Grilled Blackened Dover Sole

This simple cast iron skillet Blackened Dover Sole is a fast (10 Minutes} and delicious dinner that will be a staple in your grilling cookbook!

We picked up some Dover Sole from Goldbelly.com where you order food from all over the United States and it is delivered overnight to your doorstep.

We had so much fun ordering seafood from Pikes Place Market as we are both native Washingtonians and it make us feel like home.

We know that if it is coming from Pikes Place, it is going to be some killer fish.

🐟 Ingredients

Dover Sole | This mild fish comes from Europe which jacks the price up a bit. It is a bit firmer as it will withstand grilling and flipping it even when it is so thin. It doesn’t fall apart yet not super firm like a halibut.

Blackening Seasoning | We chose to use the Marketspice Blackened Red Fish that we received as a gift (once people start to realize that is what you obsess about, you get cool gifts like this!)

🔥 Instructions

Step One: Set up the grill on direct heat at 400 degrees.

Step Two: Add the blackening seasoning to a large Ziplock bag and then add the fillet. Shake it up to fully cover the fish. If you end up with super thin fillets like we did, it will take more than a ¼ cup to cover both sides.

If you want a little bit of a milder blackened taste, simply sprinkle on the seasoning rather than tossing it in the bag like it’s shake -n- bake.

Step Three: Add a couple of tablespoons of olive oil to the cast iron skillet and let it heat up. If you’re new to grilling with a cast iron skillet, check out all of our tips here.

Note: You know it is ready for the fish when a drop of water in the skillet will pop and bubble.

Step Four: Gently add the fillet and let it cook for one to four minutes, depending on the thickness of the fish. Our fish is extremely thin so we cooked it 1 minute each side. If your sole is thicker, you may have to do a 3-4 minutes. That should give the seasoning enough time to darken significantly. Turn the fillet over and cook until the internal temperature reaches 145 degrees. That should be another three to four minutes.

❗ Expert Tips

Don’t add the fish until the skillet is up to temperature. Adding it too early runs the risk of the fish becoming oily as the fish will be soaking up the oil and then it won’t sear. Instead, you want the hot oil to sear and seal the seasonings.

Use direct heat on the grill. This is a time when a hot and fast grill will be your friend!

If you can’t grill this, you can make it inside on your stovetop. Follow the same recipe and cook on medium high heat. Check to make sure that a drop of water sizzles in the oil before adding the fish.

Sprinkle the seasoning on the fish if you want a less strong blackened seasoning.

If you want to tame down the heat of the blackened taste, add in a dash of brown sugar. The sweetness will offset the heat nicely.

Recipe FAQ

Related Recipes

Tried this recipe? Please leave a star ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating in the recipe card below and/or a review in the comments section further down the page. You can also stay in touch with me through social media by following me on Instagram, Pinterest, and Facebook!