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Baked Chilean Sea Bass Recipe | Easy Basil Pesto Dinner

Buttery, flaky Chilean sea bass is baked and finished with a bright, garlicky basil pesto for an elegant, weeknight-friendly dinner. A squeeze of lemon ties it all together with minimal cleanup.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 14 minutes
Total Time 24 minutes
Servings 2 fillets

Ingredients
  

Ingredients

  • 2 Chilean sea bass fillets (about 6–8 ounces each, 1 to 1.5 inches thick)
  • 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 1/2 teaspoon lemon zest
  • Lemon wedges, for serving
  • 2 cups loosely packed fresh basil leaves
  • 1/3 cup toasted pine nuts (or walnuts for budget-friendly)
  • 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
  • 1 small garlic clove, chopped
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
  • 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1–2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice

Instructions
 

Instructions

  • Heat the oven to 400°F (200°C) and line a small sheet pan with parchment.
  • Pat the sea bass dry, rub with olive oil, and season all over with salt, pepper, and lemon zest.
  • Place fillets skin-side down if applicable and bake until the fish flakes easily and the center reaches 130–135°F, about 10–14 minutes depending on thickness.
  • While the fish bakes, pulse basil, pine nuts, Parmesan, garlic, salt, and red pepper flakes in a food processor until finely chopped.
  • With the machine running, stream in olive oil until the pesto is glossy and spoonable, then stir in lemon juice and adjust seasoning.
  • Spoon pesto over the hot fillets so it melts slightly, add a squeeze of lemon, and serve immediately.

Notes

Start checking doneness at 10 minutes for 1-inch-thick fillets; thicker pieces need a few more minutes. The fish should be opaque and flake in large, moist chunks; pull it just shy of done and let it rest 2 minutes. Store fish and pesto separately; refrigerate fish up to 2 days and pesto 4–5 days. Freeze plain baked fish up to 2 months and pesto in portions. Substitute black cod, halibut, or grouper if needed, and you may use high-quality store-bought pesto with a little lemon and olive oil to freshen.