Mediterranean Baked Fish

Mediterranean Baked Fish is a no-fuss dinner that looks and tastes like you spent hours in the kitchen. Mild white fish is baked with a colorful mix of olives, artichokes, capers, and tomatoes, giving it that classic Mediterranean flavor. The quick hot oil method locks in flavor while keeping the fish tender and flaky. It’s a foolproof, family-friendly recipe that feels fancy without the stress.

Love More Seafood Recipes? Try My Luxurious Seafood Gratin or this Cajun Shrimp and Salmon with Garlic Cream Sauce next.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

Mild white fish fillets are paired with artichokes, kalamata olives, capers, and cherry tomatoes, baking into a vibrant and flavorful meal that’s light yet satisfying. The fish stays tender and juicy while the vegetables add freshness and a touch of brightness. Ready in about 20 minutes with just one pan, it’s perfect for busy weeknights or casual entertaining. Simple to prepare but full of Mediterranean-inspired flavor, it’s a dish everyone will enjoy.

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Ingredient List

For the Fish:

• 4 haddock pieces (whatever size they had at the store)
• Salt and pepper
• ½ teaspoon chili flakes if you can handle spice

Everything Else:

• ⅓ cup olive oil (not the fancy stuff, just decent)
• 4 garlic cloves, sliced thick because I’m lazy
• 6 thyme sprigs or that dried stuff in the jar
• 1½ cups baby tomatoes or whatever small ones look good
• 1 cup mixed olives from the deli
• ¼ cup jalapeños from a jar
• 2 teaspoons capers (those weird little green balls)

What I swap when I’m broke or can’t find stuff:

• Fish: cod, tilapia, whatever’s on sale
• Tomatoes: any small tomatoes work fine
• Spicy stuff: leave it all out if your kids are wimps like mine
• Olives: whatever kind you don’t hate
• Herbs: oregano, Italian seasoning, whatever’s not expired

Why These Ingredients Work

Look, I have no idea why this combination works but it does. The oil soaks up all the flavors and turns into this amazing sauce that tastes like I spent hours on it. It’s not just oil anymore – it’s like liquid gold.

Those tomatoes explode when they get hot and make everything sweet and saucy. I used to hate cooked tomatoes but these taste like candy. Emma steals them off everyone else’s plates now.

The olives do something magical that makes my brain think this is fancy restaurant food. Even my brother Dave eats them in this and he usually picks them out of everything. The garlic gets all sweet instead of sharp and makes the whole house smell incredible.

Capers are like little salty bombs that wake up your taste buds. They’re worth buying just for this even if you never use them again. The thyme makes everything smell like herbs and summer.

Essential Tools and Equipment

You probably have everything already:

• Big baking dish (mine’s that old wedding gift Pyrex thing)
• Sharp knife so you don’t spend forever slicing garlic
• Good oven mitts because that oil gets crazy hot
• Cutting board
• Measuring cup for oil

That’s it. No fancy gadgets or weird pans you’ll never use again.

How To Make Mediterranean Baked Fish

1. Preheat the baking dish

Put your dish with just the oil in the oven. Set it to 450°F and let it heat for about 8 minutes while you prep everything. Set a timer because I forgot once and almost started a fire.

2. Season the fish

Take fish out of fridge so it’s not freezing cold. Pat it dry with paper towels – wet fish is gross and doesn’t cook right. Salt and pepper both sides. Don’t be stingy, fish needs help.

3. The Hot Oil Magic

Get your good oven mitts and pull out that hot dish. The oil should be shimmering. Drop in half the garlic, half the thyme, tomatoes, fish, and olives. Everything should sizzle like crazy when it hits the oil. That noise means it’s working.

4. Add finishing touches

Throw the jalapeños and capers over everything. Try to get some on each fish piece. The capers will pop and crackle – that’s normal.

5. Bake the fish

Turn oven to 375°F and put it back in for 15-18 minutes. Thick fish takes longer, thin pieces cook faster. Don’t keep opening the door – you’ll mess up the temperature.

6. Optional broiling

Want it more golden? Broil for 1-2 minutes but watch it like a hawk. I burned one batch because I got distracted by a text from my sister.

7. Finish and serve

Take it out when fish flakes with a fork and tomatoes look all burst and jammy. Put the rest of the thyme on top and spoon that incredible oil all over everything. That oil is basically liquid heaven.

You Must Know

Don’t skip heating the oil first. I tried the lazy way once when I was running late and it sucked. The fish needs that hot oil to get crispy on bottom.

Let fish sit out for 15 minutes before cooking. Cold fish in hot oil cooks weird and you get tough edges with raw middles.

Personal secret: Get everything ready before you heat the oil. Once it’s hot you need to move fast and not be hunting for ingredients.

Pro Tips & Cooking Hacks

Poke fish with a fork – if it breaks apart easily it’s done. Don’t overcook it or it turns into cardboard. I learned this the hard way.

Don’t cram everything in one dish if you have huge pieces. Crowded fish steams instead of roasting.

Jarred garlic works fine if you’re rushed. Those Trader Joe’s frozen cubes work too.

Thick fish needs 18 minutes, thin stuff maybe 12. Check early rather than overcook it.

Save leftover oil in fridge – it’s amazing on salads and pasta for about a week.

Flavor Variations & Suggestions

Once you make this a few times try:

• Throw feta on top last 5 minutes for Greek vibes
• Use basil instead of thyme for Italian feels
• More chili flakes if you like heat
• Mix different herbs – oregano, rosemary, whatever
• Lemon slices on top before baking
• Skip spicy stuff completely for kids

Make-Ahead Options

You can put everything in the dish hours early (don’t heat oil first). Cover and refrigerate. When ready to cook, add maybe 10 extra minutes since it starts cold.

Slice garlic and prep everything the night before in separate containers. Don’t season fish until ready to cook.

Don’t assemble and leave at room temperature – fish goes bad fast.

Recipe Notes & Baker’s Tips

Get fish pieces about the same thickness so they cook evenly. If some are way thicker, pound them down or cut them smaller.

Use decent olive oil since it becomes the sauce. Not the $30 bottle but not the cheapest garbage either.

Pick firm tomatoes that aren’t rock hard or mushy.

Rinse capers if they taste too salty.

9×13 dish is perfect size. Too small and everything crowds, too big and oil spreads thin.

Serving Suggestions

Get crusty bread for that oil – sourdough, whatever looks fresh. Warm it while fish cooks.

Keep sides simple – rice, pasta, plain salad. Let the fish be the star.

If you want more vegetables roast them separately. Don’t put them with the fish or they make it watery.

White wine goes great – Sauvignon Blanc or Pinot Grigio.

How to Store Your Mediterranean Baked Fish

Keeps in fridge 3 days covered. Best the first day but still good cold over salad.

Reheat gently at 300°F for 10 minutes or just eat cold.

Can freeze but fish texture gets weird. If you freeze use within a month.

Save that flavored oil separately – keeps a week and tastes amazing on everything.

Don’t leave sitting out more than 2 hours. Fish spoils faster than other stuff.

Allergy Information

Has fish obviously. Otherwise safe for most people – no dairy, nuts, gluten, eggs.

Already works for most dietary restrictions which is great when cooking for groups.

Questions I Get Asked A Lot

Frozen fish okay?

Yeah just thaw completely and dry really well. Don’t cook from frozen.

Salmon instead?

Sure, cook for less time – maybe 12-15 minutes. Salmon cooks faster.

Too spicy for kids?

Only if you add jalapeños and chili flakes. Without those it’s super mild.

No capers?

Skip them or use chopped green olives.

Fish came out dry?

You overcooked it. Fish goes from perfect to cardboard in like 2 minutes.

💬 Tried this? Did it work? Did anyone ask for the recipe? Tell me your disasters and successes!