Baked Sea Bass Herbs Citrus (Printable Version)

Tender sea bass baked with herbs, garlic, and citrus for a light Mediterranean main dish.

# What You'll Need:

→ Fish

01 - 1 whole sea bass (about 21–28 oz), cleaned and scaled

→ Aromatics & Vegetables

02 - 1 small lemon, thinly sliced
03 - 2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
04 - 1 small red onion, sliced
05 - 4 sprigs fresh thyme
06 - 2 sprigs fresh rosemary

→ Seasonings

07 - 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
08 - 1 teaspoon sea salt
09 - ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

→ Garnish

10 - Fresh parsley, chopped (optional)
11 - Lemon wedges (optional)

# Directions:

01 - Set oven temperature to 400°F. Line a baking tray with parchment paper or lightly oil a large baking dish.
02 - Rinse the sea bass under cold water and pat dry thoroughly with paper towels.
03 - Make 2 to 3 shallow cuts on each side of the sea bass using a sharp knife.
04 - Rub olive oil evenly over the outside and inside cavity of the fish. Season with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper.
05 - Insert lemon slices, sliced garlic, thyme sprigs, and rosemary sprigs into the fish cavity.
06 - Spread red onion slices across the baking tray. Place the stuffed sea bass on top, then bake for 20 to 25 minutes until the flesh is opaque and flakes easily with a fork.
07 - Transfer the baked sea bass to a serving platter. Garnish with chopped fresh parsley and lemon wedges if desired. Serve immediately.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The fish stays incredibly moist and flaky without any fuss or complicated techniques.
  • It looks impressive on the table but requires almost no skill to pull off beautifully.
  • The herbs and citrus do all the work, leaving you with bright, clean flavors that never feel heavy.
02 -
  • Don't skip drying the fish thoroughly, any moisture on the skin will steam instead of crisp and you'll miss out on the best part.
  • If your fish is smaller than 600 g, start checking for doneness around 18 minutes to avoid overcooking and drying it out.
  • Let the fish rest on the platter for a minute or two before serving, it makes the flesh easier to lift cleanly from the bones.
03 -
  • Score the skin just deep enough to see the flesh beneath, this ensures even cooking and prevents the fish from curling as it bakes.
  • Use a fish spatula or two wide spatulas to transfer the fish from tray to platter, it's the only way to keep the presentation intact without the fish falling apart.
  • If the skin isn't crisping up as much as you'd like, slide the tray under the broiler for the last 2 minutes, watching closely so it doesn't burn.

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