Steelhead Trout Recipe with Lemon Caper Sauce

This delicious Steelhead Trout with Lemon Caper Sauce is a healthy and low-carb dinner rich in lean protein and omega-3 fatty acids. Because everything (the fish and the sauce) is cooked on the stove-top in the same skillet, this easy one-pan recipe requires minimal cleanup!

Ingredients

Steelhead Trout Ingredients:

1.5 lb steelhead trout (3 fish fillets)

1 tablespoon Italian herb seasoning (dried thyme, oregano, parsley, combined)

salt to taste

1 tablespoon olive oil

Lemon Caper Sauce Ingredients:

2 tablespoons capers (drained)

4 cloves garlic (minced)

3 tablespoons lemon juice (freshly squeezed)

2 tablespoons butter (softened)

Instructions

How to cook trout

Season the tops of steelhead trout fillets with Italian herb seasoning and salt (generously). Fish fillets will have skins on the bottom.

In a large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil on medium heat until hot but not smoking. (Note: 1 tablespoon of olive oil is enough as fish will release lots of its own oil - steelhead trout is a fatty kind of fish).  

Add steelhead trout fillets, skin side up, non-skin side down. Cook for about 2 minutes on medium heat, making sure the oil does not smoke. 

Turn the fillets over, skin side down. Cook for another 2 minutes on medium-low heat (keeping oil from burning). 

Remove from heat, close the pan with the lid, and let the trout sit for 5-10 minutes until flaky and cooked through completely.

After the fish is cooked through, using a spatula, carefully remove trout fillets to the plate, separating the fillet from the skin (skin will remain on the bottom of the pan). Carefully scrape the fish skin off the bottom of the pan, making sure to leave the fish oil in the pan.

How to make lemon caper sauce

Add capers, diced garlic, and lemon juice to the same skillet with oil in which you just cooked the trout.

Cook the sauce on medium-low heat for about 1 minute, until garlic softens a bit. Remove from heat.

Add 2 tablespoons of butter, off heat, to the lemon caper sauce, stirring, until the butter melts and forms a creamy mixture.

Add cooked steelhead trout fillets back to the pan, spoon sauce over the fish, and serve.