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Cumin Garlic Marbled Potatoes

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Next time you’re considering a side dish for your favorite Mexican Food Entree, think outside the rice box and consider these Mexican style Marbled Potatoes. Easy to make and seasoned with toasted cumin and garlic.

Marbled potatoes with toasted cumin and garlic garnished with a Fresno pepper.

What You Can Expect From This Recipe

First of all, this is a very simple method to prepare Marbled Potatoes. With a quick simmer stovetop, then tossed with oil, toasted cumin and sauteed garlic, a quick trip to the oven broiler and your side dish is ready.

What Are Marbled Potatoes? They’re a waxy variety of baby or small potatoes which are harvested early in the season. They can be purple, red, white or gold potatoes. They have thin tender skins, which make them easy to prepare (no peeling). The skins are very edible and the most nutritious part of any potato.

The key to this recipe is to cook them twice. The potatoes are simmered first, and due to their size, only take a few minutes to be par-boiled tender.

Once cooked, they’re tossed in a mix of toasted ground cumin, sauteed garlic and oil.

Place the potatoes on a sheet pan for a quick trip under the oven broiler and you’ve got a crispy outer skin and creamy tender potato interior.

This recipe for marbled potatoes is inspired from the highly touted cookbook: Mexico: The Cookbook. The definitive bible on Mexican home cooking by one of Mexico’s leading culinary authority, Margarita Carrillo Arronte.

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Ingredients You’ll Need

Ingredients to make marbled potatoes.
  • Cumin: Cumin adds an earthy, nutty and citrus note to marble potatoes. And toasting cumin enhances the flavor, releasing oils, resulting in a richer more complex essence.
  • Southwest Seasoning: For this recipe, I decided to finish these potatoes with a Oaxacan Seasoned Salt. A product from New Mexico where coarse salt is mixed with chilaca pepper. This mix brings a smoky flavor. You can also use a Southwest Seasoning .
  • Olive oil is traditional for these types of roasted potato recipes, but try using butter for a more indulgent dish.

See recipe card for all ingredients..

How To Cook Marble Potatoes

How to cook marble potatoes.
  1. Step 1: Start by par-boiling the potatoes. In a saucepan, add enough water to cover the potatoes. Slowly bring to a simmer and cook until the potatoes are just starting to become tender.
How to toast cumin.
  1. Step 2: In the meantime, heat a skillet stovetop over medium heat. Add the ground cumin and toast. Shake the skillet constantly until the cumin is aromatic. This should around a minute.
Cooking chopped garlic to make marbled potatoes.
  1. Step 3: Heat the olive oil in a pan over medium low heat. Add the chopped garlic stirring frequently until garlic is fragrant and just starting to turn golden.
Cooking marbled potatoes on a sheet pan in the oven.
  1. Step 4: Toss the potatoes with the cumin, garlic and oil. Put the potatoes on a sheet pan. Cook under the oven broiler for about 6 minutes.

Hint: While the potatoes are cooking under the oven broiler, shake the pan 2-3 times to move the potatoes around. This will help with even cooking.

What To Eat Them With

Since this is a Mexican version of these baby potatoes, I’d suggest:

Storage

Store any leftover potatoes in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. The best way to reheat is a quick roast in the oven, or in an air fryer. This will keep the skins crispy.

Top tip

When frying the garlic, watch it very close. Don’t let it brown or burn, or you’ll have to start over as it will be cause a bitter flavor.

Questions You May Have

Why Are They Called Marble Potatoes?

Their size, shape, and variation in colors give them their name. They are much smaller than more mature potatoes, however, not as small as marbles.

What’s The Difference Between Potatoes and Marble Potatoes?

Marble potatoes can be a number of potato varieties. Regardless of the color, then. skin is thin and delicate, therefore no peeling is necessary. Sine they are harvested very early, the taste of these small potatoes is buttery and sweet because the sugar in these potatoes haven’t turned to starch yet.

How Long Do You Parboil Potatoes?

Parboiling means that you’re gently boiling potatoes until they’re partially cooked, but not all the way. So you do you know when they’re parboiled? Insert a knife or fork in one of the largest potatoes. If the utensil releases easy, the potatoes are parboiled. Watch these tiny potatoes closely so they don’t overcook. If you see a skin starting to crack, they’re on the verge of overcooking.

Looking for more potato side dishes? Try these:

And don’t miss my category for side dish recipes. You’ll find lots of good recipes including the most popular on my site for Savory Cast Iron Skillet Potatoes.

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Cumin Garlic Marbled Potatoes

Next time you're considering a side dish for your favorite Mexican Food Entree, think outside the rice box and consider these Mexican style Marbled Potatoes. Easy to make and seasoned with toasted cumin and garlic.
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time20 minutes
Total Time35 minutes
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: Mexican
Diet: Gluten Free
Servings: 4
Calories: 191kcal
Author: Lea Ann Brown

Ingredients

  • 3 Tablespoons Olive Oil or melted butter
  • 4-6 Cloves Garlic measure with your heart
  • 1 Pound Marbled potatoes or small new potatoes
  • 1 teaspoon Ground Cumin toasted
  • 1 Red Chile Pepper for serving and garnish

Instructions

  • Place the potatoes in a saucepan and cover with water. Slowly bring to a boil and simmer until parboiled tender. About 5-10 minutes. Drain in a colander in the sink.
  • Heat the olive oil in a pan over medium low heat. Add the chopped garlic stirring frequently until garlic is fragrant and just starting to turn golden. Don't let it brown or burn, or you'll have to start over as it will be bitter.
  • In the meantime, heat a small non-stick skillet over medium heat. Add the ground cumin and cook, shaking the pan constantly until the cumin is very warm and fragrant. Remove from heat.
  • Put the potatoes in a bowl and add the garlic and the oil from the pan, and the toasted cumin. Use a large spoon to mix well.
  • Put the potatoes on a sheet pan. Cook under the oven broiler for about 6 minutes. Shake the pan to roll the potatoes around while they broil.
  • Place cooked potatoes in a serving bowl. Garnish with Oaxacan seasoning, Southwest seasoning, or a coarse flaky salt. Garnish with a slice of the red chile pepper and serve immediately.

Notes

About Parboiling:
Parboiling means that you’re gently boiling potatoes until they’re partially cooked, but not all the way. So you do you know when they’re parboiled? Insert a knife or fork in one of the largest potatoes. If the utensil releases easy, the potatoes are parboiled. Watch these tiny potatoes closely so they don’t overcook. If you see a skin starting to crack, they’re on the verge of overcooking.
Top Tip:
When frying the garlic, watch it very close. Don’t let it brown or burn, or you’ll have to start over as it will have a bitter undesirable flavor.

Nutrition

Calories: 191kcal | Carbohydrates: 22g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 11g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 8g | Sodium: 9mg | Potassium: 535mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 116IU | Vitamin C: 39mg | Calcium: 25mg | Iron: 1mg

If you liked this recipe, please leave a star ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ rating in the recipe card below and leave a comment. I always appreciate your feedback and hearing how everything went.

And, don’t forget to subscribe to my newsletter for more delicious recipes and cooking tips. Make it a delicious day … every day.

Marbled Potatoes … They’re What’s For A Side Dish

Huevos Divorciados (Divorced Eggs)

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A traditional Mexican breakfast where two sunny-side up eggs are separated by two delicious salsas, salsa roja and salsa verde. Huevos Divorciados are traditionally served with corn chips and refried beans. Delicious and fun!

Divorced eggs served with two salsas. refried beans and tortilla chips.

What You Can Expect From This Recipe

Huevos Divorciados can be found in practically every part of Mexico. The dish name comes from the way the sunny side up eggs are served, which are separated by a serving of refried beans, and each egg is drizzled with a different sauce.

Huevos Divorciados literally translates to Divorced Eggs. The dish is similar to Huevos Rancheros, with the difference being the duel sauces.

For serving, the sauces are spooned around the yolks, covering the white. Refried beans are added to separate the eggs. Serve this with corn chips and grated or crumbled cheese.

This recipe comes together easily once you have the salsa’s prepared. I like to prepare my own salsa’s (sauce) as I have a couple of really good recipes. However, you can purchase Salsa Verde, or Tomatillo Salsa along with red salsas on the Mexican aisle at the grocery.

Huevos Divorciados makes an easy Mexican Food breakfast, and can be scaled up to serve to guests for brunch. If entertaining, serve it with Mexican Micheladas.

This recipe comes from the highly touted cookbook: Mexico: The Cookbook. The definitive bible on Mexican home cooking by one of Mexico’s leading culinary authority, Margarita Carrillo Arronte.

Let’s take a look.

Ingredients You’ll Need

Ingredients to make divorced eggs.
  • The Sauces: You can use homemade Tomatillo Salsa (salsa verde), or Homemade Green Chile Sauce. I personally prefer the Green Chile Sauce. Use a raw salsa roja, like this simple Restaurant Style Mexican Salsa. For the red salsa, however added a heaping teaspoon of tomato paste to give it an earthier and richer layer of flavor and deeper color.
  • Beans: Using canned refried beans from the store makes this an easy breakfast recipe. But if you’ve made homemade refried beans and have leftovers, this is a great way to use them.

Steps To Make Huevos Divorciados

Cooking sunny side up eggs to make divorced eggs.
  1. Step 1: Using butter or oil, cook the eggs to sunny side up stage. Once the oil or butter is heated add the eggs. Use a spatula to separate the whites if they run together. Lower the heat and let the eggs gently cook until the whites have set up. It only takes a few minutes. For sunny side up eggs, you want the yolks to be runny.

How To Serve It

Huevos Divorciados on a plate with refried beans and corn chips.
  1. Step 2: Spoon a serving of warmed refried beans in the center of a plate. Place two sunny side up eggs on each side of the beans. Carefully spoon green salsa on the white of one egg, and red sauce on the white of the other fried egg. Add some tortilla chips and sprinkle with Cotija cheese, which is a dry, salty crumbling cheese.

Tips For Success

  • Cooking Sunny Side Up Eggs: Keep the heat low, and when you see bubbles starting to form in the whites that means they’re getting near done. Watch them close and don’t over-cook.
  • Homemade salsas can be made as spicy as you like. Choose mild, medium or hot chile powder or chile peppers to suit your heat tolerance.
  • Prepare your salsas in advance : I like to make my salsas a day in advance. All that’s left to do is heat the refried beans and cook the eggs. Salsas can be made up to 5 days in advance.

Recipe Variations

  • Add some color: Add a couple slices of avocado, or some chopped cilantro.
  • Cheese: Substitute Cotija Cheese with shredded cheddar or Monterey Jack.
  • Tortilla Chips: Serve Divorced Eggs over a warmed corn tortillas or flour tortillas. Then add the refried beans between the two.
  • Condiments: Add a dollop of Mexican Crema, Sour Cream or Guacamole.
  • Add a couple of rings of fresh sliced jalapeno pepper, or pickled jalapenos.

Leftovers

More than likely you’ll have leftover salsas. Store any leftover salsa in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to one week.

  • Use them to as a dipping sauce for tortilla chips.
  • Make tacos or burritos and drizzle over the filling.
  • Or pour it over a block of cream cheese and serve with tortilla chips
  • Spoon some over fried potatoes, or hash brown potatoes.
  • Sprinkle Divorced Eggs with fine chopped raw sweet onion.

More Mexican Breakfast Recipes

And don’t miss my category for Breakfast Recipes, you’ll find lots of eye-opening recipes including one of the most popular on my site for my Traditional Western Omelette.

If you liked this recipe, please leave a star ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ rating in the recipe card below and leave a comment. I always appreciate your feedback and hearing how everything went.

And, don’t forget to subscribe to my newsletter for more delicious recipes and cooking tips. Make it a delicious day … every day.

Mexican Divorced Eggs served on a plate with corn chips.
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Huevos Divorciados, Divorced Eggs

A traditional Mexican breakfast where two sunny-side up eggs are separated by two delicious salsas, salsa roja and salsa verde. Huevos Divorciados are traditionally served with corn chips and refried beans. Delicious and fun!
Prep Time45 minutes
Cook Time5 minutes
Course: Breakfast Recipes
Cuisine: Mexican
Diet: Gluten Free
Servings: 2
Calories: 475kcal
Author: Lea Ann Brown

Ingredients

  • 1 Tablespoon Neutral Oil for frying eggs. Canola, Vegetable or Avocado oil work well here.
  • 4 large eggs
  • ½ teaspoon Kosher Salt a sprinkle for each egg
  • 1 Cup Green Salsa Salsa Verde or Green Chile Sauce or Tomatillo Salsa
  • 1 Cup Red Salsa
  • 1 Cup Refried beans
  • ½ Cup Cheese for Topping Crumbled Cotija Cheese or Grated Cheddar
  • Tortilla Chips for serving

Instructions

  • Heat the oil in a non-stick skillet over medium high heat.
  • Add the eggs, turn the heat down to medium low and cook until the white is set. Season with kosher salt.
  • Transfer two eggs to each plate. Put a generous spoonful of green salsa over the white of one egg and another generous spoonful of the red salsa over the other egg.
  • Put a spoonful of the refried beans between the eggs and garnish with grated cheese. Add tortilla chips and serve immediately.

Notes

Tips For Success:
    • Cooking Sunny Side Up Eggs: Keep the heat low, and when you see bubbles starting to form in the whites that means they’re getting near done. Watch them close and don’t over-cook.
    • Homemade salsas can be made as spicy as you like. Choose mild, medium or hot chile powder or chile peppers to suit your heat tolerance.
    • Prepare your salsas in advance : I like to make my salsas a day in advance. All that’s left to do is heat the refried beans and cook the eggs. Salsas can be made up to 5 days in advance.
For this recipe I used a recipe for Green Chile Sauce Made from Green Chile Powder, a recipe from Savory Spice Shop.  You can also use Green Chile Sauce. Or a Tomatillo Salsa. 
For the red salsa, I used a regular salsa roja style salsa like my Restaurant Style Salsa. However, I did stir in a teaspoon of tomato paste to give it a richer flavor and color.

Nutrition

Calories: 475kcal | Carbohydrates: 31g | Protein: 25g | Fat: 27g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 10g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 405mg | Sodium: 3506mg | Potassium: 726mg | Fiber: 7g | Sugar: 15g | Vitamin A: 2128IU | Vitamin C: 7mg | Calcium: 317mg | Iron: 4mg

Huevos Divorciados (Divorced Eggs) … It’s What’s for Breakfast

Easy Savory Sausage Pancakes

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By simply adding breakfast sausage and sweet onion to pancake batter, you’ve got over-the-top savory sausage pancakes. Next time you’re craving pancakes and sausage, try combining the two into one simple dish. Putting cooked breakfast sausage in pancakes is our favorite way to enjoy this classic breakfast.

A stack of sausage pancakes

What You Can Expect From This Recipe

Whenever I make pancakes, I’m always reminded how easy they are, and then wonder why I don’t make them more often.

This is a super easy recipe for homemade pancakes, made special by adding crumbled cooked breakfast sausage to the batter.

We used to get giddy when someone would sprinkle some chocolate chips into pancake batter. But inheriting the savory gene rather than the sugary one, I’m giddy over adding cooked breakfast sausage and onions to pancake batter.

Pancakes and sausage make a great flavor combination because they hit that perfect balance of sweet and savory. Salty cooked breakfast sausage combined with slightly sweet, buttery pancake batter, the texture the flavor is intoxicating.

This is a homemade pancake recipe without buttermilk. No special trips to the store. I use whole milk in this recipe.

Served and topped with a pat of butter and maple syrup … who can resist fluffy homemade savory pancakes? Not me.

Serve Sausage Pancakes alongside fried eggs and fresh fruit. Breakfast is served

Noteworthy Ingredients

See full list of ingredients and precise measurements in the recipe card below.

Ingredients to make sausage pancakes.
  • Breakfast Sausage: The star of the show. Any breakfast sausage will work, but choosing a Maple flavored brand will bring even more flavor. Jimmy Dean offers maple flavored breakfast sausage and check out Bovine and Swine’s Artisan Maple Sausage Breakfast links.
  • Sweet Onion: Keeping onion small chopped will blend better with the smooth batter.
  • Milk: I’m sure buttermilk pancakes are wonderful, but I’ve always made my batter with whole milk, which I always have on hand.

Step by Step Instructions, It’s Easy

Browning breakfast sausage to make sausage pancakes.
Making homemade pancake batter for sausage pancakes.
  1. Step 1: Brown the Breakfast Sausage: Add crumbled breakfast sausage to a non-stick fry pan. Cook until pink is just starting to disappear from the meat. Add the onion and cook until tender, about 2 minutes.
  2. Step 2: Make the pancake batter: Add the dry ingredients into a bowl. Lightly beat the egg and add it to the milk in another bowl.
Making homemade pancake batter for sausage pancakes.
Adding cooked sausage to pancake batter to make sausage pancakes.
  1. Step 3: Add milk and egg to the dry ingredients and stir well.
  2. Step 4: Stir in the onion and cooked sausage until well mixed.
Cooking pancakes in a skillet to make sausage pancakes.
Making sausage pancakes in a skillet.
  1. Step 5: Cook the Sausage Pancakes: Use the non-stick pan you used to fry the onion and sausage. Add a spray of the oil and once hot, add ¼ cup of the pancake batter. Cook each pancake on one side until bubbles start to show on the uncooked side.
  2. Step 6: Turn the pancake and cook until other side is golden brown.
Keeping sausage pancakes warm.

Tip: When I make sausage pancakes for the two of us, I use a skillet and make 1 – 2 pancakes at a time. Which means I need to keep them warm. As each pancake cooks, place them on a warmed plate and cover with a clean kitchen towel. When feeding more people, you can cook them on a griddle and make many pancakes at once.

Tips for Success

  • Be gentle when cooking the sausage. I don’t like the term “browning” meat. Browned ground meat carries a crispy texture. Cook the sausage just until the pink has been cooked from the meat. The texture will be more tender and will compliment the creamy texture of the pancakes.
  • Use a non-stick spray to cook the pancakes. Avocado oil spray or PAM works well here.

Questions You Might Have

Can You Freeze Pancakes?

Absolutely yes. This recipe makes about 16 pancakes and with just the two of us, I wrap them well in packages of four pancakes, in plastic wrap. They freeze beautifully. Just place them in the refrigerator the night before, then reheat the thawed pancakes using either a microwave or air-fryer.

Can I Use Pre-Cooked Sausage

Yes, and doing so will make this an even easier breakfast recipe. Using pre-cooked links or sausage patties will work well here, just make sure you cut or crumble them in small enough pieces to be manageable in the pancake batter. If I were going to eliminate the step of cooking fresh sausage, then I’d simply omit the step of adding fresh onions.

More Breakfast Recipes

And don’t miss my category for Breakfast Recipes, you’ll find some eye-opening recipes to get your day started. Including the most popular on my site for Pan Fried Biscuits. Made from canned biscuits, these are a true treat.

If you liked this recipe, please leave a star ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ rating in the recipe card below and leave a comment. I always appreciate your feedback and hearing how everything went.

And, don’t forget to subscribe to my newsletter for more delicious recipes and cooking tips. Make it a delicious day … every day.

A stack of Savory Sausage Pancakes.
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5 from 1 vote

Maple Sausage Pancakes

By simply adding sausage and sweet onion to pancake batter, you've got over-the-top savory sausage pancakes. Next time you're craving pancakes and sausage, try combining the two into one simple dish, Putting sausage in pancakes is our favorite way to enjoy this classic breakfast.
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time20 minutes
Total Time35 minutes
Course: Breakfast Recipes
Cuisine: American
Servings: 16 pancakes
Calories: 137kcal
Author: Lea Ann Brown

Ingredients

  • 1 Tablespoon unsalted butter
  • 10 ounces Breakfast Sausage Preferably Maple flavored.
  • ¼ Cup Sweet Onion fine chopped
  • 2 Cups All purpose flour
  • 2 ½ teaspoons Baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon Salt
  • 1 ½ Cups Milk Drizzle in more milk if batter needs thinned. I think I probably used about ⅛ more cup of milk.
  • 1 large Egg lightly beaten
  • Butter and pure maple syrup for serving

Instructions

  • Add crumbled breakfast sausage to a non-stick fry pan. Cook over medium heat until pink is just starting to disappear from the meat. Add the onion and cook until tender, about 2 minutes.
  • Add the dry ingredients into a bowl. Lightly beat the egg and add it to the milk in another bowl. Add milk and egg to the dry ingredients and stir well.
  • Stir in the cooked onion and sausage to the batter and stir until well mixed.
  • I use a spray can of Avocado oil to fry the pancakes. Use the non-stick pan you used to fry the onion and sausage. Add a spray of the oil and once hot, add ¼ cup of the pancake batter. Cook each pancake on one side until bubbles start to show on the uncooked side. Turn and cook until other side is golden brown.
  • Stack cooked pancakes on a plate as you make them, cover with a clean towel to keep them warm until ready to serve.
  • Serve topped with butter and a drizzle of pure maple syrup.

Notes

This recipe makes approximately 16 4-inch pancakes.
Tips For Success: 
    • Be gentle when cooking the sausage. I don’t like the term “browning” meat. Browned ground meat carries a crispy texture. Cook the sausage just until the pink has been cooked from the meat. The texture will be more tender and will compliment the creamy texture of the pancakes.
    • Use a non-stick spray to cook the pancakes. Avocado oil spray or PAM works well here.
    • Any breakfast sausage will work, but choosing a Maple flavored brand will bring even more flavor. Jimmy Dean offers maple flavored breakfast sausage and check out Bovine and Swine’s Artisan Maple Sausage Breakfast links.

Nutrition

Serving: 1pancake | Calories: 137kcal | Carbohydrates: 13g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 29mg | Sodium: 200mg | Potassium: 166mg | Fiber: 0.5g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 89IU | Vitamin C: 0.2mg | Calcium: 62mg | Iron: 1mg

Savory Sausage Pancakes … it’s What’s for Breakfast

Pan Fried Sea Bass With Ginger Sesame Glaze

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The key to restaurant quality sea bass is to pan sear the fish stovetop, then send it to the oven for a quick roast. Learn how pan fry delicate Chilean Sea Bass for a crispy golden crust and a flaky melt in your mouth tender flesh. This pan fried sea bass is a simple, elegant and dressed with a delightful Ginger Sesame Glaze.

Pan Seared Sea Bass with a Sesame Ginger Glaze served over rice with snow peas.

What You Can Expect From This Recipe

This is a simple recipe for Pan Seared Sea Bass using a cooking method that I learned in Culinary School. Using a good quality oven-proof skillet, we start by quick searing the sea bass stove-top to give it a golden crust, then transferring it to the oven, still in the skillet, to finish cooking.

A method much like professional restaurant chefs prepare a steak or a pork chop. The stovetop gives the fillet a nice golden brown exterior, and the dry heat of the oven helps to cook it evenly.

You’ll need a cast iron skillet or preferably a French Carbon Steel Pan, which is preferred by chefs.

  • This is an easy recipe that’s ready in under 30 minutes.
  • It’s a restaurant quality sophisticated, feel fancy meal, that straight forward and simple with ingredients and process.
  • And this is the best sauce for sea bass that I’ve found. A perfect sweet and savory glaze that doesn’t overwhelm the delicate fish.

My inspiration for this recipe came from a memorable dining experience at a local restaurant. And when I find a good restaurant idea, I love recreating that dish in my own kitchen. And sharing it with my readers. Let’s take a look

Tips For Success – How to Make Perfect Pan Fried Sea Bass

Creating a golden-brown crispy skin and sea bass flesh is essential for a delightful contrast to the flaky tender buttery meat.

  • Use a paper towel to pat the sea bass fillets thoroughly dry on both sides. A dry fillet will sear better, and prevent it from sticking to the pan.
  • Don’t be afraid of heat. You want the fat to be at a shimmering stage, but not smoking.
  • Cook the sea bass skin side down first. Once in the skillet, use a spatula to gently press the fillet to insure that the entire piece of fish will cook evenly.
  • Patience: If the skin sticks to the skillet when you try to turn it, that means it’s not ready. The fillet should release easily when ready to turn.
  • If cooking more than one fillet, don’t over crowd the fish. If the fillets are touching they basically steam rather than searing to a crispy stage.

Ingredients You’ll Need

Ingredients to make pan fried sea bass.
  • Chilean Sea Bass: You’ll need about ½ pound to serve two people.
  • Snow Peas
  • Cooked Rice
  • For The Sauce For Sea Bass: Fresh ginger, soy sauce, Sriracha sauce, toasted sesame oil and brown sugar.
  • Green Onions: For garnish.
  • Butter: For frying the sea bass.

Pro Tip: Freeze Ginger. Keep that knob of ginger in the freezer. Whenever you need a small amount for any recipe, just remove it and use a zester or microplane zester to acquire the amount you need and then return the rest back to the freezer for future use. You don’t even need to peel the ginger. EASY and practical.

Ingredient Substitutions

  • Use Tamari sauce to make this recipe gluten free.
  • Ginger: Use ½ teaspoon dried ginger for fresh ginger.

Step By Step Instructions, It’s Easy

Making sauce for pan fried sea bass.
Blanching snow peas to make pan fried sea bass.
  1. Step 1: Cook rice, set aside and keep warm. Then make the sauce for the sea bass. Simply whisk together brown sugar, toasted sesame oil, tamari or soy sauce, Sriracha sauce and fresh grated ginger.
  2. Step 2: Blanch the snow peas: Place the snow peas in a microwave safe dish. I like to use my Pyrex measuring bowl. Cover the peas with water and microwave about 1 ½ minutes. Keep the snow peas in the microwave in the hot water until ready to use.
Pan frying sea bass.
Brushing the sauce on pan fried sea bass.
  1. Step 3: Pan fry the sea bass: Using an oven safe pan, melt butter over medium high heat stove top. Once the butter is melted and bubbles are starting to subside, place the sea bass fillet or fillets in the butter, skin side down. Pan sear for 5 minutes. Using a sturdy spatula, turn the sea bass over and cook the flesh side for 5 minutes.
  2. Step 4: Use a silicone brush to liberally slather the sauce over the flesh of the fish. Transfer to a 400 degree oven and cook for 5 minutes. Remove the fish and brush with the sauce one more time. Serve immediately.

How To Serve Pan Fried Sea Bass

Pan fried Sea Bass served over cooked rice and snow peas.
  1. Step 5: Cut the sea bass fillet down the center to make two pieces. Place one scoop each of the cooked rice on each plates, top with blanched snow peas. Place the sea bass on top and drizzle with a little more of the sauce.
What Is The Best Pan To Use To Pan Fry Sea Bass

When searing any delicate fish like sea bass, I prefer to use my versatile  12″ Carbon Steel Skillet. These pans are preferred by chefs because of producing an even heat source. This pan will heat quickly and sear any protein beautifully. It’s a great tool to sear meat stovetop then transfer to the oven to finish. It’s oven safe and light weight. You can also use a cast iron skillet. Disclaimer: I’ve provided a link to the Carbon Steel Skillet. If you make a purchase using this link, I receive a small commission at no extra charge to you.

What Is Chilean Sea Bass?

Chilean Sea Bass is also known as Patagonian Toothfish. The name Chilean Sea Bass was invented to make the fish more appealing to American consumers. It’s got big white fish appeal because of it’s mild and exquisite flavor and flaky yet firm flesh. I like cooking with it because it’s a thicker fillet, which I find easier to cook. It comes with a premium price tag due to being over-fished in the 90’s. It is currently closely managed. If you’d like to learn more, I like this article from NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration)

And don’t miss my category for Seafood Recipes. You’ll find lots of great recipes, including the most popular on my site for Heavenly Halibut.

If you liked this recipe, please leave a star ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ rating in the recipe card below and leave a comment. I always appreciate your feedback and hearing how everything went.

And, don’t forget to subscribe to my newsletter for more delicious recipes and cooking tips. Make it a delicious day … every day.

Pan seared Chilean Sea Bass served over rice and snow peas.
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5 from 3 votes

Pan Fried Chilean Sea Bass with Ginger Sesame Glaze

A sweet and spicy sauce sea bass elevates this pan-fried sea bass recipe to greatness.
Prep Time20 minutes
Cook Time15 minutes
Total Time35 minutes
Course: Main Course Seafood
Cuisine: American
Servings: 2
Calories: 471kcal
Author: Lea Ann Brown

Equipment

  • 1 Oven proof skillet French Carbon Steel or Cast Iron Skillet

Ingredients

  • Sauce For Sea Bass
  • 2 teaspoon Brown sugar
  • 2 teaspoons Toasted Sesame Oil
  • 2 teaspoons Tamari sauce or soy sauce
  • 1 teaspoon Sriracha sauce
  • 1 teaspoon Ginger fresh grated
  • For The Pan Seared Sea Bass:
  • 1 handfull Snow peas blanched. About 2 cups
  • 8 ounces Chilean Sea Bass fillets about ½ pound total – divided for two servings
  • 2 Tablespoon Unsalted Butter
  • Green Onions or Chives For garnish
  • 2 Cups Cooked White Rice Prepared according to package instrucitons

Instructions

  • Prepare rice according to instructions and keep warm.
  • Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
  • Sauce for sea bass: In the meantime, use a whisk and mix together the Ginger Sesame Glaze by combing brown sugar, sesame oil, tamari or soy sauce, sriracha and fresh ginger. Set aside.
  • Place a healthy handful of snow peas in a microwave safe bowl. Add enough water to partially cover and microwave on high for 60 – 90 seconds. Leave in the microwave while you prepare the sea bass.
  • Pat the sea bass fillets dry with a paper towel.
  • In an oven safe skillet, heat the butter over medium high heat. Once hot and the butter has melted and bubbles start to subside, add the sea bass fillets skin side down. Sear for 5 minutes, then turn and sear the flesh side for 5 minutes or until golden.
  • Remove from heat and generously baste the flesh with the sauce . Transfer the pan to the oven and roast for 5 minutes. Baste again with the sauce right before removing from the oven.
  • To serve, place a large spoonful of the rice on a plate. Top with a few of the drained snow peas and top each with a sea bass fillet. Sprinkle with chopped chives and serve immediately.

Notes

Tips For Success – How to Successfully Pan Fry Sea Bass
Creating a golden-brown crispy skin and sea bass flesh is essential for a delightful contrast to the flaky tender buttery meat.
  • Use a paper towel to pat the sea bass fillets thoroughly dry on both sides. A dry fillet will sear better, and prevent it from sticking to the pan.
  • Don’t be afraid of heat. You want the fat to be at a shimmering stage, but not smoking.
  • Cook the sea bass skin side down first. Once in the skillet, use a spatula to gently press the fillet to insure that the entire piece of fish will cook evenly.
  • Patience: If the skin sticks to the skillet when you try to turn it, that means it’s not ready. The fillet should release easily when ready to turn.
  • If cooking more than one fillet, don’t over crowd the fish. If the fillets are touching they basically steam rather than searing to a crispy stage.

Nutrition

Calories: 471kcal | Carbohydrates: 49g | Protein: 25g | Fat: 18g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Trans Fat: 0.5g | Cholesterol: 121mg | Sodium: 471mg | Potassium: 375mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 461IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 41mg | Iron: 1mg

Pan Fried Chilean Sea Bass … It’s What’s For Dinner

Lamb Ragu with Pappardelle Pasta

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This elegantly rustic short-cut Italian Ragu is richly flavored using ground lamb. Try this hearty dish when you’re in the mood for a deep soulful winter pasta. Cooked stovetop, Lamb Ragu with Pappardelle is rich, meaty and totally restaurant worthy – made easy in your own kitchen.

If you love recipes like this, don’t miss my recipe for Quicker Chicken Spaghetti Bolognese.

Lamb ragu with pappardelle pasta topped with ricotta cheese.

What You Can Expect From This Recipe

Most lamb ragu recipes call for braising lamb shoulder, or leg of lamb all day. But this version uses ground lamb instead. You get the same rich, meaty flavor and pasta clinging texture in about an hour instead of six. Sometimes the best shortcuts are the ones that don’t feel like shortcuts at all.

Our time spent at Culinary School was considered to be a “Classically Trained” Chef program. Which means, we learned traditional French cooking techniques and methods. With quite a bit of Italian cuisine included.

This is where I learned to make ragu and this recipe. I’ve made it many times over the years, tweaked it a bit here and there and streamlined it to where even a novice cook can feel comfortable preparing it. And interesting enough for a seasoned cook to appreciate it’s complexity.

What is a ragu? Basically it’s an Italian sauce that’s long simmered to intensify flavors. It’s traditionally served over pasta, and in Culinary School lamb ragu was served over Tajarin pasta, which of course was made in house.

Tajarin is a spaghetti style egg-yolk pasta dough from Northern Italy. It’s square rather than round like spaghetti. I don’t have a pasta machine to make Tajarin, so for this recipe we’ll serve lamb ragu over pappardelle pasta, which is readily found on the pasta aisle at your supermarket.

The only key to success for this recipe is to cook ragu sauce low and slow. And evenly chopped vegetables will not only give you pride in skill set, but will also guarantee the flavors meld well.

Ground lamb is added along with the chopped vegetables at the beginning of the recipe, and once long simmered, becomes the star of the show.

This ragu is rich, made with tomato sauce, and tomato paste, which adds a beautiful layer of flavor. Tomato paste is an MVP in the kitchen adding a burst of robust flavor and body.

I personally think adding Sherry to the sauce is genius. It simply adds rich flavor and gourmet character.

This lamb ragu using ground lamb is a quicker fix than some recipes, calling for a 40 minute stove-top simmer. Some ragu’s instruct to cook the simmer for 2 – 5 hours.

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Ingredients You’ll Need

Seasonings for ground lamb to make Lamb Ragu with Pappardelle.
Ingredients to make ragu sauce to make Lamb Ragu with Pappardelle Pasta.

Spices To Make Lamb Ragu

The spices used to make this Lamb Ragu recipe are simple and ones that you’ll regularly find in your pantry.

  • Dried Rosemary
  • Dried Thyme
  • Ground Cumin
  • Montreal Steak Seasoning: A spice blend that commonly contains garlic, coriander, black pepper, cayenne, dill seed and salt, it’s a beautiful seasoning for grilled meats. And a nice addition to season the ground lamb for this recipe.
  • Kosher Salt: Use either Morton’s or Diamond Crystal, keeping in mind Morton’s brings more of a salty flavor.
  • Neutral Oil to sear the lamb: Avocado, vegetable or canola oils work well here.
  • Ground Lamb: Organic and grass fed will offer a superior flavored ground lamb.

Ingredients To Make The Lamb Ragu Sauce

Please choose quality ingredients in making any recipe. Doing so will enhance the final flavor and texture.

  • A good hearty Red Wine: Merlot works well here. No need to use expensive, but do use a wine that you would drink.
  • Tomato Paste: We always use Cento organic, double concentrated tomato paste. Not only is quality and flavor superior, it’s easy to store in the refrigerator and will last for a very long time.
  • Tomato Sauce
  • Oil: Use a neutral oil here. Avocado oil is preferred. Vegetable and canola oil will also work well here.
  • Vegetables: Diced carrots, celery and onion. This lamb ragu starts with a classic mirepoix.
  • Chopped Fresh Garlic
  • Sherry: Sherry will add a sweet and nutty layer of flavor to this lamb ragu.

I am an Amazon affiliate. If you purchase Cento tomato paste using the link provided, I receive a small commission at no extra charge to you.

See recipe card for quantities.

Toppings for Lamb Ragu

Cheese toppings for lamb ragu.

For serving, top with Ricotta Cheese, Parmesan Cheese and red pepper flakes.

Step by Step Instructions, It’s Easy

Cooking and seasoning lamb to make lamb ragu.
  1. Step 1: Heat the oil in a heavy skillet. Once hot, add the ground lamb, breaking up with a spatula as it starts to cook. Add the seasonings and cook until the pink is just starting to go away. Don’t brown. You want to keep the ground lamb delicate in texture. Place the cooked lamb in a bowl and set aside.
Cooking vegetables to make lamb ragu.
  1. Step 2: In the same pan, heat the remaining oil and cook the vegetables until just getting soft. About 5 – 7 minutes. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. In the meantime Bring the wine to a boil in a small saucepan and cook until reduced to about 1 ½ cups.
Making sauce in a skillet to make lamb ragu.
  1. Step 3: Add the wine reduction, tomato sauce, tomato paste, sherry, and water. Bring to a boil then reduce to a simmer.
Making sauce for Lamb ragu with pappardelle.
  1. Step 4: Add the cooked ground lamb.
Cooked lamb ragu red sauce.
  1. Simmer over very low heat for 30 – 40 minutes. You’ll have a thick, rich rustic red sauce to spoon over cooked pappardelle.
Good Quality Pappardelle pasta made in Italy.
  1. Step 4: Cook pappardelle pasta according to package instructions. Use a one cup measuring cup to fish out some of the starchy pasta water. It works well when it comes to leftover pasta storage.
Lamb ragu with Pappardelle pasta topped with ricotta cheese.
  1. Step 7: To plate, swirl some pappardelle pasta on a plate and top with a healthy spoonful of the Lamb Ragu. Garnish with grated Parmesan cheese, or Ricotta Cheese and Red Pepper Flakes if you’d like a little heat.

Hint: Once the ragu is cooked, cover the Dutch Oven and transfer to a 170 degree oven. The ragu will keep nice and hot while you cook the pasta.

Substitutions

  • Gluten Free – All of the ingredients in Lamb Ragu are gluten free aside from the Pappardelle pasta. Choose a gluten free pasta to make this a gluten free recipe.

Equipment

A good quality heavy skillet will work very well to make ragu. It’s a reliable pot in keeping the heat evenly distributed, which will work well with the maintaining a long slow simmer. A 12 inch skillet is recommended.

Storage

Store any leftovers in an air tight container in the refrigerator up to 3 – 4 days. Store pappardelle separately. Tip: Before storing pasta in the refrigerator, drizzle a little of the reserved starchy pasta water over the pappardelle. It will keep the pasta from drying out and make reheating easier.

Reheat leftovers in individual portions in a microwave in 30 second increments. I like to use the 50% power feature.

Tips For Success

There are essential points you must remember to make a successful ragu:

  1. The meat must be sautéed just long enough to lose its raw color. It must not brown or it will lose its delicacy.
  2. The meat sauce must cook at the merest simmer for a long time; the minimum is 30 minutes; 40 minutes is even better.

FAQ

What’s The Difference Between Ragu and Ragout?

They’re both pronounced the same, however, Ragu is an Italian meat sauce that contains ground or minced meat, vegetables and a tomato based sauce. Ragout is a French-style Stew that includes meat and vegetables

Can I Make Ragu With Other Meat?

Ragu is traditionally made with ground beef, pork or game. So yes, you can substitute meat without any alterations to this recipe.

About Colorado Lamb

Colorado has a strong ranching heritage and lamb plays a big part in our history. Colorado Lamb is highly sought after due to its quality, and consistency in flavor and tenderness. The majority of lamb are free range, grazing on grass, brush and sage in the foothills of the Rocky Mountains. And even graze in Colorado Vineyards. Colorado lamb is hormone and antibiotic free.

Lamb raised and imported from New Zealand and Australia are smaller in size that American raised lamb, and bring with it a gamier flavor. Please support local. Ask your butcher for Colorado raised lamb.

Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:

And if you’re looking for more Italian inspired recipes, don’t miss the most popular on my site for Beef Tagliata. A traditional Italian steak recipe that is so easy to prepare, you’ll want to make it all the time.

And don’t miss my category for Pasta Recipes. You’ll find the most popular on my site for Flemings Steakhouse Mac and Cheese. A recipe directly from their Executive Chef.

If you liked this recipe, please leave a star ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ rating in the recipe card below and leave a comment. I always appreciate your feedback and hearing how everything went.

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Lamb ragu with pappardelle pasta.
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5 from 1 vote

Lamb Ragu with Pappardelle Pasta

This elegantly rustic Italian Ragu is richly flavored using ground lamb. Try this hearty dish when you’re in the mood for a deep soulful winter pasta. Cooked stovetop, Lamb Ragu with Pappardelle is rich, meaty and totally restaurant worthy – made easy in your own kitchen.
Prep Time30 minutes
Cook Time40 minutes
Total Time1 hour 10 minutes
Course: Main Course Lamb
Cuisine: Italian
Servings: 4
Calories: 816kcal
Author: Lea Ann Brown

Ingredients

  • FOR THE LAMB
  • 1 pound Ground lamb
  • 1 Tablespoons Neutral oil Canola, Vegetable or Avocado
  • 1 ½ teaspoon Montreal Steak Seasoning
  • 1 teaspoon Dried thyme
  • 1 teaspoon Dried rosemary
  • ½ teaspoon Ground cumin
  • 1 teaspoon Kosher salt
  • FOR THE SAUCE
  • 2 Cups Hearty red wine merlot or cabernet work well here
  • 2 Tablespoons neutral oil
  • ½ cup Sweet or yellow onion chopped
  • ½ cup Carrot chopped
  • ½ cup Celery chopped
  • 1 Tablespoon Garlic chopped, about 3 large cloves garlic.
  • 14 ½ Ounces Tomato sauce canned
  • 2 Tablespoons Tomato paste
  • ¼ Cup Sherry
  • ½ Cup Water
  • TO SERVE PASTA
  • 1 pound Pappardelle pasta Cooked according to package insstructions
  • ¼ cup Ricotta cheese
  • ⅛ cup Parmesan cheese grated
  • 1 Tablespoon Red chile flakes

Instructions

  • FOR THE LAMB
  • Heat oil in a large fry pan. Once oil is hot add the ground lamb. Cook the lamb, breaking up the meat with a spatula. Cook until the pink has just started to disappear from the meat. Don't brown, you want the lamb to stay tender in texture.
  • Add the seasonings, stir the lamb and allow it to cook for another 5 minutes. Remove the lamb to a bowl and set aside.
  • PREPARE THE SAUCE
  • Bring the wine to a boil in a small saucepan and cook until reduced to about 1 – 1/12 cups. This will take about 10-15 minutes.
  • Heat the oil the same fry pan that you cooked the lamb. Add the vegetables and saute for about 5 minutes.
  • Add the reduced wine reduction, tomato sauce, tomato paste, sherry, and water Bring to a boil then reduce to a simmer.
  • Add the meat along with the pan juices. Simmer on very low heat for 30 – 40 minutes or until lamb is tender and sauce is thickened.
  • Cook the Pappardelle pasta in the boiling water according to package instructions. Fish out about a cup of the starchy pasta water before draining.
  • To serve, add a swirl of pasta to plates. Ladle generous amounts of the lamb ragu over the pasta. Top each with a dollop of ricotta and sprinkle each with grated Parmesan.

Nutrition

Calories: 816kcal | Carbohydrates: 57g | Protein: 31g | Fat: 42g | Saturated Fat: 14g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 6g | Monounsaturated Fat: 19g | Trans Fat: 0.04g | Cholesterol: 93mg | Sodium: 1326mg | Potassium: 1079mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 4019IU | Vitamin C: 11mg | Calcium: 163mg | Iron: 6mg

Lamb Ragu with Pappardelle … It’s Whats For Dinner