This whole sea bass recipe is a keeper that exhibits the traits of fine dining at its best. Imagine that! I have been working on getting it “right” for a while and it’s finally made the cut to share with you all. It is a quick and easy one pan baked fish dish and it is amazingly delicious and nutritious. The vinaigrette truly makes the flavor profile outstanding for our tastebud. I used it very generously but you can adjust if you are watching your calories. I have to plug the brilliance of topping off the recipe with the grated parmesan and pistachio nuts – it added such a delightful slight crunchy texture to the overall dish. We ate this fish down to the bones.
I hope you will make this dish and enjoy it as much as we do. Easy instructional video available for this recipe. Subscribe to YouTube. Happy Cooking!
Try this popular seafood recipe:
Baked Whole Sea Bass | with veggies and parmesan pistachio topping
This easy one pan baked fish with veggies makes for a great dinner recipe – suitable for any date night, holiday or weekend dinner.
Ingredients
- 2 pounds whole sea bass (2 fish about 1 pound each)
- 2 teaspoons sea salt (adjust for your diet)
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
For the vinaigrette:
- 1/4 cup lemon juice freshly squeezed
- 3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon oregano freshly chopped (some will be reserved for the veggies)
- 3 cloves garlic crushed (some will be reserved for the veggies)
For the vegetables:
- 5 plum tomatoes quartered
- 3 medium carrots peeled and diced 1/2 inch cubes
- 3 small idaho potatoes washed and diced 1/2 inch cubes
- 2 Jalapeño peppers seeds removed and diced
- 1 large onion peeled and thinly sliced
- 1 lemon halved and thinly sliced
- 2 teaspoons fresh rosemary roughly chopped
For the topping:
- 1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
- 1/2 cup roasted pistachio nuts finely ground
Instructions
Preheat oven 425F
Make the Vinaigrette:
-
In a measuring cup, pour in 1/4 cup lemon juice, 3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil, 1/4 of the crushed garlic and 2 teaspoons finely chopped oregano.
-
Mix together the 2 teaspoons salt and the 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper.
-
Add 1/4 teaspoon of the salt and pepper mixture to the cup (adjust to your taste).
-
Whisk the ingredients together until emulsified (creamy). Set aside.
Let's prepare the fish and assemble the veggies:
-
Line a 1/2 sheetpan with parchment paper.
-
Add the diced potatoes and carrots, the sliced onions, diced jalapeño and tomatoes. Pour some of the vinaigrette over the veggies. Mix to coat.
Note: I used 1/4 plus 1 tablespoon of the vinaigrette. Use enough to thoroughly coat the veggies.
-
Use a 1/4 of the remaining salt and pepper mixture to sprinkle on the veggies. Add the remaining crushed garlic, oregano and the chopped rosemary. Mix.
-
Cut two scores on each fish – see instruction video.
-
Season the fish with all of the remaining salt and pepper mixture.
-
Place the fish, cut side up, on top of the veggies. Drizzle up to 1 tablespoon vinaigrette all over each of the fish. Rub to coat the fish all over.
-
Use some of the sliced onions to stuff inside the fish cavities – don't over stuff. Add 2 to 3 slices of the lemon inside each fish cavity.
-
Add the grated Parmesan and ground pistachio nuts to a bowl. Mix to combine.
-
Spinkle about 1/2 of the cheese/nut mixture on top of the fish and add a little bit inside the cavity. Use the remaining mixture to sprinkle all over the veggies. Drizzle 1/2 to 1 tablespoon of the vinaigrette over the topping.
-
Bake the fish for 30 to 35 minutes until it comes out flakey.
Note: The internal temperature should reach 170 degree doneness.
-
Plate and serve the fish with the veggies. OPTIONAL: drizzle up to 1 tablespoon of the vinaigrette over the cooked fish. Enjoy.
Recipe Notes
The vinaigrette is more than you need for this recipe – I had about 1/4 cup left over. You will have leftover which can be stored for up to a week and use it on salads or marinate chicken. You can be as generous with the dressing as you want (or not).
The fish can serve 2 to 3 people depending on how big of an appetite – we had leftovers.
You can substitute branzino fish. You can also use fillet but will need to cook less time.
One Comment Add yours