Easy Mediterranean Baked Fish
Ingredients
- 4 white fish fillets (about 6 oz each), such as cod, tilapia, or snapper
- 3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
- ½ cup Kalamata olives, pitted and roughly chopped
- 3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
- 1 small red onion, thinly sliced
- 2 tablespoons capers, drained (optional)
- 1 lemon, half sliced into rounds and half reserved for finishing
- 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C). Drizzle 1 tablespoon of olive oil across the bottom of a large baking dish.
- Pat the fish fillets completely dry with paper towels and lay them in the dish without overlapping.
- In a small bowl, mix the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil with the salt, black pepper, dried oregano, and smoked paprika. Spoon or brush this evenly over each fillet.
- Scatter the cherry tomatoes, olives, red onion, garlic slices, and capers over and around the fish. Tuck the lemon rounds in between the fillets.
- Bake uncovered for 18 to 22 minutes, or until the fish flakes easily when pressed gently with a fork and the tomatoes are soft and slightly collapsed.
- Remove from the oven, squeeze the reserved lemon half over everything, scatter fresh parsley on top, and serve directly from the baking dish.
Notes
Pat fish fillets completely dry before seasoning — excess moisture causes steaming instead of baking and you lose the texture. Also squeeze fresh lemon over the dish after it comes out of the oven, not before, to keep the flavor bright.