Grilled Bass with Lemon Butter Pasta (Printable)

Tender grilled white fish served over spaghetti in a vibrant lemon-butter sauce with fresh herbs and garlic.

# What You’ll Need:

→ Fish

01 - 4 white fish fillets (6 ounces each), skinless, such as sea bass or cod
02 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
03 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
04 - 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
05 - Zest of 1 lemon

→ Pasta

06 - 12 ounces spaghetti or linguine
07 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
08 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
09 - 3 garlic cloves, minced
10 - Zest and juice of 2 lemons
11 - 1/2 cup reserved pasta water
12 - 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
13 - 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
14 - Salt and black pepper to taste

→ Garnish

15 - Lemon wedges
16 - Additional fresh parsley
17 - Extra grated Parmesan cheese, optional

# How-To:

01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta until al dente according to package instructions. Reserve 1/2 cup of pasta water, then drain.
02 - While the pasta cooks, preheat a grill pan or outdoor grill over medium-high heat.
03 - Pat the fish fillets dry. Drizzle with olive oil, season with salt, pepper, and lemon zest.
04 - Grill the fish for 3 to 4 minutes per side, or until opaque and flaky. Remove from heat and cover loosely with foil to keep warm.
05 - In a large skillet, melt butter with olive oil over medium heat. Add minced garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant but not browned.
06 - Stir in lemon zest and juice. Add drained pasta and toss to coat, adding reserved pasta water as needed to create a silky sauce.
07 - Stir in chopped parsley and grated Parmesan. Season with salt and black pepper to taste.
08 - Divide the pasta among plates. Top each serving with a grilled fish fillet.
09 - Garnish with lemon wedges, extra parsley, and Parmesan if desired. Serve immediately.

# Expert Hints:

01 -
  • It feels fancy but comes together faster than ordering takeout, and your kitchen smells incredible the whole time.
  • The lemon butter sauce clings to every strand of pasta without feeling heavy or rich.
  • Grilled fish on top turns simple spaghetti into something worthy of company.
  • You only need one pot and two pans, so cleanup is genuinely quick.
02 -
  • Do not skip reserving the pasta water because plain water will not bind the sauce the same way.
  • Pat the fish completely dry before grilling or it will stick to the pan and fall apart when you try to flip it.
  • Add the garlic to warm butter, not screaming hot oil, or it will burn in seconds and taste acrid.
  • Toss the pasta in the sauce off the heat if your burner runs hot, so the butter does not separate or break.
03 -
  • Zest the lemons directly over the bowl of pasta so the fragrant oils land right where they belong instead of sticking to your cutting board.
  • If your grill pan is not nonstick, oil the fish instead of the pan to prevent sticking and tearing.
  • Taste the pasta water before you reserve it, it should be as salty as the sea or your final dish will taste flat.
  • Use tongs instead of a spoon to toss the pasta so you can lift and aerate the noodles, which helps the sauce coat them evenly.
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