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A plate with crispy pan fried trout fillets topped with sautéed green onions and ginger, served over white rice. A fork rests on the side of the light blue, round plate.
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5 from 1 vote

Pan seared trout recipe

Crispy pan-seared trout with ginger-scallion soy sauce — light, savory, and ready in under 30 minutes for an easy, flavor-packed weeknight dinner.
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time10 minutes
Total Time25 minutes
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Taiwanese
Keyword: pan fried trout, Pan seared trout
Servings: 3 servings
Author: ChihYu Smith

Ingredients

  • 1 oz. Ginger julienned
  • 3-4 Scallions separate white and green parts
  • 4 tbsp light soy sauce
  • 2 tbsp shaoxing wine
  • 4 tsp toasted sesame oil
  • 3 tsp sugar
  • 2 tbsp water
  • 3.5 tbsp Avocado oil divided
  • 2 piece trout fillets about 14.5 oz / 410 g total, skin-on, thin fillets such as rainbow trout
  • Coarse sea salt lightly sprinkled
  • 4 tbsp starch for dusting
US - Metric

Instructions

  • Prep aromatics: Julienne the ginger. Slice the scallions to separate the white and green parts, then cut them into 3-inch (about 7.5 cm) sections. Carefully run the tip of a knife lengthwise through the scallion sections to create long, thin strips. Keep the white and green parts separate.
    Three plates with sliced green onions, sliced ginger on a wooden surface (left); a hand mixing a dark soy sauce for pan seared rainbow trout in a brown bowl with a spoon (right).
  • Make the sauce: In a small mixing cup, combine soy sauce, Shaoxing wine, sesame oil, sugar, and water. Stir well until the sugar dissolves.
  • Prepare the fish: Pat the fillets dry with paper towels and lightly season both sides with salt. In a shallow tray, spread out the starch and lightly coat each fillet on both sides. Dust off any excess.
    Two images side by side: left shows raw rainbow trout fillets on a patterned plate next to a bowl of salt; right shows a gloved hand coating a trout fillet in starch on a sheet pan for this easy rainbow trout recipe.
  • Pan-sear the fish: Preheat a large (12-inch / 30 cm) nonstick skillet over medium heat with 2 tbsp of oil until it shimmers. Place the fillets skin side down and increase the heat to medium-high. Cook until golden brown and the meat flakes easily with a fork, about 4 minutes first side: 2-3 minutes second side. Pn
    Two crispy pan fried trout fillets with golden skin are placed side by side on a white oval plate set on a wooden surface, showcasing an inviting pan fried trout presentation.
  • Keep warm: Transfer the fish to a large serving plate (skin side up) and keep warm in an unheated oven. Do not cover the plate to maintain crispness.
  • Make the sauce base: In the same skillet, heat the remaining 1½ tbsp oil over medium heat until shimmering. Add the ginger and scallion whites and sauté for about 30 seconds — they should sizzle without burning. Adjust heat if needed.
    Left: Sliced ginger and bits of garlic sautéing in a pan. Right: Sweet soy sauce being poured into a pan with green onions, ginger, and a wooden spoon—perfect steps for a delicious pan seared rainbow trout or your favorite rainbow trout recipe.
  • Finish the sauce: Add the scallion greens and pour in the sauce mixture. It will sizzle right away. Stir for 20–30 seconds until the greens just wilt, then turn off the heat.
  • Combine and serve: Arrange the ginger and scallion mixture over the fish fillets and pour the hot sauce on top. Serve immediately with steamed rice.
    A plate with one piece of crispy pan seared rainbow trout served over white rice, topped with sautéed green onions and thinly sliced vegetables, with a fork and knife on the side.

Video

Notes

  • Serve immediately: The fish tastes best right away while the skin is still crisp.
  • Pick thin trout fillets: Rainbow trout fillets are usually thinner than steelhead trout, ranging from about ½ inch to 1 inch thick. In general, thinner fillets (around ½ inch) take 2–3 minutes per side to pan-fry, while thicker ones (about 1 inch) need closer to 4 minutes per side.
  • Trout alternatives: Any thin, mild white fish fillets work well — try tilapia, flounder, sole, or whiting.
  • Pan type: Use a large nonstick skillet for best results and to prevent the fish from sticking.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 423kcal | Carbohydrates: 16g | Protein: 28g | Fat: 26g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 6g | Monounsaturated Fat: 15g | Cholesterol: 72mg | Sodium: 1383mg | Potassium: 717mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 196IU | Vitamin C: 6mg | Calcium: 98mg | Iron: 2mg
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