Easy Mediterranean-Style Baked Haddock

If you are looking for a healthy, quick, and flavorful weeknight meal, this easy, Mediterranean-style baked haddock is a delicious and completely foolproof recipe to try.

Tender, flaky white fish is perfectly cooked surrounded by a medley of tomatoes, shallots, garlic, olives and thyme.  This dish is the perfect one-pan meal.  Versatile and convenient, it takes only minutes to prep and it is ready to serve in just twenty minutes.

Essential Ingredients

• White Fish:  firm fish fillets such as cod, haddock, or, striped bass can be used.  Be sure that the fish is about 1″ thick as this is a perfect thickness for baking
• Tomatoes:  use grape tomatoes cut in half, or, juicy Campari tomatoes, chopped into smaller pieces
• Shallot & Garlic:  use as much as you like
• Olives:  I like Kalamata olives, but green, Castelvetrano olives (or, any assortment of pitted olives) are great too
• Capers:  these add a wonderful tangy flavor, but they are optional if you do not like them
• Lemons:  a few slices of lemons make a great bed for the fish and they infuse it with flavor
• Seasoning:  the essentials are dried Greek oregano, salt, pepper, and fresh thyme, but you can use what you like
• Extra virgin olive oil
• Optional vegetables:  you can also add other vegetables like peppers, zucchini, or, asparagus, but make sure you mince them so they cook quickly along with the fish

How to Make This Easy, Mediterranean-Style Baked Haddock

This easy seafood recipe could not be any easier to prepare in three easy four steps:

• Pat dry the fish and season it generously with salt, pepper and oregano.  Drizzle with some olive oil and set aside for a few minutes

• In a medium bowl, toss the tomatoes, shallots, garlic, olives and capers with the olive oil and the seasoning

• Assemble the dish by spreading the tomato mixture in the baking pan then tucking the fish into the center of the pan on top of a few lemon slices

• Bake until the fish is cooked through and flakes easily.  Exact cooking time depends on the thickness of the fish

How to Serve It

Serve this delicious fish with some steamed rice, a simple parsley rice pilaf, or, steamed vegetables; all are good choices to accompany this easy fish dish.   Roasted or mashed potatoes, would also go well with this recipe.  Make sure to top the fish with the delicious pan juices just before serving, and serve it with plenty of crusty bread to mop up those juices.

Easy Ways to Cook Fish at Home

Fish is such a lean and super healthy protein that does not need any tenderizing, marinating, or, advanced planning.  In most cases, all we have to do is season it and cook it.  There are many easy ways to cook fish, from baked, to pan-seared, to steamed, grilled, or broiled.

The only thing we need to pay attention to is not to overcook the fish.  There are many ways to ensure this, such as testing the fish with a fork to see that it flakes easily, making certain that the flesh is opaque at the end of the cooking time, or, just use an instant digital thermometer.  A safe temperature for cooked fish is 145°F.

Five Tips for Cooking the Perfect Fish at Home

1. Buy fish from a place you trust.  If buying a large piece, ask the fishmonger to fillet it, trim it, and remove the pin bones for you
2. Frozen fish is perfectly fine to use, as it is usually frozen shortly after being caught.  Make sure to thaw overnight
3. Fish cooks fast, so have all your ingredients prepped and ready before you start cooking
4. Do not let fish too long in an acidic marinade, as the marinade will begin to “cook” the fish
5. If you are not sure which fish to purchase, ask your fishmonger for suggestions based on the recipe you want to make

How to Store and Reheat Easy, Mediterranean-Style Baked Haddock

If you have any leftovers, place the fish and the tomato mixture in two separate airtight containers and refrigerate for up to two days.

To reheat the fish, place it on a small baking sheet, cover it with some foil, and warm it up in a 350°F oven, until just heated through.

If you are trying to incorporate more healthy fish into your diet, and you like the simplicity of this recipe, you might also want to try my recipes for Oven-Roasted Branzino with Ladolemono Sauce, or, my  Pan-Seared Cod with Lemon, Olives, and Capers!

5.0 from 4 reviews

Easy Mediterranean-Style Baked Haddock

 

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Prep time

10 mins

Cook time

20 mins

Total time

30 mins

 

A healthy and very flavorful fish dish that can be ready in just half an hour

Author: Marilena Leavitt

Recipe type: Seafood Dinner

Cuisine: Mediterranean

Serves: 2

Ingredients

• ¾ lb. firm white fish fillet, like haddock or cod, skin removed and about 1" thick
• --- sea salt & freshly ground pepper
• --- Greek dried oregano
• ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
• 8 oz. grape tomatoes, cut in half
• 2 oz. Kalamata olives, pitted, whole or cut in half
• 1 medium shallot (or, half a small red onion), chopped
• 2 green onions, sliced (reserve some of the green part for topping)
• 2 garlic cloves, chopped
• 1-2 TBSPS. tiny capers, rinsed and drained (optional)
• --- 2 sprigs fresh thyme
• 1 lemon zested and 1 more thinly sliced

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 425°F.
2. Pat dry the fish, season with salt, pepper and oregano, drizzle with some olive oil on all sides, add a couple of fresh thyme sprigs and center in a 8" x 12" baking pan, on top of a few lemon slices.
3. Prepare the tomato mixture by tossing together the tomatoes, shallots, garlic, green onions, olives, and capers with the rest of the olive oil and the seasoning.
4. Scatter the mixture around the fish.
5. Bake for about 15-18 minutes, or, until the fish is flaky and cooked through
6. Remove the fish from the pan, cover loosely with foil, and allow it to rest for a few minutes
7. Return the pan with the tomato mixture to the oven and cook for five more minutes to caramelize them (optional)
8. Top the fish with the reserved green onion, the zest of a small lemon, and a drizzle of olive oil and serve alongside with the tomato mixture

3.5.3251