Today, I’m sharing a delicious way to cook sole! This fish has such delicate, mild-flavored flesh that it tastes absolutely incredible when cooked with butter. If you’ve seen Julie & Julia, you might remember the scene where Meryl Streep, as Julia Child, is completely blown away by this dish at a French restaurant.
The best part? It comes together with just a few simple ingredients and takes hardly any time to cook—but it delivers big on flavor. If you spot fresh sole at the market, don’t hesitate—grab it! You’re about to make a classic French dish that the whole family will love.
And don’t forget! I’ll be sharing my Korean-style braised fish recipe soon, using sole.
Ingredients
- 3 pcs Fresh Wild Sole (deboned and butterflied)
- Salt
- Pepper
- Starch Powder (or Flour)
- 1 Tbsp Cooking Oil
- 20g~30g Butter
- 1 Tbsp Lemon Juice
- Chopped Parsley
All measurements are based on US/Canada measuring spoons and cups.
Instructions
Preparation
- Pat dry the cleaned sole with a kitchen towel.
- Season both sides with salt and pepper.
- Lightly coat both sides of the fish with starch or flour (I’m using tapioca flour).
- Gently shake off any excess starch with your palm to prevent a thick coating.
- Chop the parsley leaves, discarding the stems.
Pan-Frying Sole
- Heat 1 Tbsp of cooking oil in a pan over medium-high heat.
- Cook the butterflied fish for 1–2 minutes on one side until lightly golden.
- Flip the fish, then add 20–30g of butter to the pan.
- Spoon the melted butter over the fish as it cooks.
- Pour 1 Tbsp of lemon juice over the fish.
- Cook the other side for another 1–2 minutes, being careful not to overcook.
- Sprinkle with chopped parsley.
Notes
Seafood can become tough if overcooked, so always be careful not to overcook it.
