Baked Flounder Fillets with Herb-Lime Butter Sauce and Vegetables
Tender baked flounder fillets are enhanced with a rich herb-lime butter sauce featuring shallots, jalapeño, and fresh herbs. The fish is first soaked in lemon juice for optimal flavor, then baked to perfection and served over crispy julienned zucchini or asparagus. This elegant dish combines the delicate taste of flounder with a vibrant, aromatic sauce that includes white wine, coconut cream, and lime juice. Perfect for a special dinner or when you want to impress guests with a restaurant-quality seafood dish that's surprisingly simple to prepare at home.
Ingredients
- 4 flounder fillets, cut in half (total 1.5 pounds/680 grams)cod, sole, or tilapia1:1fishadds fish
similar texture
- ½ cup lemon juice
- ¼ cup olive oil, plus more for greasing
- 2 teaspoons chili-lime spice
- ½ cup vegan butter or margarine
- 2 shallots, very finely diced
- 1 jalapeño, very finely diced
- 6 cubes frozen garlic
- 10 cubes frozen cilantro or parsley
- ⅓ cup white cooking wine
- 1 cup hot water with parve chicken bouillon
- ¼ cup coconut cream
- juice from 1 lime
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- 7 fancy zucchini, julienned
- 1 lime, sliced
- fresh herbs
Instructions
- 1
Fill a large bowl or baking pan with cold water and add lemon juice
- 2
Soak fish fillets in the lemon water for 15 minutes
- 3
Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit
- 4
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and brush with olive oil
- 5
Remove fish from water, pat dry, and place on baking sheet
- 6
Brush each fillet with olive oil and sprinkle with chili-lime spice
- 7
Bake for 15-20 minutes
- 8
Melt vegan butter in a saucepan
- 9
Add shallots and sauté until golden
- 10
Add jalapeño and sauté for 2 minutes, stirring constantly
- 11
Add garlic and sauté for 2 minutes
- 12
Add wine, hot bouillon water, coconut cream, lime juice, and pepper
- 13
Bring sauce to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 10-15 minutes until thickened
- 14
Remove sauce from pan
- 15
In the same pan, sauté julienned zucchini or asparagus for 3-5 minutes
- 16
Add 1 tablespoon sauce to vegetables and mix
- 17
Place vegetables in center of plate and drizzle with sauce
- 18
Top with flounder fillet
- 19
Drizzle fish with sauce and garnish with lime slices and fresh herbs
Tips
Soaking the fish in lemon water helps remove any fishy odor and adds brightness to the flavor
Keep the vegetables slightly crisp by not overcooking them - they should retain some texture
Make sure to pat the fish completely dry before baking to ensure proper browning
Good to Know
Refrigerate cooked fish and sauce separately for up to 2 days
Sauce can be made 1 day ahead and reheated gently before serving
Serve immediately while fish is hot and vegetables are crisp
Common Mistakes
Don't skip soaking the fish to avoid fishy taste
Don't overcook vegetables to maintain crispness
Don't wash the pan between sauce and vegetables to retain flavor
Substitutions
Dairy-Free Swaps
General Alternatives
similar texture
FAQ
Can I use frozen flounder fillets?
Yes, but thaw completely and pat very dry before soaking in lemon water to remove excess moisture.
What if I don't have vegan butter?
Regular butter or margarine works fine, or use olive oil though the sauce will be lighter in texture.
How long will leftovers keep?
Store fish and sauce separately in the refrigerator for up to 2 days and reheat gently to avoid overcooking.