Name: Classic Sole Meunière
Cook time: 15 minutes
Total time: 15 minutes
Yield: 2 servings
Ingredients: ½ cup all-purpose flour; 4 3–4-oz. sole fillets, patted dry; Kosher salt, freshly ground pepper; 6 Tbsp. unsalted butter, divided; 2 Tbsp. vegetable oil; 2 Tbsp. finely chopped parsley; 1 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice; Lemon wedges (for serving)

Four sole fillets topped with butter chopped parsley and lemon wedges on a serving platter.

Photo by Isa Zapata, Food Styling by Liberty Fennell

Active Time
15 minutes
Total Time
15 minutes

Sole meunière is a classic fish preparation, perhaps best known as the dish that ignited Julia Child’s love affair with French cuisine. Like many of France’s trademark dishes, sole meunière (meaning “in the style of the miller’s wife”) is an exercise in simplicity: Dredge sole fillets in flour (the mill connection), sear them in butter, and finish them with a nutty brown butter pan sauce. But don’t let the pared-down ingredient list and straightforward technique fool you: This buttery, lemony fish dish is certainly a dinner to remember.

While this elegant preparation will work for most types of white fish—like tilapia, cod, or snapper—sole is the most classic choice. Seek out wild Pacific sole for this recipe, rather than Atlantic sole, which is overfished. Thin cuts of sole require only about 3 minutes to cook; if you swap in a thicker fillet of white fish, it might need a slightly longer cook time.

Since the butter flavor is so prominent in this sole meunière recipe, go ahead and dip into that block of European butter you save for special occasions. Remember you’re going for browned not burnt butter—the milk solids in the butter will continue to cook off the heat, and they can turn dark quickly. Follow these brown butter tips and you’ll be just fine. Parsley and fresh lemon juice brighten the quick pan sauce; spooned over the seared sole, it’s a romantic dinner for two. Now all you need is the perfect Parisian dessert.

Ingredients

2 servings

½ cup all-purpose flour

4 3–4-oz. sole fillets, patted dry

Kosher salt, freshly ground pepper

6 Tbsp. unsalted butter, divided

2 Tbsp. vegetable oil

2 Tbsp. finely chopped parsley

1 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice

Lemon wedges (for serving)

Preparation

Step 1
Place ½ cup all-purpose flour in a baking dish. Season four 3–4-oz. sole fillets, patted dry, on both sides with kosher salt and freshly ground pepper. Working one at a time, dredge fillets in flour, shaking off excess, then transfer to a baking sheet.
Step 2
Heat 2 Tbsp. unsalted butter and 2 Tbsp. vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high. Working in batches if needed, cook fish until golden underneath, about 2 minutes. Using a fish spatula, gently turn fish over and cook until golden on other side and just opaque throughout, about 1 minute. Divide fish between 2 warmed plates; tent with foil. Wipe out skillet.
Step 3
Cook remaining 4 Tbsp. unsalted butter in same skillet over medium-high, swirling pan occasionally, until butter turns golden and begins to smell nutty, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat and immediately stir in 2 Tbsp. finely chopped parsley and 1 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice (be careful, butter may spatter).
Step 4
Spoon sauce over fish. Serve with lemon wedges for squeezing over.

Editor’s note: This recipe first appeared on Epicurious in April 2010. Head this way for more fish recipes →

Leave a Review

Reviews (67)

WOW I loved this. So simple, yet so good. Will be making again and again!
- Anonymous
- New York, NY
- 5/15/2023
Delicious! This fish has a lovely balance of brown butter and lemon. My only criticism is that the parsley got dark and clumpy after going into the melted butter the sauce. Next time, I'll save the parsley and sprinkle it on after I sauce the fish.
- kimladin5368
- Mountain View, CA
- 11/23/2020
Love this recipe. Easy, elegant an delicious every time!
- tessrobinson
- Shanghai
- 4/26/2020
This is a go to at our house. Makes restaurant quality fish every time: just crisp enough, melt in your mouth.
- jjane
- Colorado Mountains
- 10/11/2018
Just made this. Awesome.
- peterh
- London, ON
- 3/2/2016
Delicious! My husband, a pediatrician, was horrified by the butter! I did use only half in the sauce and added a little chicken broth to stretch it. As Ms Child's would say, "Sacrilege!" It was perfect otherwise!
- LissaBrady
- Pasadena, CA
- 6/18/2015
Very easy to make. Next time I'll probably do 2 Tbs lemon juice instead of one. We really liked it!
- dpaget
- Scottsdale AZ
- 2/5/2014
Very easy and delicious. I added capers to the sauce. A classic and a keeper!
- jamesmeiss
- 6/11/2013
Simple. Fresh. Perfectly French. Julia would be proud to serve this! This is staple recipe in my weekly dinners.
- Lynellwilcha
- PA
- 9/5/2012
Delicious and simple. Couldn't fit all 4 pieces in 1 pan, so did in batches. 2nd set browned better than the 1st, but all delicious. Was going to add capers, but forget them. Would have totally worked.
- jordane23
- San Francisco
- 4/2/2012
There are no words.
- tymodd
- San Francisco, CA
- 3/13/2012
How can you go wrong with so much butter? :-) I didn't try the fish because it was way too rich for me but my husband loved it. He gave it 3 forks. It is very easy as well. But you can't make it too often because it is really not healthy.
- Anonymous
- 12/8/2011
This recipe was actually very good, I enjoyed it thoroughly, but its basically fish swimming in butter and for the calories it needs to be out of this world. Emeril's recipe is MUCH better.
- intcook
- 5/29/2011
I have made this recipe many times. It is simple and delicious and turns out perfect every time.
- Anonymous
- 5/17/2011
A real classic and very delicious. Mine needed a sprinkling of salt at the table, so next time I'll just do that when the fish is hot out of the pan. But otherwise, this recipe is perfect and simple.
- Anonymous
- Manhattan
- 5/8/2011