Easy Mediterranean Baked Fish
This healthy Mediterranean baked fish dinner takes just 20 minutes from start to finish and is made with only 8 ingredients! It almost sounds too good to be true, doesn’t it?! Well, it’s not. It’s just another quick and easy dinner that your family is going to LOVE!
Instructions
This recipe starts with Wild Alaskan Pacific Cod. It’s the perfect mild, white fish for this fresh Mediterranean dish.
Place fish into a shallow baking dish. Combine olive oil with melted butter and pour it over the fillet.
Season the fish with coriander, paprika, salt and pepper. Then top it with lemon zest, sliced lemon, sliced garlic and capers.
Bake in a 400 degree oven for 15-20 minutes or until the thickest part flakes easily with a fork. Then garnish with a squeeze of fresh lemon juice and chopped cilantro.
Fish to Use
- cod
- haddock
- stripped bass
- mahi mahi
- grouper
You’ll Love This
- Did you see that ingredient list?? Only 8 ingredients! Talk about simple! This recipe is loaded with fresh Mediterranean flavors of olive oil, lemon, and capers. This combination enhances the mild white fish, while still allowing it to shine through as the star!
- A quick cook time of just 15 minutes means you can have a healthy, flavorful dinner on the table in no time at all! It takes only minutes to melt the butter, slice the garlic, and zest the lemon. Then it’s into the oven to poach the cod in that delicious oil and butter combo.
- It’s unexpected. This is not your run-of-the-mill baked fish dish. This Mediterranean fish is something your dinner guests have likely never made at home, which makes it a really fun dish to enjoy with friends and family!
Tips
- Butter makes everything better. And that is VERY true in this Mediterranean baked fish. If you only have olive oil on hand, feel free to sub that for the butter. However, the melted butter combined with the olive oil is going to give this fish the MOST decadent, melt in your mouth flavor and texture. So don’t skip it!
- Green olives are a great substitute for capers. I usually keep capers on hand because their briny bite is one of my favorite things to add to any fish or pasta dish. But in a pinch, green olives would be a great sub! I’d add slightly more green olives in this recipe to match the bold flavor that the capers deliver.
- Don’t overcook the fish! This seems like a no-brainer, but sometimes I think people get really stuck on following a recipe to the T and forget to use their judgment. Everyone’s oven cooks differently. Everyone’s fish fillet may be of a different shape or thickness. Everyone’s baking dish heats up differently. Use your judgment when it comes to baking time here. As soon as the fish starts to flake easily, it’s done!
Serve With
- Spaghetti is another one of my go-to’s to serve alongside this cod! Cook the spaghetti according to package directions until al dente. When the cod is baked, gently remove it from the baking dish and toss the spaghetti in the leftover butter, oil, lemon, caper mixture in the bottom of the baking dish. Then nestle the cod into the spaghetti and serve!
- Greek Potato Wedges would also be a great accompaniment if you’re looking for a Mediterranean play on the traditional “fish and chips” dish. The wedges have some of the same flavors but that crispy texture is going to contrast really well with the tender, flaky fish.
Try these easy seafood recipes next!
Did you love this recipe?
Please leave a 5-star rating and review below!
Mediterranean Fish
This healthy Mediterranean dinner takes just 20 minutes from start to finish and is made with just 8 ingredients! It almost sounds too good to be true doesn’t it?! Well, it’s not. It’s just another quick and easy dinner that your family is going to LOVE!
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 20 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Oven
- Cuisine: Greek
Ingredients
- 1 lb. cod fillet
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 3 tablespoons butter, melted
- 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
- 1/2 teaspoon paprika
- zest of 1 lemon + slices
- 3 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
- 2 tablespoons capers
- Kosher salt
- fresh cracked pepper
Garnish:
- fresh lemon wedges
- fresh chopped cilantro
Instructions
- Heat oven to 400 degrees. Place cod into a large baking dish.
- In a small glass measuring cup combine oil and butter. Pour over cod.
- Season cod with coriander, paprika and a large pinch of Kosher salt and fresh cracked pepper.
- Then top it with lemon zest, sliced lemon, sliced garlic and capers.
- Bake for 15-20 minutes or until the cod flakes easily with a fork.
- Garnish with a squeeze of fresh lemon juice and chopped cilantro.
Equipment
Buy Now → Notes
Butter makes everything better. And that is VERY true in this dish. If you only have olive oil on hand, feel free to sub that for the butter. However, the melted butter combined with the olive oil is going to give this fish the MOST decadent, melt in your mouth flavor and texture. So don’t skip it!
Green olives are a great substitute for capers. I usually keep capers on hand because their briny bite is one of my favorite things to add to any fish or pasta dish. But in a pinch, green olives would be a great sub! I’d add slightly more green olives in this recipe to match the bold flavor that the capers deliver.
Don’t overcook the fish! This seems like a no-brainer, but sometimes I think people get really stuck on following a recipe to the T and forget to use their judgment. Everyone’s oven cooks differently. Everyone’s fish fillet may be of a different shape or thickness. Everyone’s baking dish heats up differently. Use your judgment when it comes to baking time here. As soon as the fish starts to flake easily, it’s done!
I made this tonight for the first time with fresh caught grouper which a neighbor gifted to us. I doubled the seasoning and it was superb! The only disappointment was that we have been avoiding bread and didn’t have any to absorb the wonderful sauce. Next time we will not make this error.
Try serving it over white rice or riced cauliflower.
Tried this tonight and I’d never had capers but we all loved the dish. I used cod and only varied by leaving lemon off, due to comment mentioning it could be bitter. I just put wedges on plate. Thank you so much
This was delicious and so, so easy!
Made this tonight but I used fresh tilapia filets. Super easy recipe. It was amazing & my husband loved it!!! Will definitely make it again. Thank you !!!
This was so awesome and decadent tasting! My husband and I both enjoyed it immensely! I followed your recipe, but cooked it s little longer as my fillets were partially frozen
I made homemade flax seed bread, and we sopped up the butter garlic oil with it. Also made sauteed fresh green beans, mushrooms, garlic and roasted red peppers along with an italian tossed salad to go with it! My husband loved every part of this meal, as did I. Thank you so much! We will definitely make this again!
I made this tonight with Haddock. It was super delicious and super easy. Definitely a keeper! I made the Quinoa Tabbouleh that you suggested, which my wife and I loved, but our daughter did not. I served it with seven grain bread and dipped it in the butter and oil from the fish. Thank you for sharing this recipe.
This is delish. Flavorful and easy. I used less than half of the oil and butter drizzle. I loved the addition of the olives (didn’t have capers and knew the kids would pick them off anyway).
hi! How do you think this would taste with salmon?
Yes – DELICIOUS! I think salmon would be great in this recipe!
This dish was easy to prepare and tasted restaurant quality. My husband loved it and said it was my best fish recipe yet. Will definitely make again. Didn’t change anything, but I did use Corvina which is so mild and buttery, it went great with the other ingredients. Highly recommend!
I am so glad that you and your husband enjoyed this baked fish recipe, Michele! Thank you for leaving a review!
Loved loved loved!!! Made twice, both times amazing!! Thank you! I usually hate fish but I used cod and I will keep this recipe forever….
I am so glad to hear that you enjoyed this recipe, Virginia! Thanks for leaving a review!
This was absolutely delicious!! And super quick and easy to make. Will definitely make again.
I am so glad that you enjoyed this recipe, Brooke! Thanks so much for leaving a review!
Made this using wild caught frozen cod and it turned out delicious. Everyone loved their portion and it was super easy to make. would definitely recommend trying this one. At the end I decided to sprinkle freshly shredded parmesan cheese on the top only because we love that and broiled it for 2 minutes which looked beautiful including browning the lemon a little. thanks for a great recipe!
Oh yummmmm – that Parmesan and broiled lemon sound AMAZING. Great addition! I’m so glad you enjoyed this recipe, Kara. Thanks for leaving a review!
A big hit with the family
Wooohoo! So glad your family enjoyed this one Rick. Thanks for leaving a review!
I added this to a Mediterranean couscous salad and it was AMAZING! Thank you for the recipe!
I used red snapper fillet and this recipe was absolutely wonderful. The fish was flakey fork tender, tasty and delicious. I paired with cilantro basmati rice, cucumber/tomato salad, and spinach artichoke hummus w/pita triangles. Will definitely be adding this to my recipe book.
Oh my gosh I’m coming to your house for dinner next time you make this! What a spread!! I’m so glad you enjoyed it Sindy! Thank you so much for leaving a rating and review!!! 🙂
Rarely cook with any white fish, as I’ve found they usually turn out bland. This recipe was phenomenally delicious, decadent and SO EASY!! Definitely use the butter called for. Would be great for a guest dinner. Will be adding it to my favourite fish dinner recipes. Thank you
I SO agree! In the wrong recipe white fish can be super bland. It lends itself well to lots of spices and flavors. I’m so glad you enjoyed this recipe Taryn!! 🙂
Calls for capers in ingredients but none in the recipe?
Did I miss something?
That’s totally bad! I had them listed in the body of the post but not in the recipe card. It has been updated now. Thanks so much for bringing that to my attention. Hope you love this recipe as much as I do!
Super delicious, great flavors and so simple! I was wondering if you could do the same thing with chicken but maybe brown it first and bake it a little longer than the fish? Most Greek style chicken recipes have cherry tomatoes and my husband doesn’t like them but he loved this. He’s not a fish lover either…
Yes! I think this would totally work with chicken!! Great idea, Nak!
Elegant enough for a dinner party but simple enough for a weeknight dinner – you are going to LOVE this Mediterranean baked fish.