Loaded with bright Mediterranean flavors, this baked white fish is seasoned with oregano and garlic and a mixture of tomatoes, olives, and red onions. Ready in about 25 minutes! Be sure to check out my fish tips and the video for how to make this recipe below!
Baked white fish is one of the easiest and fastest dinners you can make on a busy weeknight.
This simple recipe is featured in my roundup of 25+ fish recipes anyone can make! Here, the fish fillet takes on a tasty mixture of tomatoes, olives, garlic and red onions, which bathes the fish with fresh and bright Mediterranean flavors. Best part, it takes only 15 minutes or so in a high-heated oven!
Serve it with lemon rice, couscous or your favorite grain + a big salad like Greek salad or even black eyed pea salad.
If you're new to cooking fish, let's cover a few basics and some tips...
What is white fish?
When a recipe calls for white fish, what kind of fish should you buy? Unlike a rich and oily fish such as salmon or tuna, white fish refers to mildly flavored fish that has a subtle hint of sweetness and colorless, flaky flesh. It is readily available wherever you travel. If you've had fish-n-chips at a local restaurant, you've had white fish.
Cod, halibut, grouper, snapper, sea bass, and haddock are all examples of white fish, and any of them will work in this recipe as long as you are working with a fillet.
A few tips for buying fish
Buying fish can be intimidating if you haven't done it often. But whether you're a beginner or an experienced chef, it is never a bad idea to ask your fishmonger for recommendations, tell them what you're making and they will guide you. And they can also typically advice you on the freshness and quality of the fish.
Generally speaking, look for white fish that is firm-fleshed and the color should be translucent to light pink. To me, one of the giveaways is how your fish smells. It should not have a terribly strong odor.
Do not discount frozen fish. Frozen wild fish that is processed fresh and flash frozen can be a great option. The fish should be frozen solid (no trace of liquid), and check the label for additives. This Washington Post Article talks about sodium tripolyphosphate, which is a chemical that is used to retain moisture of the frozen fish. It also adds weight, essentially increasing your cost and decreasing your experience.
Baked White Fish: Step-by-Step
(print-friendly recipe below)
Like I said, this is one of the easiest dinners you'll make. There really are three main steps to making this Mediterranean fish recipe: season the fish fillet, add the tomato and olives mixture, and bake! Here is how it goes, step-by-step (and you can also watch the video below in the recipe card):
- Season the fish
Pat your fish dry and season with kosher salt and black pepper on both sides. Squeeze a little lemon juice on top.
- Make the tomato and olive mixture
In a bowl, combine halved cherry tomatoes (about 8 ounces), chopped olives, and minced red onion. Add a pinch of kosher salt and black pepper, and more of the thyme, oregano and garlic. Drizzle a bit of extra virgin olive oil and toss to combine. - Assemble and bake
Top the white fish fillet with the tomato and olive mixture and bake in a 425 degrees F heated-oven for about 15 minutes or until the fish flakes easily.
How can you tell if your fish is cooked?
Fish cooks quickly. Whether you're making salmon, baked cod, or halibut, it's important to pull the fish out of the oven at the right time so it does not overcook and become too dry.
In the case of baked white fish, it will take about 15 minutes or so to bake at 425 degrees F. This will somewhat depend on how thick the fish is, so you can start checking a little bit earlier. Stick a fork in the thickest part of the fish and gently twist it, it should flake easily and the flesh should look white rather than a greyish opaque (which is what it looks like raw).
More easy fish recipes to try
Mediterranean Lemon-Garlic Haddock
Greek shrimp with tomatoes and feta
Craving more? Browse our fish recipes, top Mediterranean diet recipes, or all Mediterranean Recipes
Visit Our Shop to browse quality Mediterranean ingredients including olive oils and spices!
Mediterranean Baked White Fish
Ingredients
- 1 ½ lb white fish fillet such as cod or halibut, (1 to 1 ½ in thickness)
- Kosher salt and ground black pepper
- Extra virgin olive oil
- Juice of ½ lemon more for later
- 8 ounces cherry tomatoes, halved
- 3 ounces pitted olives, halved (I used a combination of kalamata olives and green olives)
- 3 tablespoons minced red onion
- 4 to 5 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
- 2 teaspoons dried oregano
Instructions
- Heat the oven to 425 degrees F.
- Pat the fish dry and season with salt and pepper on both sides. Brush a 9 ½ x 13-inch baking dish with a little extra virgin olive oil and put the fish in it. Squeeze ½ lemon juice all over the top of the fish.
- In a medium mixing bowl, combine the tomatoes, olives, onions, garlic and spices. Add a very small pinch of salt and ground pepper. Add a generous drizzle (about 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil) toss to combine.
- Pour the tomato and olive mixture over the fish.
- Bake in the heated oven for 15 to 20 minutes (this will depend on the thickness of your fish).
- Remove from the heat and serve.
Video
Notes
- Remember that fish cooks quickly. You can begin to check if the fish is done before the 15-minute mark. Carefully insert a fork at the thickest part of the fish and twist gently, the fish is ready when it flakes easily.
- Serve with lemon rice, couscous, or your favorite grain. Try adding a big salad as well.
- Visit Our Shop to browse quality Mediterranean ingredients including extra virgin olive oils and spices.
This is amazing. The olives are such a delicious addition. I served it with orzo and it was a beautiful dish. I will make this many times. Thank you for all the great recipes.
So glad you enjoyed it, Helen!
We are really enjoying your easy approach to making healthy fresh and satisfying meals. We just started introducing fish and chicken back into our diet and absolutely love how veggie friendly your recipes are. Just had the white fish With olives and tomatoes. Wow! So flavourful!
Thanks, Joan!
Made it with haddock and dried spices, and I didn't have red so I used white onion. Bravissimo!! Served fish with your recipe for tzatziki and threw some fresh green beans into brown rice and almonds cooked in brown butter. Such an elegant meal! Thank you so much for sharing your recipe!
What an amazing meal. I will definitely make this again. My husband doesn't like olives, or so he says. I chopped them really fine and he loved the meal. I added some fresh spinach simply because I have a huge bag of it from Costco. Served it with some whole wheat spaghetti tossed in garlic and olive oil. This would have set us back over $30 in a restaurant. Yet this was so quick and easy. Thank you for sharing this and all your other delicious recipes.
You are very welcome, Kathrin! Thanks so much for giving this one a try!
Made this with flounder and it was delicious! Will definitely be adding this into my weekly rotation!
Wonderful! Thanks, Denise!
Hi , yesterday I cook and yes very delicious
Thanks, Virgie!
Made this with halibut and it was amazing. I plan on trying many more recipes ❤
I love hearing that! Thanks, Amy!
I made this with halibut and adapted the ingredients to serve one as it’s just me. I’ll probably use more tomatoes next time. The recipe is simple, quick, and easy, and yes, delicious.
I love your recipes and appreciate the tips and videos. I often share your recipes with my daughter in Colorado who always appreciates a new dish with few ingredients. Her husband is Greek (half), so she loves being able to cook these Mediterranean recipes for him.
The products I’ve bought from your store are fantastic. The EVOO is first rate in taste and aroma.
Sorry, didn’t intend to write a short story.
I am so glad to hear it, Martha!! Thank you so much for taking the time so share!
My package of frozen fish says cook from frozen. Can I cook the fish from frozen in this recipe or does it need to be thawed? Thank you.
Hi, Jenn! I like to thaw the fish first for this one. enjoy!
This sounds amazing, I'm looking into trying it w/whole fish.
I love, love this recipe! It took some main ingredients I've made in the past, but took it to another level with the yummy medley of olives, oregano, tomatoes, and red onions. I made it with Tilapia and a side of couscous, following your recipe and the pairing was excellent! I always cook for one, but this made enough for a nice lunch the next day. Thank you so much for the bright recipes and cheerful videos!
Thank you for the kind words, Renee! So glad you loved this one!
Very simple and quick to make thanks for the great recipe.
Awesome, Sarah! Thanks for trying it!
Thank you Suzy for posting such tasty recipes. I made this yesterday & everyone loved it. I added some chickpeas & I served it with couscous. Everything I made from here has been wonderful & I cant wait to try the next one!
Sounds fabulous, Stephanie! So glad you're enjoying the recipes you find here!
This was excellent! I love your recipes because they inspire me to combine flavors that I would not have thought of, This is the best fish I have made in a very long time!
Thanks so much, Wilhelmina!
Thanks for the tips about what to look for in the fish when buying. I no longer feel like I'm just taking a chance at getting the right piece. Can't wait to dig into this for dinner.
So incredibly flavorful!! Absolutely love this recipe as it's the perfect healthy dinner. Can't wait to make it again!