There’s something about baked fish dinners that always wins. They’re easy, quick, light and super delicious! Today’s oven baked fish is loaded with flavors of the Mediterranean and it’s a simplified version of a family classic.
There’s something about fish and seafood that makes for a bright, healthy and light dinner in MINUTES! Like literally! Our favorite Mediterranean style meals would always include fish or lamb. Along with fresh simple ingredients, you got yourself a winner dinner!
Try our Black Cod Recipe in French style beurre blanc or creamy lemon sauce. You’ll LOVE how luscious it is! Shrimp Pasta is a top crowd pleaser and it’s ready in 15 minutes! Miso Salmon is a twist on the classic Miso Cod and OH SO worth it! Seared Ahi Tuna
Looking for fancier seafood dinners? Our Lobster Risotto, Lobster Bisque or Butter Poached Lobster is for YOU! Chilean Sea Bass Recipe is restaurant quality, but seriously easier than ever!
How to Cook Scallops tutorial is for beginners with baked and seared scallops. How To Cook Crab Legs is also a tutorial on 4 different ways to perfect crabs.
Why You’ll Love Baked Fish Recipe
If you’ve been following me on Instagram, you’ll notice there’s been a bang around my Grandpa’s recipes. He was quite the creative cook, however he was quite the messy cook too. And because of that, my grandma didn’t allow him in the kitchen.
So the very few recipes I managed to save from him are the ones I make so very often. This baked fish recipe is similar to one he made.
The trick to making his baked fish crispy and succulent at the same time, is to preheat the baking pan (with sauce or just olive oil) before adding the fish.
So while my grandpa used to make a spicy tomato and olive sauce, heat the sauce up in a baking dish then carefully place the fish over the hot sauce before baking. I opted for using fresh tomatoes, whole olives and garlic instead of making them into a sauce.
Another trick is I preheat the baking pan with the olive oil in the oven before adding on my fish and other ingredients. This creates an instant sear on the fish and helps the garlic, olives, herbs and tomatoes flavors burst immediately into the pan!
Now let’s break down this recipe and tips on baking fish so you can make this in a breeze!
What’s The Best Way to Cook Fish?
There are so many ways to cook fish, like so so many! And while I have plenty of fish recipes here on the blog, you’ll notice the majority of them are either baked or broiled.
Here’s why I love cooking fish in the oven
- It’s easy because the oven does all the work for you.
- You don’t need to struggle with flipping the fish on a skillet and worry about it sticking or breaking apart (especially fillets).
- You can turn baked fish into a saucy fish with just a few ingredients around the fish.
- The fish comes out succulent and tender.
- It’s versatile and you can play around with herbs, toppings, sauce ingredients to make the dish differently each time.
- Any type of fish works (whole or fillet), white fish or salmon or shrimp or any!
- You can assemble the dish in advance and keep it i the fridge, and bake it the day you’re serving it.
Now let’s get on to the recipe!
How to Bake Fish
First of all, start by gathering your ingredients and preheating the oven to 450 degrees F.
You’ll want to get the pan with the olive oil preheating in the oven.
Season the fish with salt, pepper and chilli flakes.
When the pan is heated enough, add in the garlic, herbs, tomatoes and fish.
They will sizzle right away which means the flavors will start to infuse the dish!
Pick your favorite variety of Mezzetta olives and throw them around the fish.
Top the fish with some Mezetta tamed jalapeño slices and capers.
Place the pan back in the oven.
How Long To Bake Fish?
This is probably the most common question I get about baking fish. And the truth is, it depends not he type of fish, the thickness of your fish fillet, the size of it, and also if you’re looking for a sauce in your dish.
Another thing to consider is also if you’re preheating the oven fish like I did today. This helps the fish cook faster.
In general, fish fillets such as these haddock pieces which are about 3/4th of an inch thick and 2 1/2 inch long will cook in 15 minutes in the oven.
A whole salmon fillet (which is also a great choice for this recipe!) will need 30 minutes to cook through.
What is the Best fish for Baking?
I love baking fish and I’ve had success baking all types of fish, from white fillets such as tilapia, haddock, halibut to salmon, to shrimp. Also love baking whole fish (bone in) the same way.
What Temperature do you Bake Fish at?
When you cook fish in the oven you basically have three choices.
- You can choose to broil the fish ( broiled salmon recipe here). Boiling is at a high temperature, heat on the top only and very close to the fish. Broiling is the fastest way to cook fish.
- You can bake such as today’s recipe and more recipes here. Baking is usually at 350-375 degrees and it’s ideal when you’re creating flavors around the fish such as with today’s ingredients.
- And finally you can slow roast. Slow roasting is usually below 350 degrees. so anywhere between 275-325 degrees and this is ideal for super tender fish that you’re afraid to dry out. Slow roasting also creates a fair amount of sauce.
Is it better to bake fish covered or uncovered?
This is a tricky one and will depend on what you’re looking for in your fish. Covering the fish creates a steam within the dish which ensures a super moist environment and hence a super moist fish.
However, the steam environment takes away the crips texture and some of the flavor. So I rarely cover my fish because I love a crips texture and I want the max flavor of fish to shine. Instead, to ensure succulent and tender fish without covering, I keep an eye at the oven and make sure not to overcook my fish.
How to Serve Baked Fish?
My best tip once the fish is out of the oven is to grab that flavor packed olive oil around the fish and drizzle it over and over the fish.
This is the olive oil loaded with garlic, herbs, tomatoes and Mezzetta olives! Imagine the flavors!
Keep on drizzling that oil and use a nice crusty baguette to mop it from the dish! It’s really so so good!
Also you can serve this Mediterranean dish with a side of rice, pasta, or even salad. It’s a dinner favroite and crowd pleaser! Make this for a crowd —it’s such a fun way to entertain!
Since you’re all loving this recipe, try this Baked Fish Recipe as well! SO GOOD!
Tips For Mediterranean Baked Fish
- Preheat the baking dish for quicker cooking.
- Infuse flavors in your fish and baking dish by using quality products such as Mezzetta!
- Start off the fish at high temperature and then drop the temperature to ensure the fish cooks all the way through and remains moist.
- If you want melt in your mouth fish, cover the dish with foil. However you won’t have a crispy texture.
- Once the fish is out, drizzle the flavor packed olive oil over the fish and serve with crusty bread!
- To prepare the dish in advance, you’ll need to assemble everything (without preheating the pan) and place it in the fridge until ready to bake. Bake the pan for an extra 10 minutes.
- ENJOY!!
FISH RECIPES
Pesto Pistachio Fish Fillet
Grilled Halibut
Maple Glazed Salmon
Lime shrimp
Grilled Halibut
Baked Mahi Mahi
Pan Seared Cod
Air Fryer Salmon Bites
Cajun Pasta
Honey Glazed Salmon
30 Mins Mexican Tilapia Fish Dinner
Baked Salmon With Greek Dressing
Fish Fry
Mediterranean Baked Fish
Ingredients
- 1/3 cup olive oil
- 4 garlic cloves sliced
- 6 sprigs fresh thyme
- 1 1/2 cup baby tomatoes whole
- 4 Pieces of Haddock fillets
- 1/4 teaspoon salt and pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon chilli flakes optional
- -1 cup Mezzetta Olives a variety of your choice or just one type
- 1/4 cup Mezzetta sliced jalapeños
- 2 teaspoons Mezzetta capers drained
Instructions
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Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.
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Place the baking dish with the olive oil in the oven to preheat for 6-8 minutes.
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In the meantime season your fish with salt, pepper and chilli flakes.
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Once the pan is preheated, immediately add in the garlic slices, half of the thyme sprigs, the tomatoes, fish fillets, and Mezzetta olives.
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They will sizzle slightly and the aromas will begin to infuse.
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Continue by topping the fish with Mezzetta sliced jalapeños and capers.
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Drop the oven to 375 degrees and bake the fish for 15-18 minutes depending on the size of your fillets.
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If you want a charred look to your fish, switch to broil after 15 minutes of baking and broil for 2 minutes.
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Once the fish is ready, take the flavorful olive oil around the fish and drizzle it over the fish.
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Garnish with the remaining fresh thyme sprigs and enjoy!
Recipe Notes
TIPS FOR OVEN BAKED FISH
- Preheat the baking dish for quicker cooking.
- Infuse flavors in your fish and baking dish by using quality products such as Mezzetta!
- Start off the fish at high temperature and then drop the temperature to ensure the fish cooks all the way through and remains moist.
- If you want melt in your mouth fish, cover the dish with foil. However you won't have a crispy texture.
- Once the fish is out, drizzle the flavor packed olive oil over the fish and serve with crusty bread!
- To prepare the dish in advance, you’ll need to assemble everything (without preheating the pan) and place it in the fridge until ready to bake.
- Bake the pan for an extra 10 minutes.
- ENJOY!!
I made this with grouper and it was delicious. I didn’t have jalapeño so I used banana peppers-they were too thin and burnt. When I make this again I would add Bpeppers at the very end of cooking time. I served it over polenta…rave reviews from hubby!
Can I use smoked black cod ?
Can I make this with flounder or tilapia?
I love the baking dish in this recipe, what is it???
Excellent recipe! I used whole black sea bass, added grilled artichoke hearts and lemon. I will definitely be using this recipe again! Thank you!
Can I omit the olives and jalapeños without it tasting differently
This is brilliant, delish recipe. I’ve made this so many times since finding it. Thanks for your creativity!!!!!!
. I was fortunate to find this recipe at the perfect time. My brother in law was visiting and he is a very healthy and picky eater. I was also at a point where I really wanted to find a new and delicious fish recipe. This recipe did not disappoint. It was absolutely delicious, everyone clean their plates. Thank you for sharing such a delicious recipe
What a great recipe! So delicious, and just one baking dish :). I added some canned artichoke hearts to the pan, and served with quinoa and steamed broccoli. This will be my go-to method for any fish I can find fresh, or get frozen from the supermarket. Thank you!
I made this with thick slices of hake. I skipped the pickled peppers, because I didn’t have any. And I increased the cherry tomatoes because I had some extras that I wanted to use them up. The sauce that was created from the good EVOO and all of the tasty ingredients were just perfect for dunking crusty chunks of bread. This dish is going in my rotation! It’s a cold and rainy evening in California but my husband and children all agreed that this dish transported us to a sunny Mediterranean island. Thanks for a super delicious recipe!
This was SO good! Definitely restaurant quality! I served it with couscous and it was perfection on a plate!
Just curious about your baking dish…..where does one find such a treasure?!
This was so easy, and so delicious! It will definitely be on the menu often. I used rockfish, which was a thinner than a cut of cod, so it was done sooner, and the tomatoes and the rest weren’t browned at all. I had to use an aluminum pan, which chilled rapidly when I removed it, so maybe that had something to do with it. I added a few slices of preserved lemon, and a few strips of sun dried tomatoes. Despite the quirks it was still just wonderful. I hope this encourages others to adapt to what they have, because it’s worth it! Thank you~
This recipe was amazing. I added artichoke hearts as well. I think Pine Nuts would be good too, Very tasty & light. I think this could be used for any white fish.
Oh my goodness
This is sooo simple, but full of wonder flavors. Thank you for this great recipe. Hubby approved.
Mahy, this was so delicious!! I assembled the ingredients, preheated the pan, opened the oven and found that the element had died. Cold oven. I put the broiler on high and added the pan with the oil. watched it carefully until it started to smoke, then preceded with layering. Carefully laying the fish so it didn’t splatter. I changed the heat to low broil. It was done fairly quickly, the tomatoes were amazing, the olives a briny pop, the fish was flaky, the sauce! oh the sauce! I poured it into a little skillet and reduced it by half. I had been heating some riced cauliflower with olive oil and I poured some of the sauce in. My oh my! the BEST cauliflower rice we’ve ever had. If you haven’t, you should develop it. The only thing I changed was to season the fish with Szeged Fish rub. It’s my go to spice for fish. We will definitely be having this many more times… we might even use the oven!!
This is great. We are always looking for new fish recipes.
Made this with Tilapia, omitted the capers and added a sprinkle of crumbled feta. Served over brown rice/quinoa mix. Loved it!!
This recipe is delicious. I did use hot banana peppers instead of jalapeños. I pared with risotto and fresh carrots, yellow and green beans. Thank you for sharing.
I am always trying new recipes. This is one we loved! We only have one other fish recipe (salmon) we love. We serve it with Lund blend wild/brown rice. I grow fresh herbs so we can throw a few of those in. Thanks for such an easy great recipe!
I have been trying to expand my seafood repertoire because my teenage son isn’t a huge fan of fish, and a lot of the options at the fish counter have gotten pretty pricey. I was a little skeptical of using haddock since my main recollection of this fish is my dad buying frozen fillets 30 years ago that were so lifeless and fishy, but this recipe was AMAZING. I followed your instructions to the letter, except I used Mezzetta peperoncini instead of jalapenos. I served it over Seeds of Change 7 whole grains with a side of steamed broccoli – all that herb-infused oil seeping through the rice was delicious, and everyone at the table cleaned their plates! Also loved how quick this was to throw together and cook – I am always skeptical of the prep/cook times on recipes because I feel like it takes me 3 times longer than the stated time to assemble all my ingredients, but I had a beautiful restaurant-quality dinner on the table in 30 minutes. This will be a permanent addition to my rotation!
Thanks so much for making and sharing! I am so happy you enjoyed this!! 🙂
I made this dish for our entire extended family tonight and EVERYONE loved it!
Thank you for sharing, we will all be making this again soon.
So happy you enjoyed this! Thanks for making and sharing
In my opinion this recipe needs some adjustments. I made it as is and the tomatoes did not soften as expected. If I make this next time, I would cook all the ingredients for about 15-20 minutes before adding the fish. That way there would be la lively sauce to sop up with crusty bread.
Can I use Chilean sea bass for this recipe?
yes absolutely Anne
How much would you adjust the cooking time if you went with a sea bass?
This was super easy to prepare and my husband and I really enjoyed it.
So happy you enjoyed it!! 🙂
Delicious recipe and fast to assemble and cook. Will we making this again real soon!
This was hands down the best recipe ever! OMG the flavors were insane. Used a simple cod fillet and didn’t have jalapenos but followed the rest of the recipe and it was super incredible! I think I might have to make this again tonight! Thank you for sharing! 5 star recipe for sure!
Yaaaaaay!!! Thanks for sharing!!!
I’m so glad I tried this recipe! My husband now requests it at least twice a month! I love how easy it is to put together and the flavors were amazing!!! We love olives and peppers so we have tried it with several combinations- all delicious. Thanks so much for sharing such a great recipe- it will continue to be a loved one here!
Just found this recipe and made it tonight. Used cod filets. Switched up some flavors but stayed Mediterranean. Added artichokes and Roasted red peppers. Stayed away from spicy as Hubby can’t tolerate. He loved it! It is in our top 10 rotation! Thank you!!
We used Wild caught Alasksn Cod and added a jar of artichokes but eliminated the jalepenos- yummy!
I made this lastnite , doubled the recipe for left overs tonight The flavors were even better tonight!! I made fettuccine to serve it over Thanks so much !So scrumptious!!
Yaay!! So glad you loved this! I also love serving this over pasta!! 🙂
Love your roasting pan. Who makes it and where can I get one?
Thanks
Hi! Will be making this for dinner tonight. Would you recommend using green or black olives for this dish? Thank you!
Hi Sana, it really depends on your favorite type and brand of olives! I would do a combo if you cant decide or personally I would go with green 🙂 But that’s again a personal choice because I prefer green olives 🙂
I love this fish. So delicious. Also very easy to make. Thank you for sharing
Thank you for making and sharing Bridget!!
Very delicious, very easy! I will be making this often. Thanks for the great recipe!
Thank you Susan for making and sharing!! 🙂
I made this for dinner tonight a d it was AMAZING!!! The brine of the olives &capers were delicious with the fresh haddock!!! Thanks so much- this will be something we make often!!!
This dish is the absolute BOMB. Even my fish-hating (husband loves it and asks for it once a week.
Yummy! My daughter and I love this recipe! I can’t wait to make this recipe again soon! So delicious and tasty!
Just made this tonight and was absolutely delicious! Full of flavour and easy to make plus it looks really nice too. Will definitely make again!
So happy You liked those Carolyn!
I love all the flavors here. A flavorful healthy dish is a big win!
This is so gorgeous and love all those Mezzetta additions. Going to try this with cod tonight since that’s what I have on hand!
I love that this dish is not only easy to make but impressive as well. So delicious!
This baked fish is so simple but so tasty!
I like it. I love fish dishes. It is so nutritious and delicious. Your recipe is simple and easy to make. I followed it and I had a great meal. Can you write more articles about dishes with fish?
Thanks so much Jack! And thanks for the kind words!
What a healthy and flavorful dish!! This is absolutely perfect for an easy weeknight dinner!
Thanks Anjali!
Wow! This fish dish has such great flavors and so simple to prepare. I’ll be making this again in the future for sure.
Thanks Anita! So happy you liked it!
This is something my husband will absolutely love! He is a big fan of olives
I hope he likes it!
Absolutely delicious! Thanks for this recipe- yet another awesome way to convince us to eat more fish.
So happy you liked this Kylie!