Recipes / June 21, 2024

Easy Air Fried Sea Bass

Name: Easy Air Fried Sea Bass
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 14 min
Ingredients: 2 sea bass filets (thawed); 1/2 tsp lemon pepper seasoning; 1/2 tsp smoked paprika; flaked sea salt; olive oil (for drizzling); 1/2 lemon

Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

Today’s recipe of easy air fried sea bass is the perfect dish to add in your summer dinner rotation! Once thawed, it comes together in less than 15 minutes, so you won’t have to end your outdoor fun early to get this on the dinner table quickly.

seabass cooked on a blue platter with lemons and couscous and broccoli

I seriously love fish you guys, cooking it, eating it, and even catching it. I haven’t been fishing in several years, but I grew up spending summer days fishing with my dad on the river near our house. We would wake up early and sit on the water for hours searching the best spots to drop our lines and there really is nothing better than bringing your catch home to cook. One of my favorite things about summers as a kid was gathering with the family for a backyard fish fry. There’s something so fun about being outside together cooking food you caught yourself!

Now days I usually have to settle for store bought fish but luckily there are some great options out in markets today.

What is sea bass?

Bass is actually my favorite white fish to eat. If you’re from the lower southern states like I am, you are probably familiar with eating largemouth bass. This is a great meaty fish for deep frying. However, sea bass is slightly thinner and lighter, so it works perfect to pan fry or, in this case, air fry. It is also very mild in flavor making it the perfect fish to try if you don’t normally like eating fish.

raw sea bass on a sheet pan with broccoli

The details

This recipe is my go-to way to cook sea bass because it turns out perfectly crispy on the outside and juicy on the inside every time. Start with frozen sea bass and thaw according to the package instructions. I usually will thaw the fish in the fridge for a few hours or if you are in a hurry, you can thaw it in cold water in the sink. It will thaw in about 30 minutes this way. Once the fish is thawed, pat the filets dry with a paper towel. This will ensure the fish gets that crispy top crust when it cooks. Then on a sheet pan drizzle the fish with olive oil and season it well. I’m using smoked paprika, lemon pepper seasoning and flaked sea salt for this recipe.

Once seasoned, air fry the fish for 12-14 minutes or until the internal temperature hits 145℉. Squeeze a little lemon juice over the top of the fish and it’s as simple as that! The fish will come out crispy and moist every time.

**Full disclosure: I have a convection air fryer oven and use this for most of my recipes. I have never used a round basket air fryer, so the cooking times may differ slightly if using this kind.

cooked seabass filets with broccoli and lemon

How to serve air fried sea bass

I love to serve this fish on a bed of couscous and alongside roasted broccoli with feta for a Mediterranean inspired dinner.
For a fish taco night, try swapping out the lemon pepper seasoning for chili powder and cumin to make add a crunchy slaw on top.

However you decide to serve this fish, I don’t think you’ll be disappointed. It’s the perfect starting place for a healthy summer meal.

seabass filets cooked with broccoli and couscous on a blue platter

Lastly, if you make this easy air fried sea bass comment and/or rate it down below. I’d love to hear what you think!