesty lemon, and fresh parsley.

The fresh trout fillets are the star of the show here, with a mild, subtly nutty taste and tender, flaky texture. To allow its natural flavors to shine, we season the fish with a simple combination of salt and pepper, before pan-searing to perfection. This dish is versatile enough to be served with a variety of sides, such as steamed or roasted veggies, a crisp green salad, fluffy white rice, or mashed potatoes. For an extra burst of freshness, we love to squeeze a little lemon juice over the fish right before serving.

First up, grab your trout fillets. Opting for the freshest fish possible here will yield the optimal flavor and texture. You'll then need some olive oil for pan-searing the fish. To make the creamy parsley sauce, there's butter, minced garlic, all-purpose flour, milk, Dijon mustard, chopped parsley, and lemon juice.

Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat.

Once the butter is foamy, add the minced garlic and stir for 30 seconds.

Add the flour and stir for 1 minute.

Gradually add the milk, whisking the mixture as you go. Keep whisking until you have a smooth, thick sauce.

Remove the pan from the heat whisk in the lemon juice, parsley, Dijon mustard, and some salt and black pepper to taste.

Season the trout fillets with salt and black pepper to taste.

Heat the olive oil in a frying pan over medium-high heat.

Add the trout and cook for 3 to 4 minutes on each side, to your desired level of doneness.

Pour the sauce over the trout and serve.

If you need to adapt this dish to suit different dietary needs, that can easily be done. While the trout itself makes a wonderful option for those following a gluten or dairy-free diet, the sauce will require a couple of tweaks.

To make the creamy parsley sauce gluten-free, all you'll need to do is switch out the all-purpose flour for a gluten-free flour. For best results, choose a 1:1 flour that's designed to replicate standard all-purpose flour. These typically contain a blend of different flours such as rice, buckwheat, and tapioca.

For a dairy-free sauce, you'll need to switch out the butter and milk. Opt for a plant-based butter alternative, which tend to be made from fats like rapeseed oil, coconut oil, or shea butter. Alternatively, you could use a neutral oil in place of the butter, like vegetable or canola oil. When combined with the garlic and flour, this should still come together into a roux nicely. When it comes to the milk, again choose a plant-based option here. Soy or almond milk would work great, since they both have a creamy texture and mild flavor, that should still give the sauce that desired creamy texture without overpowering the taste.

To achieve a crispy outer layer while maintaining the tender texture of the inner flesh, pan-searing in olive oil is a fantastic way to cook your fish. However, if you're not in the mood for stovetop cooking, there are a few other methods you can use here.

Firstly, baking your trout is an easy, hands-off method that will result in a moist and flaky texture. To bake the fish, preheat your oven to 400 F, line a baking sheet with parchment paper or foil and place the seasoned trout fillets on top. Drizzle with a little olive oil and bake for 10-12 minutes, or until the fish flakes easily with a fork.

Another great option is grilling, which can add a unique smoky flavor to the fish. Simply preheat your grill to medium-high heat, lightly oil the grates to prevent sticking, and place the seasoned fillets skin-side down on the grill. Cook them for about 3-4 minutes per side, depending on the thickness of the fillets. Trout also lends itself well to poaching, which is an easy, oil-free cooking method that involves simmering the fish in a flavorful liquid. Try adding a mixture of water, white wine, lemon juice, and herbs to a pan, before submerging the trout and poaching for about eight minutes.