This Pan Seared Grouper Florentine is a delightful combination of tender grouper filets and a rich, creamy Florentine sauce. The grouper is pan seared to perfection, creating a golden brown crust that holds up and pairs so beautifully, with the decadent spinach cream.
Seriously, this restaurant-quality grouper recipe can be on your dinner table in well under thirty minutes!
What is Florentine Sauce?
Florentine sauce is a rich, creamy sauce that is typically associated with dishes that include spinach. The term “Florentine” originates from Florence, Italy, and when used in culinary contexts, it generally indicates the inclusion of spinach in the dish.
Why You Should Make This Pan Seared Grouper Florentine
- Quick and Easy: Ready in under well 30 minutes, this fish dish is perfect for a weeknight dinner.
- Restaurant Quality at Home: Impress with a pan seared grouper dish that looks and tastes like it came from a high-end restaurant.
- Versatile: Pairs well with various side dishes like orzo, steamed rice, or even a fresh salad.
- Delicious Leftovers: The Florentine sauce can be repurposed, ensuring nothing goes to waste.
Ingredients
- Grouper: Substitute with your favorite white fish, salmon, scallops, or even shrimp.
- Flour: Substitute with almond flour or gluten-free flour for a gluten-free option.
- Rice Flour or Cornstarch: Substitute with arrowroot powder or tapioca starch.
- Fresh Baby Spinach: Substitute with kale, Swiss chard or arugula.
- Roma Tomato: Substitute with cherry tomatoes, sun-dried tomatoes or diced red bell peppers.
- White Wine: Substitute with chicken broth or vegetable broth.
- Heavy Whipping Cream: Substitute with half-and-half, coconut milk, cashew cream or a non-dairy heavy cream.
How to Prepare Pan Seared Grouper Florentine
To save time, you can start preparing the Florentine sauce in one pan while you sear the grouper filets in another, allowing both to cook simultaneously, and ensuring the dish comes together quickly and efficiently.
- Heat olive oil and butter in a pan, add minced garlic, and cook until fragrant.
- Add spinach, season with salt and pepper, and cook until wilted.
- Pour in white wine, reduce, then add heavy cream and crushed red pepper flakes; simmer to thicken.
- Pat grouper dry, season with salt and pepper.
- Melt butter in a separate pan.
- Combine flour, rice flour, salt, pepper, paprika, garlic powder, and onion powder.
- Coat grouper in the flour mixture.
- Cook grouper in the heated butter, forming a crust, then flip and cook through.
- Add diced tomatoes and lemon zest to the sauce; adjust thickness with more cream, if needed.
- Plate grouper with orzo or rice, spoon sauce over the fish, and garnish with cracked black pepper and lemon wedges.
How to Serve and Store Grouper Florentine
Serving Suggestions:
- With Orzo: Cooked orzo is a great side dish that soaks up the delicious Florentine sauce.
- Steamed Rice: Light and fluffy steamed rice compliments the rich flavors of this Pan Seared Grouper Florentine.
- Fresh Salad: A simple side salad can add a refreshing contrast to the creamy sauce.
Storing Leftovers:
- Grouper: Store leftover grouper filets in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.
- Florentine Sauce: The sauce can be refrigerated separately in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Reheat gently on the stove over low heat.
What to Do with Leftover Florentine Sauce:
- Pasta Sauce: Toss the leftover Florentine sauce with cooked pasta for a quick meal.
- Vegetable Dip: Use it as a creamy dip for steamed or roasted vegetables.
- Chicken Topping: Spoon over grilled or baked chicken breasts for a new twist on dinner
More Grouper Recipes to Love
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Pan Seared Grouper Florentine
- Total Time: 20 minutes
- Yield: 2 servings 1x
Description
This Pan Seared Grouper Florentine is a delightful combination of tender grouper filets and a rich, creamy Florentine sauce.
Ingredients
- 2 grouper filets (5–6 ounces each, skin-off)
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 1/3 cup flour
- 3 tablespoons rice flour or cornstarch
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- Cracked black pepper, for garnish
- Lemon wedges, for serving
For the Florentine Sauce:
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 1/2 tablespoons butter
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 6-ounces fresh baby spinach
- 1 Roma tomato, diced small
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/4 cup white wine
- 3/4 cup heavy whipping cream
- 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
Instructions
- In a pan, start heating the olive oil and butter for the sauce. Add the garlic as the butter is melting.
- Cook for about a minute, until fragrant.
- Add in the spinach. Season with salt and pepper. Cook down for just a minute or two, before adding in the white wine.
- Allow the wine to reduce for a minute.
- Pour in the heavy cream and crushed red pepper flakes. Allow to gently simmer and thicken while you prepare the fish.
- Pat the grouper filets dry with paper towels. Season both sides with salt and pepper.
- Start melting and heating the butter in a separate pan.
- In a bowl, combine the flour, rice flour, salt, pepper, paprika, garlic powder and onion powder. Mix well.
- Dredge the fish in the coating.
- Add to the heated butter. Allow a crust to form on the bottom. Flip. Continue sautéing the fish until fully cooked.
- To finish the sauce, add in the diced tomatoes and lemon zest. If the sauce is too thick, add a touch more cream.
- Plate the fish with cooked orzo or steamed rice.
- Spoon the sauce over the fish. Garnish with cracked black pepper and serve with lemon wedges.
- ENJOY!
Notes
- Easily substitute the grouper with your favorite white fish, scallops or shrimp. If substituting with salmon, no need to dredge (unless you want to).
- Timing is key in order to plate all of the components of this dish while hot. If serving with steamed rice or orzo, start preparing before the other elements of this recipe.
- Easily adjust or alter the seasoning blend to your liking.
- Initially, sauté the spinach just until it wilts, it will further cook down in the sauce.
- Do NOT boil the sauce. It should be just at a very low simmer while preparing the fish.
- If the sauce is too thick, add a touch more cream.
- Leftover sauce can be used for pasta.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Easy
- Cuisine: Seafood
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