Crispy Skin Branzino with Mediterranean Lemon Herb Skillet

This crispy-skin branzino recipe brings the Mediterranean to your skillet in under 30 minutes. Golden, crackling fish fillets are seared in olive oil and butter, then joined by sweet cherry tomatoes, briny Kalamata olives, and capers.

A quick garlic-herb butter bastes everything as it cooks, and a final squeeze of lemon and shower of fresh herbs keep the dish bright. Finished with aged Graviera cheese, this one-pan dinner is elegant enough for company but simple enough for a weeknight.

A whole branzino is a beautiful thing, but fillets are the weeknight shortcut. Here, the skin gets deeply scored and seared until it shatters, while the flesh stays moist and tender. The pan is then filled with cherry tomatoes, olives, and capers—all the briny, sweet, and tangy flavors of the Mediterranean.

A garlic-herb butter melts into the juices, creating a quick sauce that coats every bite. The finishing touch is a sprinkle of aged Graviera cheese, which adds a nutty, salty note that complements the fish beautifully.

Ingredients

Why this recipe works

Scoring the branzino skin is the key to achieving that shatteringly crisp texture. The shallow cuts expose more surface area to the hot pan, allowing moisture to escape quickly and the skin to brown evenly. Starting with a hot skillet and using a combination of olive oil and butter ensures the skin crisps up without burning, while the butter adds a rich, nutty flavor.

Cooking the fish skin-side down and leaving it undisturbed for several minutes lets the skin develop a deep golden crust. The tomatoes and olives are added after the fish has started to crisp, so they soften and release their juices without steaming the skin.

Basting the fish with the garlic-herb butter keeps the flesh moist and infuses it with flavor, while the final lemon and fresh herbs cut through the richness.

Notes and substitutions

Branzino, also known as Mediterranean sea bass, has a mild, sweet flavor and delicate flesh. If you can't find branzino, use sea bass, snapper, or trout fillets with the skin on. Look for fillets that are about 6 ounces each, with the skin intact and scales removed. The skin should be dry before searing—pat it thoroughly with paper towels to ensure maximum crispness.

Aged Graviera cheese is a firm Greek cheese with a nutty, slightly sweet flavor. It grates beautifully and melts just enough to soften without becoming stringy.

If you don't have Graviera, Gruyère, Emmental, or aged Manchego are excellent substitutes. The garlic-herb butter can be homemade or store-bought; if making your own, combine softened butter with minced garlic, chopped parsley, and a pinch of salt.

• Branzino fillets: Sea bass, snapper, or trout fillets with skin
• Graviera cheese: Gruyère, Emmental, or aged Manchego
• Garlic herb butter: Mix 2 tbsp softened butter with 1 minced garlic clove and 1 tsp chopped herbs
• Fresh oregano: 1 tsp dried oregano, added with the tomatoes

Equipment

• Large cast-iron or heavy skillet
• Box grater
• Chef's knife
• Cutting board
• Fish spatula
• Measuring spoons
• Citrus juicer