Jump to Recipe
Mediterranean baked fish with tomatoes and olives is white fish fillets baked in an oven-safe skillet with a garlicky tomato sauce loaded with kalamata olives and capers. The sauce is bright from lemon and salty from the olives, and the fish stays soft since it only bakes for 12 to 15 minutes.
I use cod because it’s mild and holds together well, but any firm white fish works. The sauce does most of the work here, so you don’t need much seasoning beyond salt, pepper, and a pinch of red pepper flakes.
This is a good weeknight dinner because it’s mostly hands-off once the sauce is going. You make the sauce on the stove, nestle the fish in, then finish everything in the oven.
One thing to watch: don’t walk away once the fish goes in the oven. Thin fillets can go from just-cooked to dry in a couple of minutes, so check at the 12-minute mark.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- One pan for the whole meal, less to clean up
- Sauce keeps the fish moist so it doesn’t dry out
- Ready in about 35 minutes, good for a weeknight
- Olives and capers mean you barely need extra salt
Ingredient Notes
- cod fillets: Use skinless, firm white fish about 150 g each. Haddock, halibut, or sea bass work the same way.
- kalamata olives: Pitted and halved. Green olives work too, though they taste sharper.
- capers: Rinse them briefly if you want less salt in the sauce.
- canned diced tomatoes: Use the whole can with juices, it thins the sauce as it simmers.
- dry white wine: Adds a little acidity to the sauce. Swap in fish stock or water with an extra squeeze of lemon if you don’t cook with wine.
- feta: Optional, crumbled on top after baking. Skip it if you want the dish dairy free.
Mediterranean Baked Fish with Tomatoes and Olives
Ingredients
Method
- Heat the oven to 200 C / 400 F.
- Heat the olive oil in a 12-inch oven-safe skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and cook for 4 to 5 minutes, until soft.
- Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds, until fragrant.
- Stir in the diced tomatoes, olives, capers, wine, oregano, red pepper flakes, and half the lemon zest. Simmer for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring now and then, until the sauce has thickened slightly and coats the back of a spoon.
- Season the sauce with the salt and pepper, then taste and adjust. Remember the olives and capers are already salty, so go easy at first.
- Pat the cod fillets dry and season both sides lightly with salt and pepper.
- Nestle the fillets into the sauce, spooning a little sauce over the top of each piece.
- Transfer the skillet to the oven and bake for 12 to 15 minutes, until the fish flakes easily with a fork and reads 145 F / 63 C on an instant-read thermometer. Check at the 12-minute mark since thinner fillets cook faster.
- Remove from the oven and squeeze the lemon juice over the fish and sauce.
- Sprinkle with the remaining lemon zest, parsley, and feta if using. Serve straight from the skillet.
Notes
- Use fillets of similar thickness so they finish cooking at the same time.
- Don't skip patting the fish dry, it helps seasoning stick.
- Taste the sauce before adding salt, olives and capers bring plenty already.
- A 12-inch oven-safe skillet means one less pan to wash.
Tips for Success
- Pat the fish dry before seasoning so it doesn’t dilute the sauce.
- Simmer the sauce until it coats a spoon before adding the fish, about 8 to 10 minutes.
- Check the fish at 12 minutes with a fork, it should flake easily and look opaque all the way through.
- Taste the sauce before adding salt, the olives and capers are already salty.
- Use a fillet that’s at least 2 cm / 3/4-inch thick so it doesn’t overcook before the sauce is ready.
Variations
- Add a handful of baby spinach to the sauce in the last 2 minutes of simmering for extra greens.
- Swap capers for chopped sun-dried tomatoes if you want a milder, sweeter sauce.
- Use whole small fish like sea bream instead of fillets, and bake 5 to 8 minutes longer.
Storage and Reheating
This dish is best eaten the day you make it since the fish can turn rubbery once reheated. If you have leftovers, store the fish and sauce together in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days.
To warm it, cover the dish and heat gently in a 150 C / 300 F oven for about 10 minutes, just until warmed through. Skip the microwave if you can, it tends to overcook the fish fast and make it tough.
I don’t recommend freezing this one. The tomato sauce is fine frozen, but the texture of baked fish gets watery and soft once thawed.
Serving Suggestions
I serve this straight from the skillet with crusty bread for scooping up the sauce. A simple Cypriot village salad with lemon dressing works well on the side too.
For something heartier, spoon the fish and sauce over rice or creamy lemon orzo so nothing gets wasted. Warm pita or couscous also soak up the sauce nicely.
A glass of the same dry white wine you cooked with rounds out the meal, though it’s good with just sparkling water and lemon too.
FAQ
Why did my baked fish turn out dry with this tomato and olive sauce?
Dry fish usually means it stayed in the oven too long. Cod fillets around 2 cm thick only need 12 to 15 minutes at 200 C / 400 F, and they’re done once they flake easily and hit 145 F / 63 C inside. Check at the 12-minute mark with a fork so you catch it before it overcooks.
Can I use tilapia instead of cod for this Mediterranean baked fish?
Yes, tilapia works, though it’s thinner and cooks faster than cod. Start checking for doneness around 8 to 10 minutes instead of 12 to 15, since thin fillets dry out quickly in a hot sauce. Halibut or sea bass are also good swaps if you want something closer to cod’s texture.
Can I make the tomato-olive sauce ahead of time?
Yes, the sauce keeps well in the fridge for up to 3 days in a sealed container. Reheat it in the skillet until it’s simmering again, then add the raw fish and bake as directed. This is a good way to shorten the cooking time on a busy night.
What goes well with Mediterranean baked fish with tomatoes and olives?
Crusty bread, rice, or orzo all work well since they soak up the tomato sauce. A simple green salad with lemon dressing keeps the meal light, or serve it with warm pita and a side of hummus for something more filling.
Is this baked fish with tomatoes and olives gluten free?
Yes, as written the recipe has no flour, bread, or gluten-containing ingredients. Just double check your canned tomatoes and capers don’t have any added thickeners, since some brands vary. Serve it with rice or gluten-free bread to keep the whole meal gluten free.
What’s the difference between this dish and Greek fish plaki?
This recipe is a simplified, faster version of Greek plaki, which traditionally bakes whole fish slowly in a thick tomato sauce for closer to 45 minutes. Here, fish fillets bake in 12 to 15 minutes since they’re thinner, and the sauce leans more on olives and capers than the classic plaki style.