Mom's Best Recipes
Recipe

Tangy-Sweet Flounder

Quick, crispy-edged pan-seared flounder with a bright lemon caper sauce kissed with honey and butter. Weeknight-easy, restaurant vibes.

Author By Matt Campbell
4.8
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Flounder is one of those quietly elite weeknight proteins. It is mild, delicate, and cooks fast, which is great until you blink and it is overcooked. This recipe keeps it foolproof: a light dusting of flour for crisp edges, a quick pan sear, then a tangy-sweet butter sauce that tastes like you put in way more effort than you did.

The vibe here is classic and coastal: lemon, capers, and a little garlic. Then we nudge it into addictive territory with a touch of honey. Not enough to make it dessert-fishy, just enough to round out the acidity and make you go back for another bite.

Why It Works

  • Crisp, golden fish without deep frying: A thin flour coat plus hot oil gives you those lacy edges fast.
  • Balanced sauce: Lemon and capers bring the tang, honey brings the gentle sweetness, butter makes it all feel cozy.
  • Fast cook time: Flounder is thin, so the whole dinner is realistically on the table in about 25 minutes.
  • Easy to scale: Cook the fish in batches, then make the sauce once in the same pan for maximum flavor and minimum dishes.

Pairs Well With

  • Roasted Asparagus with Lemon

  • Simple Steamed Rice

  • Buttery Mashed Potatoes

  • Crunchy Green Salad

Storage Tips

Flounder is best right after cooking, but leftovers can still be solid if you treat them gently.

Refrigerator

  • Cool completely, then store in an airtight container for up to 2 days.
  • If possible, store the fish and sauce separately so the coating stays less soggy.

Reheating

  • Skillet (best): Warm a drizzle of oil in a nonstick skillet over medium-low. Heat fish 1 to 2 minutes per side until just warmed through. Add sauce at the end for 20 to 30 seconds.
  • Oven: 300°F for 8 to 12 minutes on a lined sheet pan. Cover loosely with foil so it does not dry out.
  • Microwave: If you must, use 50 percent power in short bursts. Flounder goes from tender to rubbery fast.

Freezing

I do not recommend freezing this one. The fish is thin and the sauce can separate.

Common Questions

Is flounder the same as sole?

They are different fish, but they behave similarly in the pan. If you cannot find flounder, sole is the closest swap. Thin cod fillets also work, but they are thicker so you will need a little extra cook time.

How do I know when flounder is done?

It is done when it turns opaque and flakes easily with a fork. For thin fillets, that is often 2 to 3 minutes total depending on thickness. If it is starting to look dry around the edges, it is already trying to overcook.

Can I make this gluten-free?

Yes. Swap the all-purpose flour for a gluten-free blend or rice flour. Rice flour gets especially crisp.

What if I do not like capers?

Skip them and add a little extra lemon zest for brightness. Chopped green olives can also give a similar briny pop.

Can I bake the fish instead of pan-searing?

You can, but you will lose some of the crisp edges. If baking, place dredged fillets on an oiled sheet pan and bake at 425°F for 8 to 12 minutes, then make the sauce separately in a small saucepan.

I used to think “authentic” fish recipes had to be complicated, like you needed a whole dockside setup and a breeze off the water to pull it off. Then I started cooking more weeknight seafood and realized the real magic is restraint. Hot pan, light coating, do not mess with it too much.

This tangy-sweet sauce is my little chaos-goblin twist. The lemon and capers feel classic, then the honey sneaks in and suddenly the whole thing tastes brighter, rounder, and more expensive. It is the kind of dinner that makes a Tuesday feel like you are getting away with something.