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Breaded flounder francaise arranged over lemon slices on a white serving dish, topped with lemony butter sauce and fresh parsley.
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Best Recipe for Flounder Francaise

This family recipe for flounder Francaise is easy to master and turns out perfect every time. Flaky white fish fillets are dipped in a simple egg batter, pan fried until golden brown and finished with a silky lemon butter sauce that will have you licking your plate clean. 
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes
Servings: 2
Calories: 977kcal
Author: Nicole Gaffney

Ingredients

  • 1 lb fresh flounder fillets cut into 4-inch pieces
  • Kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper
  • ½ cup all purpose flour plus 2 tablespoons, divided
  • 2 large eggs 3 if fillets are thin
  • 2 tablespoons Pecorino Romano cheese grated
  • 3 tablespoons olive oil
  • 6 tablespoons unsalted butter divided
  • 2 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 ½ cups chicken stock or vegetable stock
  • ¼ cup lemon juice from about 1-2 lemons, more to taste
  • 2 teaspoons parsley chopped, plus more for garnish
  • Fresh lemons for serving optional

Instructions

  1. Pat the flounder fillets dry with paper towels. Season both sides with salt and pepper.
  2. In one shallow dish, add some flour for dredging. In another, beat the eggs with the grated Pecorino Romano.
  3. Heat the olive oil and 2 tablespoons butter in a large skillet over medium heat.
  4. Dredge each fillet in flour, shake off the excess, then dip into the egg mixture to coat.
  5. Working in batches if needed, sauté the fish until golden brown on both sides and cooked through, about 2-3 minutes per side depending on thickness.
  6. Transfer the cooked fillets to a baking sheet or casserole dish in a low oven while you make the sauce.
  7. In the same skillet, add the minced garlic. Sauté until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
  8. Whisk in 2 tablespoons flour and cook for 1-2 minutes to make a roux.
  9. Slowly pour in the stock while whisking, then let simmer until slightly thickened, about 5 minutes.
  10. Add the lemon juice, then season with salt and pepper to taste.
  11. Whisk in the remaining 3 tablespoons butter until the sauce is glossy and emulsified, then stir in the parsley.
  12. Transfer the flounder to a serving plate. Pour the sauce over the flounder, sprinkle with more fresh parsley, and serve right away.

Notes

  • Don’t clean the pan before making the sauce, those browned bits add tons of flavor! 
  • This recipe makes plenty of sauce because we love it extra saucy!
  • Don’t brown the roux! Cook just enough to eliminate the raw flour taste.
  • Whisk in cold butter at the end to help emulsify the sauce and make it silky.
  • Use a fish spatula to keep those fragile fillets intact.

Nutrition

Calories: 977kcal | Carbohydrates: 34g | Protein: 61g | Fat: 67g | Saturated Fat: 29g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 6g | Monounsaturated Fat: 28g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 378mg | Sodium: 504mg | Potassium: 1027mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 1324IU | Vitamin C: 13mg | Calcium: 128mg | Iron: 4mg
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