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!

White fish topped with tomatoes and olives

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.

ingredients for Mediterranean baked white fish

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.

    tomato, olives, and onions mixture
  • 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.

    baked white fish in a baking dish, topped with tomatoes, olives and onions

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

Mediterranean-Style Fish Soup

Greek shrimp with tomatoes and feta

Easy Baked Cod

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!

4.87 from 272 votes

Mediterranean Baked White Fish

Suzy Karadsheh of The Mediterranean Dish. In the kitchenSuzy Karadsheh
White fish topped with tomatoes and olives
Loaded with bright Mediterranean flavors, this baked white fish takes is seasoned with oregano and garlic and topped with 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!
Prep – 10 minutes
Cook – 15 minutes
Cuisine:
Mediterranean
Serves – 6 people (up to)
Course:
Dinner

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

Nutrition

Calories: 128.3kcalCarbohydrates: 3.9gProtein: 21gFat: 3gSaturated Fat: 0.5gCholesterol: 48.8mgSodium: 286.8mgPotassium: 587.5mgFiber: 1.3gVitamin A: 353IUVitamin C: 12.6mgCalcium: 49.8mgIron: 1.2mg
Tried this recipe?

Share it with the world

I’m Suzy; born and bred right on the shores of the Mediterranean. I’m all about easy, healthy recipes with big Mediterranean flavors. Three values guide my cooking: eat with the seasons; use whole foods; and above all, share! So happy you’re here…
Learn More

Get our best recipes and all Things Mediterranean delivered to your inbox.
4.87 from 272 votes (170 ratings without comment)

Leave a comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

How many stars would you give this recipe?




This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Comments

  1. Lisa Brinkley says:

    5 stars
    This is an excellent recipe. Big hit with my parents. I used grape tomatoes and kept them whole. I liked how they burst in my mouth as I ate them.

  2. Trish says:

    5 stars
    No need to use oven when it’s too hot. Just simmer tomato mixture in skillet and place fish on t veg mixture and cover with lids until fish flakes. I do this often and also vary veg and find fennel or zucchini work well. Greek seasoning or Aleppo pepper also add flavor.

    1. TMD Team says:

      Thanks for sharing, Trish!

  3. Kristin says:

    5 stars
    Omg I made this, and it was insanely good. It is crazy that it is this easy to make with the flavor payoff.

    1. TMD Team says:

      Thanks so much for the great review, Kristin!

  4. Alex B says:

    5 stars
    Made this over the weekend- it was easy to prepare and turned out perfect! Thanks

  5. Ted says:

    5 stars
    Delicious, I added capers and a splash of white wine, served over capellini and finished with some crumbled feta, Yum.

  6. Mitch says:

    5 stars
    Excellent, easy, and healthy.

  7. Diane K (foodieforpeace) says:

    5 stars
    Delicious is an understatement on this dish! We enjoyed it last night, using cod and adding a can of quartered artichokes. I used black and pimento stuffed green olives. Vibrant, full of flavor and way too easy to prepare for the results you get. I served the dish with garlic bread. Will be in our rotation. Thanks so much!

  8. Dianne says:

    5 stars
    Delicious!!! Absolutely delicious!

  9. Louella Tan says:

    How many days can I keep this in the fridge? I am trying to meal plan.

  10. Louella Tan says:

    4 stars
    The recipe is easy to follow. I would just lessen the amount olives since it already overpowers the taste of the fish. I used halibut for this recipe.

  11. Gila says:

    Can this dish be premade and frozen?

    1. TMD Team says:

      Hi, Gila. We don’t recommend freezing this one as the flavor and texture can deteriorate over time.

  12. Linda says:

    5 stars
    I was stumped what to with our wild caught barramundi filets (tired of same Thai red curry or fish n chips) I came across this recipe and yep I had all the ingredients. It was such and easy delicious dish. My red onion I cut into thin wedges. I added chopped fresh vine ripened truss tomatoes ( didn’t have cherries) I added I chopped red capsicum some olives and strips of sun dried tomatoes. It was a spectacular and delicious meal. We had it over brown rice with steamed pumpkin on the side. Thank you for the recipe I would never have thought of it myself.

    1. TMD Team says:

      What a feast!! Thanks so much, Linda!

  13. Dushi says:

    Hi Suzy, this recipe looks great and I’m keen to try it. Do you think Moroccan or Israeli(pearl) couscous is best suited with this dish?

    1. TMD Team says:

      Hi, Dushi. Honestly, either would go well with this dish. Enjoy!

  14. DHiggs says:

    5 stars
    What an excellent dish and so incredibly easy. Packed with flavor. Will be keeping this on my rotation. I used fresh Monk Fish- just happened to be on sale at the local market. Thanks so much for such a wonderful recipe 😊

  15. Hazel R says:

    5 stars
    I am making this dish tonight and I know it is going to be delicious. I had a basic recipe in my head but wanted to boost it with more flavour and this recipe does it in spades! Thank you.

  16. vangie says:

    white fish recipe