Easy Trout Meunière

A serving plate of trout meunière topped with lemon, parsley, and minced shallot butter, garnished with lemon wedges and parsley.

4.44 from 16 votes

This trout meunière recipe is our take on the classic French dish. Rainbow trout fillets paired with a delicious brown butter sauce flavored with shallots, fresh lemon, and parsley create a dish elegant enough for a special occasion yet fast and easy enough for a weeknight dinner.

Prep Time10

Cook Time15

Total Time25

Course: Entrées

Cuisine: French

Servings: servings

Author: Lynne Webb

Ingredients

4 rainbow trout fillets about 6 ounces each
3/4 cup flour
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon sweet paprika
1/4 teaspoon onion powder
Freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon olive oil
6 tablespoons unsalted butter divided
1-1/2 tablespoons minced shallots
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
4 tablespoons chopped parsley
4 lemon wedges

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 200°F and line a baking sheet with aluminum foil (for easy cleanup).
In a shallow dish, combine the flour, salt, paprika, onion powder and a few grinds of black pepper. Dredge the fillets in the flour mixture, one at a time and shake off the excess.
Heat a large frying pan over medium-high heat and add the olive oil and 2 tablespoons of the butter.
As soon as the butter begins to sizzle, add 2 trout fillets, skin side up and cook until golden on the first side, 1-1/2 to 2 minutes. Flip them over carefully, finish cooking, 1-1/2 to 2 minutes longer, then transfer them to a serving platter.
Transfer the fish to the prepared baking sheet, repeat the process with the remaining 2 fillets, then put them in the oven to keep warm while you make the brown butter.
Reduce the heat on the pan to medium, and add 1 tablespoon of the remaining butter. Add the shallots and sauté until soft and translucent, about 1-1/2 minutes.
Melt the remaining 3 tablespoons of butter in the pan and stir gently as soon as it begins to foam. Watch carefully as the milk solids sink to the bottom and start to change color.
When the milk solids develop a light golden brown color and toasted aroma, remove the pan from the heat immediately, whisk in the lemon juice, and add the parsley.
To serve, plate individual fish fillets, drizzle them with brown butter and garnish with lemon wedges.

Notes

Tips for Success

Here are a few tips for making a perfect brown butter sauce.

USE A LIGHT-COLORED PAN: It's much easier to monitor the color of the butter as it browns in a light-colored pan.
START WITH COLD BUTTER: Starting the process with cold butter that's been cut into evenly sized pieces helps it to melt evenly and reduces the risk of burning.
WATCH CAREFULLY: Brown butter goes through several stages of cooking and it's important not to leave it unattended. First, it starts to foam. Then, the water in the butter begins to evaporate, and the milk solids sink to the bottom of the pan and begin to develop color. Stirring occasionally or swirling the pan during this time ensures even cooking.
STOP COOKING AT THE RIGHT TIME: Remove the pan from the heat immediately when the milk solids reach a light, golden-brown color and develop a toasted aroma. Brown butter can go from perfect to burned in a matter of seconds, so it's important to stay attentive.

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