Steelhead Trout Recipe with Lemon Caper Sauce takes only 30 minutes to make. The fish is seasoned with Italian seasoning and served with a delicious lemon-flavored sauce. This simple dinner is low in carbs and rich in lean protein and healthy omega-3 fatty acids.
Why make steelhead trout
- Steelhead trout is a delicious fish with a delicate flavor. You don't need a ton of seasoning to make it taste good. Keep it simple and basic and you have a beautiful meal! This recipe uses simple ingredients: olive oil, Italian herb seasoning, salt and pepper, minced garlic, capers, and lemon juice. That’s pretty much all you really need (plus 30 minutes of your time) to prepare the best steelhead trout!
- Get fish on your menu! Eating fish regularly is a good way to get proper nutrition. Trout is low carb and contains a good amount of protein. There are also health benefits to eating trout since it is packed with omega 3 fatty acids.
- If you love fish or wish to incorporate more of it into your weekly menu, try this pan-seared trout recipe with garlic lemon butter herb sauce or baked garlic parmesan crusted salmon and asparagus.
What makes this recipe unique
- Easy recipe - minimal cleanup. In this easy recipe, the steelhead trout is pan-seared on the stovetop in a large skillet, and the lemon caper sauce is made in the same skillet. The whole recipe takes 30 minutes from start to finish, and the cleanup is minimal (only one skillet to clean).
What is steelhead trout?
Steelhead trout is a type of coastal rainbow trout. Steelhead trout is a sea-run fish that returns to freshwater to spawn (deposit eggs into water) after living in the ocean for about 2 years. It's a species of salmonid, which means steelhead trout is related to salmon, char, and freshwater whitefish.
What seasonings go well with steelhead trout
Steelhead Trout is a delicate fish that does need strong spices. Here is how you can enhance the flavor of trout with these simple ingredients:
- Use basic seasonings, such as salt and pepper, minced garlic, and lemon slices.
- Italian seasoning or Herbs de Provence is always a great choice for any kind of trout.
- Dried and fresh herbs pair well with any fish. Thyme, dill, oregano, and parsley are my favorite. You can also add rosemary or marjoram.
- For bolder flavor, make your own dry rub for steelhead trout. Combine small amounts of smoked paprika, chili powder, garlic powder, onion powder, salt & pepper, and dried herbs (such as thyme, oregano, marjoram, and parsley).
Easily adaptable recipe
As I was cooking this, I couldn't help thinking that this recipe would work great with salmon as well! Steelhead trout is an incredibly easy fish to cook. And it's very closely related to salmon. It's a pretty fatty fish, it doesn't stick to the pan and cooks fast and easy thanks to its rich fat content! I highly recommend that you try steelhead trout - it's tasty, easy to handle, and very healthy (at least, according to this website).
Keto-friendly recipe
- Steelhead trout is a fatty fish with a high-fat content which makes it a perfect choice for a keto-friendly diet. Steelhead trout is rich in lean protein and omega-3 fatty acids.
- Lemon Caper Sauce made with garlic and butter is also keto-friendly.
- This recipe is completely gluten-free. It has no gluten, no grains.
How to cook steelhead trout
Cooking the steelhead trout involves seasoning the fish → searing it on the stovetop → making the sauce → assembling the final dish! Follow along with these easy instructions!
Part 1. Season the trout
Season 1.5 lbs of steelhead trout fillets with 1 tablespoon of Italian herb seasoning and salt. Fish fillets usually will have skins on the bottom, so it's enough to season just the top side of the fish.
Part 2. Cook the steelhead trout on the stovetop
- Heat olive oil on medium heat in a large skillet. Adding 1 tablespoon of olive oil is enough as fish will release lots of its own oil (steelhead trout is a fatty kind of fish).
- Add steelhead trout fillets, skin side up, non-skin side down. Cook for about 2 minutes on medium heat, making sure the oil does not smoke. Turn the fillets over, skin side down. Cook for another 2 minutes on medium-low heat.
- Then, allow the trout to rest in the skillet. Remove the skillet from heat, close with the lid, and let the steelhead trout sit for 5-10 minutes until flaky and cooked through completely.
- Finally, separate trout flesh from the skin. After the fish is cooked through, using a spatula, carefully remove trout fillets to the plate, separating the fillet from the skin (skin will remain on the bottom of the pan).
- Carefully scrape the fish skin off the bottom of the pan, making sure to leave the fish oil in the pan. Note: You will use this same skillet to make garlic butter lemon caper sauce as described in the next section.
Part 3. How to make Lemon Caper Sauce
Lemon caper sauce with garlic and butter is what makes this steelhead trout so tasty!
- Add capers, minced garlic, and lemon juice to the same pan that you just used to cook steelhead trout. The pan will still have oil and juices remaining from cooking the fish.
- Heat up the sauce gently on medium-low heat for about 1 minute, until garlic softens a bit. Remove from heat.
- Add butter, off heat, to the caper sauce, stirring, until butter melts and forms a creamy mixture.
Part 4. Final Assembly
Add fish back to the pan, spoon sauce over the fish, and serve.
What to serve with steelhead trout
- Roasted or grilled vegetables, such as asparagus, broccoli, or zucchini. Sliced bell peppers, red onions, squash are also great choices.
- Rice. Jasmine rice is an excellent side for steelhead trout. For more flavor, serve wild rice or flavored rice. You can even serve cauliflower rice.
- Quinoa. Plain or flavored quinoa is an amazing grain that goes well with fish.
- Potatoes. Mashed sweet potatoes are a great side for trout. Potatoes roasted with herbs and garlic in olive oil are also a fantastic choice.
- Leafy Greens. Make a simple green salad by tossing together spinach, kale, or arugula with a small amount of your favorite salad dressing. Or make your own simple dressing by combining olive oil and a splash of balsamic vinegar. Top the salad with your favorite cheese (example: Parmesan, Goat Cheese, Feta) and a handful of nuts or seeds.
Other Trout Recipes
- Trout Recipe with Garlic Lemon Butter Herb Sauce – pan-fried trout made with Italian herb seasoning, chopped fresh parsley, and garlic butter sauce.
- Baked Rainbow Trout with Lemon, Black Pepper, and Garlic – this trout is baked in the oven together with asparagus to create a healthy and low-carb dinner rich in lean protein and omega-3 fatty acids.
Steelhead Trout Recipe with Lemon Caper Sauce
Ingredients
Steelhead Trout Ingredients:
Lemon Caper Sauce Ingredients:
- 2 tablespoons capers (drained)
- 4 cloves garlic (minced)
- 3 tablespoons lemon juice (freshly squeezed)
- 2 tablespoons butter (softened)
Instructions
How to cook trout
- Season the tops of steelhead trout fillets with Italian herb seasoning and salt (generously). Fish fillets will have skins on the bottom.
- In a large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil on medium heat until hot but not smoking. (Note: 1 tablespoon of olive oil is enough as fish will release lots of its own oil - steelhead trout is a fatty kind of fish).
- Add steelhead trout fillets, skin side up, non-skin side down. Cook for about 2 minutes on medium heat, making sure the oil does not smoke.
- Turn the fillets over, skin side down. Cook for another 2 minutes on medium-low heat (keeping oil from burning).
- Remove from heat, close the pan with the lid, and let the trout sit for 5-10 minutes until flaky and cooked through completely.
- After the fish is cooked through, using a spatula, carefully remove trout fillets to the plate, separating the fillet from the skin (skin will remain on the bottom of the pan). Carefully scrape the fish skin off the bottom of the pan, making sure to leave the fish oil in the pan.
How to make lemon caper sauce
- Add capers, diced garlic, and lemon juice to the same skillet with oil in which you just cooked the trout.
- Cook the sauce on medium-low heat for about 1 minute, until garlic softens a bit. Remove from heat.
- Add 2 tablespoons of butter, off heat, to the lemon caper sauce, stirring, until the butter melts and forms a creamy mixture.
- Add cooked steelhead trout fillets back to the pan, spoon sauce over the fish, and serve.
Nutrition
Nutrition Disclaimer:
The nutritional information on this website is only an estimate and is provided for convenience and as a courtesy only. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed. It should not be used as a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
This recipe was originally published on September 29, 2015, and updated/republished in July 2021.
Simple and beautiful! I loved it and my husband who does not like fish rated it "not bad," lol. Thanks for sharing!
Ha-ha, "not bad" - I am super flattered! Thanks for such a positive comment! 🙂
This was amazing
My family loved it
First time cooking steel head trout
Maria, I am so glad this recipe was a success! Thank you for the comment!
Really liked the flavors of this dish! I did cover and leave the fish on low heat to finish cooking as taking it off heat never seems to work out well for me in the past. Could be that my fish is a little thicker. But keeping it on low heat and covered for 10 minutes finished off the fish to perfection, still nice and moist! And then the sauce with the lemon, butter and garlic was just delicious. My husband had 2 pieces, and he’s not a big fish eater.
Elle, Thank you for such a detailed and helpful comment! I am glad you enjoyed this recipe! 🙂
I made this tonight. This is the BEST steelhead trout I've ever tasted! I finished it with extra lemon and Kerrygold herbed butter - it was the perfect touch. Many thanks! Easy & delicious! Perfect!
Debra, you are so welcome! I am glad you found my recipe and that it was a success! 🙂
This cooking method made the fish incredibly moist and basically foolproof! The only thing I did differently was to use Cajun seasoning in place of the Italian seasoning. I served this with rice and sautéed beet greens along with a salad and roasted beets. The sweet beets were a nice contrast to the salty capers and the tart lemon juice. Thank you for such a wonderful recipe!
Linda, this is one of the best comments I've ever read - thank you! Love that you used Cajun seasoning. Love your side dishes, especially the beets - I eat too many of them to admit. 🙂
Fantastic! It tasted and looked like a chef prepared this meal. I made saffron rice and sautéed spinach to go with it.I look forward to making it again.
Suzanne, I am so glad you loved the recipe! Love your side dishes: saffron rice and sauteed spinach - so delicious!
Tried for the fist time and was delicious. I had 1lb steelhead fillet which was very thick. Cooked I iron skillet and let sit 7 min after 2.5 min per side. It was perfect. Served with steamed asparagus over raw spinach, arugula mix. Sauce was perfect.
Tony, I am so happy you gave this recipe a try and enjoyed it! Love your side dishes. Thank you for stopping by to share your comment and for the 5-star review! 🙂
What an amazing dish! Really fabulous. I let mine sit in the pan covered longer than 10 minutes as I was waiting for my rice to cook an husband to get home. I forgot to add the butter at the end, but it was amazing. Definitely will make this again!
Mary, I just love your comment! Thank you for taking the time to share your positive feedback - I really appreciate it!! 🙂
I don't really care for capers but I found they added just the right amount of saltiness to the fish. I will make this again. Served this over egg pappardelle.
So glad you gave this recipe a try and enjoyed it! Capers are perfect for adding saltiness to some recipes!
Made this with salmon the other day it was delicious.
So glad you liked it! Thanks for the comment!
I have made the recipe several times over the last few months and each time I love it more. It’s quick and delicious. I leave it in the pan off heat at least 10 minutes but would even go up a couple depending on thickness of the fish. Don’t skip letting it sit. This is a delicate fish and needs to finish off heat. Also, I LOVE the caper sauce. Would leave it out. Costco has huge jars of capers that are a great bargain! And I admit, I cheat and use jarred minced garlic and lemon juice from a squeeze bottle. I’ve tried it both ways and honestly, I don’t find much of a difference. Both ways it was a delicious result.
Carol Ann, your comment made my day! So glad you've been enjoying this recipe! Thank you for your feedback and the 5-star review. I really appreciate it!! 🙂
Thanks for sharing this amazing recipe - my family loved it! I will be sharing this recipe with my friends - hope they will like it!
Glad you liked it! Thanks for stopping by and for the 5-star review!
I have to admit, I was in a rush and didn’t make the sauce….I had pan fried my beautiful fish in olive oil and simply added a teaspoon of ghee as I turned the fish. Served alongside a mix of fresh pan sauteed Brussels sprouts, creamer potatoes and red onion. The potatoes were leftovers I halved and tossed in olive oil and garlic along with the sprouts. All great! Dinner in 20 minutes.
Note, I often end up buying too much fish for the two of us. Tonight I had .85 pounds (~14 oz), so used a knife and scissors for the tough skin to cut portions before cooking. The thin filet ends cooked fast and left the skillet early to be served alongside parmesan scrambled eggs the next morning….very decadent!
Lauren, I am so glad you enjoyed this recipe. Your side dishes are perfect: love the Brussels sprouts and potatoes in olive oil. Thank you so much for stopping by and sharing such positive feedback - I really appreciate it!!
You make it seem simple enough to make... Thanks for that and the suggestions along with the how to for the side dishes
I hope you like this recipe - let me know if you give it a try!
I would cook longer but other wise delicious. Used thyme instead of Italian seasoning and a dash of whipping cream after the final butter. Got rave reviews. Especially the caper sauce.
Carol, I am so glad you enjoyed this recipe! Thank you so much for stopping by and sharing such positive feedback!
Hi
So I actually have a question
I would rather bake it than pan fry it.
Do you have any recommendations for making it in the oven?
Bake it in the preheated oven at 350 F for about 15 or 20 minutes. Remove the baking dish from the oven and let the fish rest in the baking dish so that it cooks some more.
Absolutely RAW, lay off the booze reviewers.