Description
This Italian baked sea bass recipe combines succulent fish with vibrant roasted peppers, red onions, Kalamata olives, and toasted pine nuts, all infused with garlic and fresh lemon. Perfectly roasted in the oven, this dish delivers Mediterranean flavors with a simple, healthy preparation that’s ready in under 30 minutes.
Ingredients
Scale
Sea Bass and Marinade
- 2 sea bass
- drizzle olive oil (for brushing and drizzling)
- 3 fat slices lemon, larger slices for roasting and wedges to serve
Vegetables and Accompaniments
- About 290g jar whole roasted peppers, drained and sliced
- 1 red onion, sliced into very thin wedges
- 4 garlic cloves, unpeeled
- 15 Kalamata or black olives
- 25g toasted pine nuts
- Handful roughly chopped parsley
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper (to season)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven: Set your oven to 200°C (180°C fan)/gas mark 6 to get it ready for roasting the vegetables and fish.
- Prepare the vegetables: In a large bowl, toss the drained and sliced roasted peppers and thinly sliced red onion with a pinch of salt, pepper, and a small drizzle of olive oil to coat well. Spread them out evenly on a baking tray and roast for 5 minutes to start softening them.
- Add aromatics and lemon slices: After 5 minutes, add the unpeeled garlic cloves and the thick lemon slices to the tray with the vegetables. Stir gently to combine and create a flavorful bed for the fish.
- Prepare and season the fish: Place the sea bass on top of the vegetables. Brush the fish lightly with olive oil and season it generously with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
- Roast the fish and vegetables: Roast everything together for 15 minutes until the fish begins to cook through and the vegetables soften further.
- Add olives and pine nuts: Scatter the Kalamata olives and toasted pine nuts over the vegetables around the fish. Roast for an additional 5 minutes until the fish is just cooked through and the toppings are warm and infused with flavors.
- Finish and garnish: Remove from the oven, squeeze some fresh lemon juice over the fish and vegetables for brightness, and scatter the chopped parsley on top before serving.
Notes
- You can substitute sea bass with other firm white fish like cod or snapper if preferred.
- Keep the garlic cloves unpeeled to roast gently and infuse a subtle flavor without burning.
- Use fresh lemon wedges on the side for added zest at serving.
- To toast pine nuts at home, gently cook them in a dry pan over medium heat until golden, stirring frequently to avoid burning.
- Serve with crusty bread or a light salad for a complete meal.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Italian
Keywords: Italian sea bass recipe, baked sea bass, roasted peppers sea bass, Mediterranean fish dish, healthy baked fish
