Name: Barramundi in Brown Butter Sauce with Almonds
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 20 min
Ingredients: 1/2 cup sweet white rice flour ((gluten-free), or sprouted wheat flour); 2 teaspoons Paul Prudhomme Blackened Redfish Magic (, or other Cajun seasoning); 1 1/3 pounds barramundi fillets; 2 medium lemons (, halved and seeded); Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper; 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil (, as needed); 10 tablespoons butter (, divided); 1/2 cup sliced almonds; 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley (, for garnish)

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Our Barramundi in Brown Butter Recipe comes together so fast, you’ll have dinner on the table in less than 30 minutes.

Easy. Fast. Delicious.

That’s exactly what we need on busy weeknights.

It’s not unusual for friends to check in with each other about what we are planning for dinner. So when a friend called on and I told her we were having Barramundi in Brown Butter Sauce with Almonds, she said, “Didn’t you just have that?”

As a matter of fact, we’ve had it three times in four weeks.

Admittedly, I cook a recipe multiple times in a short period to get it ready to post here, but in this case, it became a favorite. And it’s as fast as it is delicious.

So quick, roasting the vegetables takes longer, which means there’s time to sip a white Bordeaux while prepping the fish. (There’s no wine in the sauce, just in the glass.) The whole thing is done in less than 15 minutes since the butter can brown while searing the fillets.

Have you tried barramundi?

I wasn’t even aware of it until it showed up at Costco and after researching the supplier, Australis, I was comfortable trying it (we usually avoid farmed fish).

We were impressed by the delicate, buttery texture of barramundi as well as how stable it remains from pan to plate. It is slightly sweet and exquisitely mild; ideal for those sensitive to “fishy” flavors.

We have one of those in our family. She loves salmon because it doesn’t taste like … fish. When she stopped by for dinner, she was surprised by how much she enjoyed the barramundi.

Ready for a few fun facts?

Barramundi is also known as Asian Seabass, Barramundi Perch, Giant Perch, Palmer, Cockup, Bekti, Nairfish, Silver Barramundi and Australian Seabass.

According to Australis, “Barramundi spawn on the full moon, and their iridescent skin can be seen shimmering through the water during their ‘love dance’.”

That sounds straight out of a romance novel, doesn’t it?!

Oh, but there’s more! Evidently, there is an Aboriginal folk tale of the Fish of “Forbidden Love” and those who believe in the legend call them passion fish.

I can’t promise you’ll break out in a love dance, but when you taste brown butter on this fish, well, you might get close. 😉

Now back to the recipe …

As fabulous as brown butter is with barramundi, sole or trout are superb too (adjust cooking time for fillet size).

The recipe is with instructions to add the lemon to the butter sauce, however, waiting to give the lemon a good squeeze over the fish is great too. This makes the lemon a little more pronounced, which I like.

Either way, lemon balances the richness of the butter sauce and almonds. Got fresh sage? Toss a few leaves in the butter with the almonds, like this recipe.

As quick as this all comes together, a side of roasted vegetables is worth a few extra minutes (hence the wine-sipping). They like the brown butter sauce too, so you’re sure to use every drop.

Barramundi in Brown Butter Sauce with Almonds

As a matter of fact, we’ve had it three times in four weeks.

Have you tried barramundi?

Ready for a few fun facts?

Now back to the recipe …