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    Home » Fish & Seafood » Sole with a Light Creamy Shrimp Sauce

    Sole with a Light Creamy Shrimp Sauce

    Published: Apr 7, 2016 · Modified: Apr 20, 2022 by Linda Baker · This post may contain affiliate links

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    This recipe for Sole with a Light Creamy Shrimp Sauce is so ridiculously easy to make, and so delicious to eat, it's perfect for family, or company, any day of the week"

    sole with a light shrimp sauce

    The making of - Sole with a Light Creamy Shrimp Sauce

    or

    When good food wants to look bad

    I make this dish often. As I've said in previous posts when I send BB to the market to get some "salad" shrimp for our Butter Leaf Salad with Baby Shrimp and a Fresh Herb Dressing he always gets too much.

    But sometimes something that tastes really really good, doesn't always look all that good on the plate, or in a picture. And as I've also said in previous posts, I will probably ALWAYS be known more as a good cook than a good photographer. The first, for me, is so much easier than the second.

    A bit of a back backstory...This dish, or at least the sauce, is really based on food that I had as a child. When my mom and dad would go out for an "event" dinner, usually some sort of recognition of someone at my father's work, or an organization they belonged to, my mother would make a dish that was comprised of, canned tuna, cream sauce, capers served over white rice. I LOVED it. It was total comfort food to me.

    It also meant that we would be able to enjoy some sibling shenanigans that night. Yes, bonding moments.

    BB was not so much into, as he called it, chipped tuna on toast, but is a great lover of petrale sole. So as we are known to do when one gets married and tries to integrate two families' lives, two food cultures, two comfort food family recipes, I thought it was a perfect idea to put a cream sauce over the petrale sole. And since he seems to love those baby salad shrimp so much...let's add those to the mix.

    And it's a good mix.

    Trust me.

    Tasty, easy.

    INGREDIENTS NEEDED TO MAKE SOLE WITH A LIGHT CREAMY SHRIMP SAUCE

    • Fish Filets - Best if using Petrale sole. But you could also use snapper, tilapia, sea bass, or another thin white fish. Whatever you do use, do check for bones and remove them as necessary.
    • Baby shrimp - also called salad shrimp. Usually found behind the fish counter in your local market. Most of the time they are frozen but they are super easy to thaw. Best not to used canned shrimp as they don't hold up well.
    • Shallot - While shallots are best, you could substitute finely chopped red onion or regular yellow onion.
    • Low-fat Milk and Cream - I like to add a bit of heavy cream for added mouthfeel, however, you could use all low-fat (2%) milk. If you do this, you will need to add a bit more, about ½ teaspoon more, cornstarch. 
    • Chicken Broth - I make my own most of the time. If not, I buy a broth that contains no, or few, aromatics such as carrot, onion, and celery, as they make the broth taste too soup-like.
    • Capers - The immature, dark green flower buds of the caper bush. Use non-pareil which is a small caper. The smaller the caper, the more delicate in texture and flavor it is. These can be found in the condiment section of most supermarkets. Rinse before using to remove the vinegar used to preserve them if desired. 
    • White Vermouth, wine, or dry Sherry - I prefer vermouth as it has a consistent flavor profile and overall costs less than white wine. Do not use anything called "cooking wine". And don't worry about the kids, or even yourself if you don't consume alcohol. It all burns off.

    But Sole in Shrimp Sauce doesn't want to look beautiful. And since you eat with your eyes, as well as your tastebuds what do you do?

    sole with a light creamy shrimp sauce

    Well, you try to make it beautiful. You try as hard as you can think. Spoons, yes, added interest. Still not beautiful. How about a white napkin? Let's try a gold napkin. Better but no cigar. Candles? Yes - that looks really stupid.

    I really am trying to improve my photos, so I've been taking some online courses and practicing. And one of the things they tell you to do is to set up your shot well before you are going to take it.

    Set it up, they say. Think of your props. What is your story? Who is your hero? Get your aperture and your lighting needs to be established before taking a shot.

    So when we went to the market, thinking about dinner, and I saw the beautiful petrale sole filets, I thought, I know how I can make these look good. I'll pre-set up my shot.

    So I did.

    Wrote down all my details on my "flow chart" and then set off to cook my dinner.

    sole with a light creamy shrimp sauce

    Petrale sole is a very thin fish. It doesn't take any time at all to sauté and even on a warmed plate, it can go cold easily. And cold fish is not good fish. The cream sauce is not so good cold either. But I got it made, on a warmed platter, and into my new studio.

    In a hurry.

    Snap snap snap snap...photos were done, now let's eat!

    sole with a light creamy shrimp sauce

    Next day I review my photos.

    Really? After an hour of set-up, this is what you got?

    And wait. What's missing? Besides making you want to say yum?

    sole with a light creamy shrimp sauce

    Oh yeah, those serving pieces. Right there. In the shadows.

    Luckily I saved one of the best-looking pieces of fish and had put some of the sauce away for a possible lunch so after my photo review I re-set the shot and took enough photos of the dish until I found one that makes me stop and say...

    Yeah, I'd eat that.

    Sole with a Light Creamy Shrimp Sauce

    Sole with a Light Creamy Shrimp Sauce

    (What do you think? Maybe not beautiful but better?)

    And I will. Eat it again and again.

    I think you will too.

    Wine Recommendation: The cream in this recipe for Sole with a Light Creamy shrimp Sauce calls for something with a mellowness to it - a lightly oaked, slightly malolactic Chardonnay is a great choice. It would also work nicely with a Viognier.

    Like those Baby Shrimp in Sole with a Light Creamy Shrimp Sauce but want some bigger shrimp?

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    BBQ Shrimp Scampi with Garlic Spaghetti

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    Ginger Mint Grilled Shrimp

    Sole with a Light Creamy Shrimp Sauce

    Sole with a Light Creamy Shrimp Sauce

    LindySez
    “This recipe for Sole with a Light Creamy Shrimp Sauce is so ridiculously easy to make, and so delicious to eat, it’s perfect for family, or company, any day of the week”
    5 from 2 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 5 mins
    Cook Time 10 mins
    Total Time 15 mins
    Course Fish & Seafood, Main Course
    Cuisine American
    Servings 4 servings
    Calories 336 kcal

    Ingredients
      

    • 4 5 - 6 ounce Petrale Sole filets, or other thin white fish
    • Salt and freshly ground pepper
    • ¼ cup about all-purpose flour
    • 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil plus 1 teaspoon unsalted butter
    • For the Light Creamy Shrimp Sauce
    • ¼ cup finely minced shallot
    • 1 tablespoon butter
    • ¾ cup 2% low-fat milk
    • ¼ cup heavy cream
    • ¼ cup chicken broth
    • ¼ cup dry white vermouth or dry white wine, or dry sherry
    • 2 - 3 tablespoons capers rinsed
    • 1 tablespoon minced fresh tarragon if available
    • 2 teaspoons cornstarch mixed with 3 tablespoons water or broth
    • ¼ pound pre-cooked baby bay also known as salad shrimp
    • Salt and freshly ground white works best here pepper
    • Minced fresh parsley for serving if desired

    Instructions
     

    • Season the fish on both sides with salt and freshly ground pepper. Lightly dust with flour. Heat the oil and butter together in a skillet big enough to hold the fish, over medium-high heat; add the filets and cook, carefully turning once, until cooked through, about 2 - 3 minutes. Keep warm.
    • Meanwhile, melt the butter over medium heat in a saucepan and add the shallot and sauté 2 - 3 minutes or until soft. Add the milk, cream, broth, and wine, bring to a simmer, then add the capers. While simmering, slowly add the mix of cornstarch and water (also called a "slurry") and stir until it comes to the sauce consistency you prefer - from thin to thick - then gently stir in the shrimp. Cook for 1 - 2 minutes, or until the shrimp are hot. Taste and adjust for seasoning. 
    • Place a serving of fish on a heated plate, spoon the sauce over and sprinkle with parsley, if desired.

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1 servingSodium: 729mgSugar: 6gFiber: 1gCholesterol: 80mgCalories: 336kcalPolyunsaturated Fat: 8gSaturated Fat: 7gFat: 17gProtein: 20gCarbohydrates: 16g
    Keyword baby shrimp, easy fish dinner, light cream sauce, salad shrimp, sole
    Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. CVK

      April 22, 2016 at 10:21 am

      Super clear instructions for one tasty looking sauce! Thanks for sharing this!! - LEVAN

      Reply
      • LindySez

        April 22, 2016 at 12:02 pm

        Thanks for stopping by. The sauce is so easy and tasty.

        Reply
    2. Gwen @simplyhealthyfamily

      April 22, 2016 at 10:49 am

      I adore this seafood dish! Sounds wonderful, thanks for the wine recommendTions

      Reply
    3. Molly Kumar

      April 22, 2016 at 11:09 am

      What a beautiful looking preperation and has two of my fav ingredients - Sole fish & shrimp. I could eat 2 of those right away - Yummm

      Reply
      • LindySez

        April 22, 2016 at 12:03 pm

        And being that it's low-fat, you almost could eat 2 LOL...thanks for stopping by. Cheers!

        Reply
    4. Swayan

      April 22, 2016 at 11:36 am

      This looks lovely! And sole is such a good fish to have..

      Reply
    5. Gemma

      September 24, 2020 at 5:38 am

      Delicious! Husband asked for a repeat performance,a great compliment.

      Reply
      • LindySez

        September 24, 2020 at 9:12 am

        Always good to hear it was a hit...one of my hubs favs too! Cheers ~>Lindy

        Reply
    6. Carolyn

      April 18, 2021 at 7:50 pm

      Love the ingredient list and cooking instructions. A big chore to read through all the stuff before.

      Reply
      • LindySez

        April 19, 2021 at 9:37 am

        Hi Carolyn, We call that the ability to scroll! You don't have to read "all that stuff before" it's there for me as much as a memory, I do need to keep this free recipe site interesting for me, as well as a hopefully delicious recipe for you. So feel free to scroll away. I won't be offended. But I do hope you enjoyed the recipe. Cheers ~ Lindy

        Reply

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    Hi, I'm Lindy.

    I am a home-trained chef who loves to cook and eat delicious food. As I like to say, "Life is too short to eat mediocre food". And I find too much food out there is mediocre. I don't think good food needs to be fussy, or difficult to prepare. Most of my recipes are fresh, quick, easy, and tasty while keeping both calories and fats in check. 

    More about me →

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