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The main dish, French classic

Sole meunière with steamed potatoes

Sole meunière with steamed potatoes is a classic French fish dish for 6 people, needing 30 minutes of active work. The potatoes can be cooked that same morning, only the sole and the brown butter are finished right before serving. It is a moderately difficult dish, around €11.50 per person, and the trick is clarified butter that never burns.

The great classic of French dinner tables, sole meunière in brown butter with lemon, served with parsley steamed potatoes.

Sole meunière with steamed potatoes
For
6 people
Work
30 min
Total time
45 min
Prep
Prepared the same day
Difficulty
Medium
Cost per person
€11.50
Calories per person
520 kcalcalculated by Kiloach, your weight coach

Sole meunière is all about delicate, pearly fish under a crisp golden skin, finished with butter that has just turned the color and smell of toasted hazelnuts. Lemon cuts through the richness of the butter, and parsley adds a clean, green note. It fills the kitchen with a wonderful smell while you cook, and it impresses without being complicated once you know the technique.

It is the kind of dish you make for a slightly dressier dinner with friends, a Sunday family meal, or any occasion where you want to make an effort without spending the whole evening at the stove. The plain, parsley steamed potatoes keep the focus on the fish. Serve it in fall, winter, or spring, with something light before it and something fresh after.

The schedule

What happens when, so you can be with your guests instead of in the kitchen.

  1. The day before Nothing to do
  2. The same day 1 step
  3. Before the guests arrive 2 steps, 25 min
  4. When it's time to serve 3 steps, 13 min

In the morning, peel and cook the potatoes, then keep them covered. Right before guests arrive, set up the flour, parsley, lemon, and clarify the butter. At serving time, brown the sole in two pans, make the brown butter last, and serve right away with the potatoes warmed through in a little butter.

The ingredients

6 people

Fish counter

  • Sole, 350 g each, trimmed 6

Fruits and vegetables

  • Waxy potatoes 1.2 kg
  • Lemons 3
  • Flat leaf parsley 1 bunch

Dairy

  • Butter 150 g

Pantry

  • Flouroften in the pantry 5 tbsp
  • Neutral oiloften in the pantry 2 tbsp
  • Coarse saltoften in the pantry 1 tbsp
  • Saltoften in the pantry 1 pinch
  • Pepperoften in the pantry 1 pinch

Allergens Fish, Gluten, Lactose

The recipe, moment by moment

The same dayDuring the day, whenever you get a moment.

  1. Peel the potatoes and leave them whole or halved, in cold water.

    Keep them covered with water so they do not turn brown.

Before the guests arriveThe last hour, right before the doorbell rings.

  1. Steam or boil the potatoes in salted water until a knife slides through easily, then cover them. 25 min

    Start them in cold water that slowly comes to a boil, so they cook evenly.

  2. Chop the parsley, slice and halve the lemons, and set out a plate of flour. Clarify 100 g of butter over low heat and skim it.

    Clarified butter does not burn, it is the secret to a golden sole.

When it's time to serveThe final touches, right in front of your guests.

  1. Season the sole with salt and pepper, flour both sides and shake off the excess. Brown them in the clarified butter and oil, 4 to 5 minutes per side depending on size. 10 min

    Cook them two at a time in two pans, so they arrive hot together at the table.

  2. Brown the remaining butter in a small saucepan until it smells like hazelnuts, then add the lemon juice and parsley. 3 min

    Take it off the heat as soon as the butter turns hazelnut colored, a few extra seconds will make it bitter.

  3. Spoon the brown butter over the sole and serve with the parsley potatoes.

    Toss the potatoes in a little butter before serving so they shine.

Our tips to get it right

  • Pick sole of the same size so they all cook at the same pace in the pan.
  • Pat the sole completely dry before flouring them, any leftover moisture keeps the skin from turning properly golden.
  • Use two wide pans instead of one if your sole are large, so they have room to cook without overlapping.

The variations

  • Swap the sole for lemon sole or flounder, similar flat fish that cook the same way.
  • For a vegetarian version, spoon the same lemon brown butter over roasted celery root or cauliflower slices.
  • For kids, keep the fish plain with just a squeeze of lemon, and serve the brown butter on the side for the adults.

What to serve it with

  • A dry, mineral white wine
  • A simple green salad to start
  • A light vegetable soup as a starter

Storage

Cooked sole does not keep well, eat it the same day. Cooked potatoes keep for 2 days in the fridge in a sealed container, reheat them by steaming or pan frying. This dish does not freeze.

Questions about this recipe

Can the fishmonger prepare the sole ahead of time?

Yes, ask them to skin and trim the sole the same day you plan to cook them. All you will need to do is flour and pan fry them, which makes serving much easier.

Why clarify the butter to cook the sole?

Clarified butter has the milk solids removed, so it handles higher heat without burning or turning black. This is what gives the sole its deep golden, crisp skin.

How do you know when the brown butter is ready?

It turns a golden brown color and smells like toasted hazelnuts. Take the pan off the heat right away, since it keeps darkening and can turn bitter within seconds.

Can the sole be cooked ahead to save time?

No, the sole needs to be cooked right before serving to stay hot and crisp. Only the potatoes and the other prep steps can be done in advance.

Can a sole meunière with steamed potatoes be made ahead?

Yes, during the day. The recipe needs 30 min of work in total, split up like this, the same day, 1 step, before the guests arrive, 2 steps, when it's time to serve, 3 steps.

How long does it take to make a sole meunière with steamed potatoes?

Allow 45 min in total, including resting and cooking time, of which 30 min is actual work. The recipe is rated "medium".

How many calories are in a sole meunière with steamed potatoes?

About 520 kcal per person, for a recipe meant for 6 people. The calories are calculated by Kiloach, your kilo coach, the app that partners with Mon Chou.

How much does a sole meunière with steamed potatoes cost?

About €11.50 per person, that's €69.00 for 6 people, based on average supermarket prices.

What allergens does this recipe contain?

This recipe contains fish, gluten, lactose. Remember to ask your guests about their allergies before putting your menu together.

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