Baked Chilean Sea Bass
Tender and flaky with bold flavors, this Chilean Sea Bass Recipe with Basil Pesto is a quick and easy weeknight dinner. It's made with just 7 ingredients and comes together in 20 minutes! And feel free to swap in any meaty white fish, like halibut or cod.
Servings: 6 people (up to)
Ingredients
- 2 pounds Chilean sea bass (or another white fish fillet of your choice, thawed if perviously frozen)
- Extra virgin olive oil
- Kosher salt
- Black pepper
- 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes or 2 teaspoons Aleppo pepper
- 1-2 lemons, halved
- 1/4 cup basil pesto (homemade or store bought), plus more to your liking
- 1 cup grape tomatoes, halved (optional)
Instructions
- Get ready. Position a rack in the middle of your oven and preheat o 425°F. Lightly oil a large baking pan.
- Season the fish. Put the fish in the prepared baking pan and drizzle with olive oil. Season all over with salt, pepper, and chili flakes or Aleppo pepper. Cover the baking pan tightly with foil, tenting the foil so it does not touch the fish.
- Bake the fish. Bake in the heated oven for 12 to 15 minutes, or until the thickest part of the fish flakes easily.
- Meanwhile, char the lemon. Heat a grill pan over medium-high heat. Add the lemons with the cut side down. Sear briefly until the lemons soften and char a bit (about 2 minutes or so). Remove from heat and set aside.
- Finish and serve. When the fish is ready, remove it from the oven, uncover, and immediately squeeze one of the grilled lemon halves all over the fish. Spread the basil pesto on top. If using, toss the grape tomatoes with a pinch of salt and a drizzle of olive oil and arrange over the fish as a garnish. Serve immediately, with the remaining lemon on the side for squeezing.
Video
Notes
- Shop this recipe: Visit our shop to browse quality Mediterranean ingredients, including the olive oil and Aleppo pepper used in this recipe.
- Other white fish options: Striped sea bass, halibut, haddock, or cod.
- How do you know if the fish is fully cooked? The fish is ready when you pull back with a fork in the center and it flakes easily. Its internal temperature should register at around 145 degrees F. Remember that the fish will continue to cook for a little while after you take it out of the oven.
- Leftovers & storage: Store leftover cooked fish in a tightly closed container for up to 2 days. It’s best not to reheat the fish and simply serve it cold or at room temperature over a salad of your choice (you can use the example of this salmon salad recipe).
Nutrition
Calories: 286.6kcal | Carbohydrates: 2.7g | Protein: 18.1g | Fat: 22.7g | Saturated Fat: 4.8g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.04g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0.01g | Cholesterol: 67.4mg | Sodium: 273.4mg | Potassium: 31.4mg | Fiber: 0.8g | Sugar: 0.8g | Vitamin A: 613.5IU | Vitamin C: 9.5mg | Calcium: 22.5mg | Iron: 0.2mg
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