Pan-Seared Flounder with Tarragon-Mustard Sauce
By David YuPublished on September 19, 2025
Time
30 minutes
Yield
Serves 4
Ingredients
Before You Begin
Sole or tilapia may be substituted for the flounder. If using tilapia, let the fillets stand for 30 to 60 seconds at the end of step 3. To use frozen fish, thaw and then let it sit between triple layers of paper towels for 10 minutes, replacing towels as needed and dabbing with towels until almost no moisture appears.
Instructions
- Whisk 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour, ½ teaspoon table salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper together in small bowl. Reserve 1 teaspoon flour mixture, then spread remaining mixture in even layer on large plate.
- Dry 6 skinless flounder fillets thoroughly with paper towels. Place 3 fillets, skinned side down, into flour mixture on plate to coat 1 side. Shake off excess and transfer to rimmed baking sheet, floured side up.
- Heat 1½ teaspoons vegetable oil in 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat until just smoking. Carefully place fillets, floured side down, in pan and cook until bottom is golden brown, about 2 minutes. Remove skillet from heat. Using 2 thin spatulas, gently flip fillets and let stand until second side is opaque, 15 to 30 seconds. Transfer fillets, browned side up, to platter. Wipe out skillet with paper towels and repeat steps 2 and 3 with remaining fillets and 1½ teaspoons oil.
- Wipe out skillet with paper towels. Add remaining 1 teaspoon oil and 1 minced shallot and cook over medium heat until beginning to soften, about 1 minute. Stir in reserved 1 teaspoon flour mixture and cook for 15 seconds. Whisk in ⅓ cup white wine, ⅓ cup water water, 1½ tablespoons Dijon mustard, and remaining ¼ teaspoon salt. Bring to simmer and cook until sauce has thickened slightly, about 2 minutes.
- Off heat, whisk in 3 tablespoons chilled unsalted butter, cut into 6 pieces. Stir in 1 tablespoon minced tarragon. Spoon sauce over fish and serve.
Time
30 minutesYield
Serves 4Ingredients
Test Kitchen Techniques
Ingredients
Test Kitchen Techniques
Ingredients
Test Kitchen Techniques
Why This Recipe Works
Quick-cooking, versatile flatfish such as flounder and sole are ultraconvenient for a weeknight dinner, but they can also be tricky, as they’re prone to overcooking and turning dry and their delicate flesh can easily tear. To guard against overcooking, we thoroughly dried the fish and dredged it with flour on one side, as excess moisture can impede browning and slow down cooking. Using a well-oiled stainless-steel skillet rather than nonstick allowed us to cook the fish at a higher temperature, quickly altering the proteins in the fish to keep them from bonding to the pan. We cooked the fish on one side only and used the residual heat in the pan to finish the other side to ensure the flaky flesh stayed moist. The delicate sweetness of the fish paired perfectly with a quick, herbaceous sauce made from Dijon mustard, minced shallot, and tarragon.
Want more? Read the whole storyBefore You Begin
Sole or tilapia may be substituted for the flounder. If using tilapia, let the fillets stand for 30 to 60 seconds at the end of step 3. To use frozen fish, thaw and then let it sit between triple layers of paper towels for 10 minutes, replacing towels as needed and dabbing with towels until almost no moisture appears.
Instructions
- Whisk 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour, ½ teaspoon table salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper together in small bowl. Reserve 1 teaspoon flour mixture, then spread remaining mixture in even layer on large plate.
- Dry 6 skinless flounder fillets thoroughly with paper towels. Place 3 fillets, skinned side down, into flour mixture on plate to coat 1 side. Shake off excess and transfer to rimmed baking sheet, floured side up.
- Heat 1½ teaspoons vegetable oil in 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat until just smoking. Carefully place fillets, floured side down, in pan and cook until bottom is golden brown, about 2 minutes. Remove skillet from heat. Using 2 thin spatulas, gently flip fillets and let stand until second side is opaque, 15 to 30 seconds. Transfer fillets, browned side up, to platter. Wipe out skillet with paper towels and repeat steps 2 and 3 with remaining fillets and 1½ teaspoons oil.
- Wipe out skillet with paper towels. Add remaining 1 teaspoon oil and 1 minced shallot and cook over medium heat until beginning to soften, about 1 minute. Stir in reserved 1 teaspoon flour mixture and cook for 15 seconds. Whisk in ⅓ cup white wine, ⅓ cup water water, 1½ tablespoons Dijon mustard, and remaining ¼ teaspoon salt. Bring to simmer and cook until sauce has thickened slightly, about 2 minutes.
- Off heat, whisk in 3 tablespoons chilled unsalted butter, cut into 6 pieces. Stir in 1 tablespoon minced tarragon. Spoon sauce over fish and serve.
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