Easy Baked Fish

This baked fish recipe uses simple ingredients for big Mediterranean flavor! It’s a crowd-pleaser with any type of white fish.

Baked Fish

Baked fish might sound a bit pedestrian…until you’ve tried this Mediterranean baked fish recipe! One bite and you’ll be singing its praises. Roast up any white fish with lemon, garlic and a simple mix of tomatoes, onions and olives. It comes out perfectly fork tender with a punchy zip from the lemon and tender vegetables to flavor each bite. The minute we tried it, we knew it was destined for our regular rotation: it works as both an easy weeknight meal and for dinner parties!

Types of fish to use

You can use any type of white fish in this baked fish recipe: in fact, it doesn’t even need to be white fish! It works with salmon too. Here are some varieties of mild white fish that work well. Keep in mind that each type of fish has a varying level of fillet thickness:

  • Tilapia
  • Halibut
  • Cod
  • Grouper
  • Snapper
  • Pollock
  • Bass
Baked Fish

Ingredients in this baked fish recipe

This baked fish recipe uses a simple Mediterranean preparation to bring big flavors to the dish! It’s easy to slice up the vegetables before baking, and it comes together into something that seems much greater than the sum of its parts. The genius of this recipe is this: the fish bakes on top of the Mediterranean-style vegetables, which give it just the right amount of moisture. The vegetables then form a tangy sauce that infuses a pop of zingy flavor into each bite. When you plate it up, make sure to add Here’s what you’ll need:

  • White fish fillets
  • Cherry tomatoes, red onion, garlic
  • Green olives and capers
  • Fresh parsley
  • Olive oil
  • Dried oregano
  • Lemon juice
  • Salt and pepper
Baked Fish

How to bake fish

Baking white fish is pretty straightforward: it’s all about how thick the fillet is! Here are a few simple tips for how to bake fish:

  • Pat the fillet dry, then season with olive oil, salt, pepper and lemon. This is a great basic flavor profile.
  • Bake the fish for approximately 20 minutes at 425 degrees Fahrenheit. The exact timing depends on the thickness of the fish. A very thin fillet may take 15 minutes, and very thick may take 25 minutes or more.
  • Bake fish until the internal temperature is 140 degrees Fahrenheit when measured with a food thermometer. This is a more precise measurement that yields perfectly cooked fish.

About the olives

This baked fish recipe uses olives for the Mediterranean-style preparation: which can be a polarizing ingredient! You can omit the olives if you’re cooking for olive haters; the dish is still delicious. But we highly recommend using them for the best flavor here! The Italian variety Castelvetrano is a green olive with a mild, buttery flavor: you can find this variety in many grocery stores near the other canned olives.

Baked Fish Recipe

Sides for baked fish

Once you’ve got a pan of this baked fish recipe, we think you’ll agree: it’s a winner! Our entire family loves this one. Here are a few ways to pair this Mediterranean-style dinner: both for quick weeknight meals and for dinners to impress:

More fish recipes

Love healthy fish recipes? Here are a few more preparations you might enjoy:

This baked fish recipe is…

Pescatarian, gluten-free and dairy free.

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Baked Fish

Easy Baked Fish


  • Author: Sonja Overhiser
  • Prep Time: 10 minutes
  • Cook Time: 20 minutes
  • Total Time: 30 minutes
  • Yield: 4

Description

This baked fish recipe uses simple ingredients for big Mediterranean flavor! It’s a crowd-pleaser with any type of white fish.


Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 pounds white fish fillets (tilapia, halibut, cod, snapper, and so forth)
  • 1 pint cherry tomatoes, sliced in half
  • ¼ cup green olives, sliced in half (optional*; we like Castelvetrano)
  • ¼ cup red onion, thinly sliced
  • 3 garlic cloves, minced
  • 2 tablespoons capers, drained
  • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley, divided
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
  • Fresh ground black pepper
  • 1 tablespoon dried oregano
  • 2 tablespoons lemon juice

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit. Allow the fish to stand at room temperature while prepping the vegetables.
  2. Chop the tomatoes, olives, red onion and garlic, as noted above.
  3. Place the chopped vegetables, drained capers, and 1 tablespoon chopped parsley in the bottom of a 9 x 13″ baking dish. Mix with 1 tablespoon olive oil, ¼ teaspoon salt, and fresh ground black pepper.
  4. Pat the fish dry. Rub it with 1 tablespoon olive oil and ¾ teaspoon kosher salt, split between the filets. Sprinkle both with the oregano and a few grinds black pepper. Place the fillets on top of the vegetables in the pan, then gently drizzle the fillets with the lemon juice.
  5. Place the pan in the oven and bake for 20 to 25 minutes (depending on the thickness of the fish; check at 15 minutes for very thin fillets), until the fish is flaky and the internal temperature is 140 degrees Fahrenheit when measured with a food thermometer. Garnish with the remaining 1 tablespoon chopped parsley and serve immediately, adding a few spoonful of vegetables to each plate (over the top or next to the fish).

Notes

*Omit the olives if you’re cooking for olive haters; the dish is still delicious. But we highly recommend using them for the best flavor here! The Italian variety Castelvetrano has a mild, buttery flavor. 

  • Category: Main dish
  • Method: Baked
  • Cuisine: Fish
  • Diet: Gluten Free

Keywords: Baked fish, baked fish recipe, how to bake fish

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Lemon Ricotta Pasta

This lemon ricotta pasta recipe makes a creamy, zingy sauce in minutes! It’s a shortcut that makes mealtime easy.

Lemon Ricotta Pasta

Here’s a quick and simple pasta recipe that’s the perfect shortcut for weeknights: Lemon Ricotta Pasta! Mixing ricotta cheese with olive oil, Parmesan and a little pasta water makes a makeshift white sauce that’s ideal for coating on long noodles (who knew!). This quick weeknight trick has become a staple over here: the zing of the lemon zest makes it absolutely irresistible not to keep slurping down noodles.

Ingredients in lemon ricotta pasta

Ricotta is a creamy Italian cheese with a mild flavor that’s famous for its use in lasagna: but it’s ideal for long noodles, too. The great part about this lemon ricotta pasta? It requires just 1 minute of cooking to form a beautifully creamy white sauce. You’ll literally stir together a few ingredients and voila: a creamy sauce. Here’s what you’ll need for whipping up this pasta at home:

  • Bucatini or spaghetti noodles (or your noodle of choice)
  • Ricotta cheese
  • Olive oil
  • Grated Parmesan cheese
  • Salt and pepper
  • Lemon zest
Lemon Ricotta Pasta

Tips for lemon ricotta pasta

This lemon ricotta pasta recipe could not be easier: boil the pasta, stir together the sauce ingredients, and combine! There’s not much cooking here. But there are a few minor tips that can make or break the recipe:

  • Save the pasta water! This ingredient is used to make a creamy sauce. It’s easy to forget (been there), so my mom shared a tip with us that helps. After you start the pasta, place your strainer in the sink, then place a liquid measuring cup inside as a reminder. When you go to dump the pasta, you’ll think: what’s that liquid measuring cup? Oh yes, I need to save the pasta water!
  • Make sure to cook the pasta to al dente. This means “to the bite” in Italian: when it’s tender with a small white speck inside when you bite into a piece. Boil it a few minutes less than the package instructions indicate, and start taste testing early!
  • The texture is best when served immediately. This lemon ricotta pasta is best when the pasta is freshly cooked and it’s warm: especially since you use the pasta water to help create the sauce. You can eat it later, but it does get drier in texture.

Leftovers and storage instructions

Want to eat this lemon ricotta pasta the next day? You can, though it’s not quite as good as the day of. This pasta is best with piping hot fresh pasta and sauce warm from the stove. It does get a gummier texture as it sits, and especially once it’s cooled. Here’s how to freshen up your leftovers:

  • Leftovers become drier over time, and with refrigeration. You can store the pasta about 2 days refrigerated, but the texture becomes drier.
  • How to reheat it? You can reheat the pasta with a splash of milk on the stovetop, and revive the flavors with a pinch or two of salt. Make sure to generously garnish with grated Parmesan cheese as well.
Lemon Ricotta Pasta

What to serve with lemon ricotta pasta

Want a few fast and easy side dishes to serve with this pasta? Anything from a quick green salad to lemony peas works here. If you’re serving it as a main dish, think about dishes that add additional protein. Here are a few ideas:

Lemon Ricotta Pasta

More ricotta recipes

Ricotta makes magic with pasta, toast, desserts, and more! Here are some of our favorite ricotta recipes:

This lemon ricotta pasta recipe is…

Vegetarian. For gluten-free, use gluten-free pasta.

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Lemon Ricotta Pasta

Lemon Ricotta Pasta


  • Author: Sonja Overhiser
  • Prep Time: 10 minutes
  • Cook Time: 10 minutes
  • Total Time: 20 minutes
  • Yield: 4

Description

This lemon ricotta pasta recipe makes a creamy, zingy sauce in minutes! It’s a shortcut that makes mealtime easy.


Ingredients

  • 12 ounces bucatini or spaghetti
  • 1 cup ricotta cheese
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese, plus more to garnish
  • ½ teaspoon kosher salt
  • Fresh ground black pepper
  • Zest of 1 lemon (plus reserve some for garnish)
  • ¼ cup pasta water
  • For the garnish: chopped parsley, red pepper flakes (optional)

Instructions

  1. Bring a large pot of well-salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta until it is al dente, testing a few minutes before the package instructions indicate. Using a glass liquid measuring cup, reserve ½ cup of the hot pasta water, then drain the pasta.
  2. In a saucepan, mix the ricotta, olive oil, Parmesan cheese, kosher salt, black pepper, lemon zest, and ¼ cup pasta water. Warm over medium heat and stir until a creamy sauce forms, about 1 minute. 
  3. Pour the sauce onto the noodles and stir to combine. Add another splash of pasta water to help the sauce coat the noodles. Serve with chopped parsley, additional grated Parmesan cheese and the reserved lemon zest. (Leftovers last 2 days refrigerated but the sauce becomes thick when cold. Reheat with a splash of milk and additional kosher salt to revive the flavors.)
  • Category: Pasta
  • Method: Stovetop
  • Cuisine: Italian
  • Diet: Vegetarian

Keywords: Lemon ricotta pasta

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Seeds & Cheese Crackers

These seeds & cheese crackers are made from two kinds of cheese and five different kinds of seeds, baked to light and crispy perfection. They’d make a unique and delicious addition to any cheese board!

If you love the lacy bits of crispy cheese that form on the edges of a grilled cheese sandwich, these (naturally gluten free) crackers are for you! The addition of five different kinds of seeds makes for a unique textural experience that is deeply satisfying.

Stack of Seeds and Cheese Cracker pieces on a speckled ceramic plate

I was finally able to get out to California to visit my family last month, which was a lovely treat after so many months (er, years?) of not being able to travel.

Granted, I spent most of my time there loafing on my sister’s extremely comfy couch binge watching all the trashy TV that Taylor doesn’t like, which is pretty close to what I’d be doing at home. But being able to do so with my sister? Priceless.

One day we had a lovely lunch with my aunt and uncle who I hadn’t seen since… well it’s been so long I can’t even remember now.

Along with a lovely assortment of prepared salads, she set out a spectacular snack plate with a few different kinds of crackers and cheeses. One of those crackers happened to be a cracker made out of cheese, and after one bite I was hooked. I literally could not stop eating them. 

After politely inquiring as to the origins of said crackers (my brain already running through recreation possibilities), my aunt revealed they were called Seeds & Cheese Crackle from Market Hall in downtown Oakland (if you’ve never been, it’s magical; like Disneyland for food lovers).

The ingredients list was short and simple, just seeds and (you guessed it) cheese, and I was certain I’d be able to recreate them at home.

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Easy Ranch Dip

This homemade ranch dip recipe will amaze you! It takes just 5 minutes and tastes irresistibly creamy and fresh.

Ranch Dip

Here’s our favorite trick that we come back to time and time again: this homemade Ranch Dip Recipe! In just 5 minutes you have a stellar dip that’s irresistibly creamy, savory and fresh. No ranch seasoning packet needed: this dip uses all seasonings you probably already have on hand in your pantry. It’s the perfect party dip to throw together at moment’s notice, or a healthy snack for kids. Even eat it as an easy side at dinnertime! Let’s get mixing.

Ingredients in this ranch dip recipe

This ranch dip recipe is quick and easy: and you won’t believe the fresh flavor! Thanks to the magic of Greek yogurt, this ranch dip is a bit lighter and fresher than those that use sour cream. It’s got ⅓ of the calories, but you’d never know it here! Combined with a little mayonnaise, it’s just as full flavored as any you’ve had. Here’s what you’ll need (see the recipe below for quantities):

  • Greek yogurt, 2% or whole milk
  • Mayonnaise: using this in combination with the yogurt adds a hint of richness
  • Onion powder
  • Garlic powder
  • Dried dill
  • Salt and pepper
  • Fresh chives (optional)

The fresh chives add a great nuance to the flavor, but if you don’t have them on hand you can omit them. We grow them in our garden every summer, but in the winter fresh herbs can be expensive at the grocery. Mix everything together in a bowl, and it’s done! Simple as that.

Ranch dip recipe

Ideas for dipping

What can’t you dip in ranch dip? While you might not need ideas, we’ve got a few standard and more creative ideas for making a ranch dip platter. Here are some for what to dip in ranch dip:

  • Carrot sticks or rainbow carrots
  • Celery sticks
  • Broccoli
  • Bell pepper strips
  • Cucumber slices
  • Kohlrabi sticks or jicama sticks
  • Potato chips
  • Pretzels
Homemade ranch dip

Other uses for ranch dip

Of course, you can also use this ranch dip in the same way you’d use a ranch dressing. (Or, head over to our Ranch Dressing recipe if that’s what you’re after!) Here are a few fun ways to use it:

More party dips

This ranch dip is the ideal dip for chips! Here are a few more party dips and fun ideas for easy snacks:

This recipe is…

Vegetarian and gluten-free.

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Ranch Dip

Ranch Dip


  • Author: Sonja Overhiser
  • Prep Time: 5 minutes
  • Cook Time: 0 minutes
  • Total Time: 5 minutes
  • Yield: 2 ¼ cups

Description

This homemade ranch dip recipe will amaze you! It takes just 5 minutes and tastes irresistibly creamy and fresh.


Ingredients

  • 2 cups (18 ounces) 2% or whole milk Greek yogurt
  • ¼ cup mayonnaise
  • ½ teaspoon onion powder
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 2 teaspoons dried dill
  • ½ teaspoon kosher salt
  • Fresh ground black pepper
  • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives (optional but recommended)

Instructions

  1. Mix all ingredients in a medium bowl. Serve immediately or refrigerate up to 1 week.
  • Category: Dip
  • Method: No Cook
  • Cuisine: Dip
  • Diet: Vegetarian

Keywords: Ranch dip, ranch dip recipe

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Black Sesame Amaretti Cookies

Amaretti are some of my favorite cookies for a reason: they are ridiculously simple to make, with only 3 main ingredients—plus the black se...