One-Pan Roasted white fish with Tomatoes, Zucchini and Olives

Tender, flaky white fish (cod, halibut or hake) roasted to perfection over a medley of colorful roast vegetables, with a lemony, savory pan sauce — an easy fish supper all cooked in one pan!

We’re in the business of writing about food, so curiosity about ingredients comes with the territory. But when it comes to buying fish, we’ve pretty much stuck to what we’re familiar with. We’ll usually pick up a cut of salmon fillet, or a pound of scallops if we’re feeling fancy. And there’s so much variety in sustainable fish offered at the fish counter or in the frozen aisle, it’s a shame not to branch out and try something new.

Because we’re looking forward to the bounty of summer which is just over the horizon, we also wanted to use some of the vegetables we’ll be enjoying through the warmer months: zucchini and cherry tomatoes – though all of these vegetables happen to be available all-year round. (They also provide a gorgeous colorful presentation for the fish.) Along with the briny olives, the dish feels like taking a Mediterranean vacation! (Note: We prefer keeping our olives whole, with their pits, in the roasting dish but feel free to pit yours beforehand, or buy pitted versions if you like. Also, we love the flavor of roasted lemon slices, but you can set them aside if you don’t care for them.)

We can just imagine having this for dinner at a restaurant by the beach.

Roasting the fish

The secret to cooking most fish is timing. Flaky white fish, especially, don’t need a lengthy roast, else they risk getting dry and tough. We roast our vegetable medley first, for about 20-25 minutes in total, to get everything thoroughly cooked and softened. The tomatoes should burst slightly, and the onions and zucchini will soften and become tender. The juices for the vegetable, along with a good splash of white wine, help to create a delightful sauce in the pan. Once the vegetables are well roasted, take the pan out of the oven and mix them up a little before laying the fish fillets over the top. For maximum flavor, season the fish filets with salt and pepper, and give them a nice drizzle of olive oil. We like to finish the fish at a lower temperature, just for about 10 minutes and it’s ready.

(You could, as an alternative, roast the vegetables, then pan-sauté the fish in a little butter and olive oil, but we always like to keep things in one pan if possible, and that’s the plan here. Easy clean-up!)

Side note: These same fish fillets would also be the perfect white fish to use in our American-British Fish Pie!)

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5 from 3 votes

One-Pan Roasted White Fish with Tomatoes, Zucchini and Olives

In this quick, easy and elegant dinner, filets of white fish are roasted with tomatoes, zucchini, olives and garlic. Just as delicious with perfect end-of-summer tomatoes as it is with a mid-winter pint from the grocery store. Best with thick white fish such as cod, hake or halibut.

Prep Time15 minutes mins

Cook Time35 minutes mins

Total Time50 minutes mins

Course: Entree, Main Course

Cuisine: American, Fish, Mediterranean

Keyword: Fish, One-pan, Roasted, Seafood, Tomatoes

Servings: 4

Author: Emily Clifton, Nerds with Knives

Ingredients

• 2 medium zucchini halved lengthwise and thinly sliced
• 4 large shallots or 2 small red onions, thinly sliced
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil plus more for drizzling
• Kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper to taste
• 1 pint cherry or grape tomatoes halved if large
• 3 garlic cloves thinly sliced
• 1/2 cup Kalamata olives pitted, if desired
• 1/2 cup dry white wine or dry vermouth
• 2 lemons 1 thinly sliced, 1 cut in wedges for squeezing
• 4 6-ounce mild white fish such as cod, hake or halibut
• Chopped fresh basil, parsley and/or chives for garnish

Instructions

• Heat the oven to 450ºF and set a rack in the middle.
• Add the zucchini and shallots to a 9×13-inch glass or ceramic baking dish. Toss with the olive oil until evenly coated and season with salt and pepper. Roast until zucchini begins to soften and brown slightly, about 10 to 15 minutes. Add the tomatoes, garlic, olives and wine and toss to mix everything together. Lay the lemon slices on top. Return to the oven and roast until tomatoes soften and release some liquid, about 10 to 12 minutes. While the vegetables roast, dry the fish very well with paper towels and season generously with salt and pepper.
• Lower the heat to 350ºF. Toss the vegetables once more and place the fish fillets on top of the vegetables. Drizzle the fish with a little more olive oil and roast until the fish is cooked through and flakes easily with a fork, 10 to 12 minutes.
• Sprinkle the herbs over the fish and serve hot, with the vegetables, and sauce spooned over the top and lemon for squeezing.

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