This page may contain affiliate links. So I receive a small commission at no cost to you when you make a purchase using my link. This post is about a Perfectly Pan Fried Rainbow Trout Recipe!
Fish is the ultimate fast food. It's perfect for a quick weeknight dinner. And rainbow trout is one of my favorite fish. Fresh trout is absolutely lovely baked, and perfectly suitable for pan frying.
So here you'll find an easy recipe for pan-fried trout, which you and your whole family will love!
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Why You Will Love This Pan Fried Rainbow Trout Recipe!
Rainbow trout are a freshwater fish that is mild tasting and is very popular in our Western cuisine.
You'll love and will want to make this simple recipe because:
- It's quick to make as we will use rainbow trout fillets rather than whole trout
- All the simple ingredients needed for this recipe should be carried at your local grocery stores
- The star of this recipe, rainbow trout, is a mild fish which provides some great health benefits. For example, it is a rich source of Omega-3 fatty acids. I learned a lot about the health benefits of rainbow trout from an article called "9 Benefits of Rainbow Trout (With Full Nutrition Facts)" from NutritionAdvance.com.
- It features Old Bay Seasoning. Old Bay is a special blend of 18 herbs and spices. It's absolutely PERFECT for seafood!
- You will enjoy delicious golden brown pan fried beautiful rainbow trout with minimal effort!
So let me show you what ingredients you will need for this delicious fish dish!
🥘 Ingredients
You will need the following ingredients to make this pan fried rainbow trout recipe:
- Fresh rainbow trout fillets (we will use fillet rather than a whole rainbow trout)
- Extra virgin olive oil
- Old Bay Seasoning (you could also sub your favorite seafood seasoning)
- All purpose flour
- Kosher Salt or sea salt (just a pinch)
- Black pepper (freshly ground is recommended)
And the perfect finishing touches are:
- Lemon wedges to serve
- Fresh parsley (as a garnish)
- Tartar sauce (optional) your favorite to accompany the fish as a condiment
Now it's time to get ready to create some Perfectly Pan Fried Trout for your dinner table!
🔪 Instructions
Begin by patting the fish dry using paper towels. It's important to dry both sides of the fish as much as you can. This will help to prevent the fish from sticking to your pan.
Now season the flesh side of the fish liberally with Old Bay or your seasoning of choice. This recipe uses 1 tablespoon of Old Bay seasoning, so split that amongst your 1 pound of fillets.
Then dredge both sides of the seasoned fillets in all purpose flour, shaking off the excess.
Heat up 3-4 tbsps of olive oil on medium to medium-high heat in a well seasoned cast iron skillet or large non stick pan. Make sure that the oil covers the entire horizontal surface of your skillet. Add the fish fillets to hot oil, skin side down.
Place fish skin side down and fry for around 3-4 minutes.
Before turning it, nudge it just a bit to make sure it isn't sticking. If it's sticking let it cook a little longer as it's not ready to turn. 😉
Fish spatulas are the best tools to use to turn the fish because they may be large enough to contain the entire fillet. The fish fillets are delicate and tend to break easily (this happened to me!) so the spatula is a great help!
After turning the fish to put the flesh side down, you'll see a beautifully golden brown and crispy fish skin.
Now cook the fish flesh side down around 2-3 minutes. Once again, it's best to nudge the fish with your spatula to see whether it moves easily. If it doesn't move, then leave it to fry just a little longer.
When finished, your fish will be fully cooked (fish flakes easily), and both sides will have this gorgeous golden brown color!
I recommend adding a pinch of salt as well as some freshly ground black pepper just prior to serving.
And now, it's time to enjoy your scrumptious fan fried rainbow trout!
Top Tips
PLEASE NOTE: If your pan or skillet starts to look dry, then add a little more olive oil. Also, if you start on medium-high heat and you see your fish is starting to burn, turn the heat down to medium.
Don't turn the fish until it nudges easily when prodded with your spatula. If it doesn't nudge easily it will stick and likely break into pieces!
It's best not to crowd the pan, so you may need to fry in batches.
Suggestions for Serving
This moist fish is best served with the perfect finishing touches which include some fresh parsley as a garnish, lemon wedges and tartar sauce.
Squeeze a generous amount of lemon juice over your trout and if you're like me, smother your fillet in tartar sauce. 😃
I love this served with some rice and a lovely green salad to accompany. This is a quick and healthy dinner you will love!
FAQ
To prevent trout from sticking to the pan, be sure to dry both sides of the fish with paper towels. Cook in a well seasoned cast iron skillet or nonstick pan coated with oil, and don't turn the fish until you can nudge it easily with your spatula.
The skin on pan fried trout is edible! When fried it will become crispy, and it's absolutely delicious!
It should take between 2-4 minutes per side to cook trout in a pan that is set on a medium to a medium-high heat. One variable is the thickness of the fillet. The fish will be cooked when it is browned on both sides and flakes easily.
Some Other Recipes You May Enjoy!
Here are some other delicious recipes that you may enjoy:
- Easy Cilantro Rice Recipe
- Italian Broccoli Recipe With Garlic and Lemon
- Easy and Creamy Mashed Sweet Potatoes
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Cheers!
Grace
Perfectly Pan Fried Rainbow Trout
Equipment
- 1 cast iron skillet can also use a large nonstick pan
- fish turner/spatula optional, but very useful for turning fish fillets
Ingredients
- 1 pound rainbow trout use fresh fillets of rainbow trout
- 1 tablespoon Old Bay Seasoning can sub your favorite seafood seasoning or salt and pepper
- ¼ cup all purpose flour
- 4 tablespoon olive oil
- salt just a pinch
- black pepper freshly ground, just a pinch
Garnishes and Accompaniments
- ½ lemon lemon cut into wedges for serving
- ½ tablespoon parsley minced, added for garnish
- tartar sauce use as much as you like!
Instructions
- Begin by patting the fish dry using paper towels. It's important to dry both sides of the fish as much as you can. This will help to prevent the fish from sticking to your pan.
- Now season the flesh side of the fish liberally with Old Bay or your seasoning of choice. This recipe uses 1 tablespoon of Old Bay seasoning, so split that amongst your 1 pound of fillets. Then dredge both sides of the seasoned fillets in all purpose flour, shaking off the excess.
- Heat up 3-4 tbsps of olive oil on medium to medium-high heat in a well seasoned cast iron skillet or large non stick pan. Make sure that the oil covers the entire horizontal surface of your skillet. Add the fish fillets to hot oil, skin side down. Place fish skin side down and fry for around 3-4 minutes. Before turning it, nudge it just a bit to make sure it isn't sticking. If it's sticking let it cook a little longer as it's not ready to turn.
- PLEASE NOTE: If your pan or skillet starts to look dry, then add a little more olive oil. Also, if you start on medium-high heat and you see your fish is starting to burn, turn the heat down to medium.
- When the fish is ready to turn, carefully turn it using a large spatula or fish turner and cook the fish flesh side down around 2-3 minutes. Once again, it's best to nudge the fish with your spatula to see whether it moves easily. If it doesn't move, then leave it to fry just a little longer. When finished, your fish will be fully cooked (fish flakes easily), and both sides will have this gorgeous golden brown color! I recommend adding a pinch of salt as well as some freshly ground black pepper just prior to serving.
- This moist fish is best served with the perfect finishing touches which include some fresh parsley as a garnish, lemon wedges and tartar sauce!
April Lewis
This dish is one of my favorites!! My son recently wanted me to make this for him and I was so happy to make it because first it’s delicious, and it’s very easy to make! Thank you for sharing this dish!!
Grace
Hello April! Thanks so much for taking the time to comment and I'm so happy that this dish is one of your favorites yay! Hope you have a beautiful day! Grace