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April 11, 2020

Whitefish in Tomato Sauce with Olives

Flaky whitefish baked in a light tomato sauce with garlic and kalamata olives. Ridiculously easy, quick, healthy and you can use extra tomato sauce to make a side of pasta by the time the fish bakes.

A pan of Whitefish in Tomato Sauce with Olives with a bowl of pasta in the background
Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. That means I get a small commission if you buy products I recommend at no additional cost to you. I only recommend products I believe in from companies I believe in—either I use them myself or I’ve at least done thorough research.

I think we could all use something simple right about now, yes? Something you don’t have to think about. Something to keep your hands busy. Here’s my humble contribution: a delicious Italian fish recipe.

It’s perfect for a quick weeknight meal, but it feels luxurious enough to be a date-night kinda jam. It’s my go-to Lenten Friday meal—Catholicious! It’s really, really tasty.

An old photo I’ve shared before, but I love it. That time I used flounder, my fave for this dish. Find the recipe for Bucatini with Tomatoes, Olives and White Beans (left) here.

One of the things I love about this dish is that it’s so fresh and light that it’s hard to believe the tomatoes came from a can. The fish is flaky and soft, the sauce is fruity and sweet.

Whitefish in Red Sauce is the perfect example of laid back Mediterranean cooking. Walk to the market in the morning. Fish looks good! So you bring it home, pop open a can of tomatoes and some olives, add a little garlic and some oregano from the garden, drizzle a little olive oil, throw it in the oven for a few minutes. That’s dinner!

Simple. Practical. Delicious. Cliche thinking? Maybe, but it can be soul-saving when you’re in a mundane routine with wanderlust.

What exactly is “whitefish”?

This recipe was inspired by the Italian branzino con pomodori e olive (branzino with tomatoes and olives). The thing is… branzino is a European bass. A.k.a., hard to find in the U.S. (or at least my portion of it), and probably not the freshest find locally.

My take: use the freshest whitefish you can find. You want something flaky and light. My favorite is flounder, but I used tilapia for these photos because that was what I could find in the store that day.

How to hand-crush tomatoes

You can use diced or crushed tomatoes if that’s what you have, but I prefer the texture and flavor of whole tomatoes. It adds maybe 1-2 minutes to the process, nothing major. It tends to splatter, so maybe wear an apron.

  1. Hold a canned plum tomato over a bowl (or better yet, IN a bowl), making a fist around it. Face the stem side toward your pinky.
  2. Carefully put your thumb through the center of the bottom of the tomato, and squeeze gently.
  3. Now that most of the juice is out, squeeze really had like the tomato is your brain and you’re trying to rid it off all the coronavirus stuff you’ve read on Facebook and the pangs of longing for normal interaction and madness creeping in.
  4. You’ve got the beginnings of a tomato sauce!

Cool, I think that was productive.

What you should make with Whitefish in Tomato Sauce with Olives

I use a double-serving of the sauce in this recipe, because I always make it with Bucatini with Tomatoes, Olives and White Beans (pictured throughout this post). All you have to do is boil the pasta, then add the sauce, some white beans and canned tomato sauce for a pasta that comes together as quickly as the fish.

If you just want to make the fish, a 14-oz can is just fine! Just halve the amount of garlic, olives and oregano. Or use the extra sauce to make more fish.

Or maybe you’re like me and always ask for extra sauce anyway.

Dried or fresh oregano?

Dried oregano is a major stable in the Cavalier house, so I typically use that. I do use fresh oregano in the summer sometimes, but it’s one of the more flavorful dried herbs.

Fresh oregano is bold and peppery with a minty kick. Dried oregano is still pungent, but has a warmer, more earthy flavor. It’s still a little spicy, but it’s less in-your-face than fresh.

If you do want to use fresh, up the amount to about a tablespoon. It’s also nice sprinkled on top, like in these photos.

This dish has never disappointed. The family I used to cook for would order it at least once a week, and probably more if I had offered it more often.

Try it out with Bucatini with Tomatoes, Olives and White Beans and let me know what you think!

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A pan of Whitefish in Tomato Sauce with Olives

Whitefish in Red Sauce with Pasta


  • Author: Leannda
  • Total Time: 1 minute
  • Yield: 4 servings 1x
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Description

Flaky whitefish baked in a light tomato sauce with garlic and kalamata olives. Ridiculously easy, quick, healthy and you can use extra tomato sauce to make a side of pasta by the time the fish bakes.


Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 lb boneless, skinless fillets of flounder, tilapia, cod, or just about any white fish (3–4 filets)
  • 28-oz can whole peeled tomatoes
  • 1/2 cup halved kalamata olives in brine
  • 2 teaspoons sliced garlic
  • 2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 teaspoons dried oregano
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt, plus more
  • Black pepper to taste

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 425°F.
  2. Hand-crush the tomatoes into a bowl and add the juice from the can, garlic, olives, oil, oregano, salt and pepper and stir.
  3. Salt and pepper the fish and set aside.
  4. Spoon enough of the sauce mixture into a medium stainless steel or ceramic pan to cover the bottom, then lay the fish on top. Add a little more sauce around the sides like a nest. Reserve the remaining sauce for pasta or another use.
  5. Bake for 12-14 minutes, or until the fish is opaque and flaky.
  6. Optional: top with fresh oregano.

Notes

  • I used fresh oregano leaves on top in the photos above. Not necessary at all, just a fun touch. If you want to use fresh oregano for the recipe, up the amount to 1 Tablespoon.
  • I use a double-serving of the sauce in this recipe, because I always make it with Bucatini with Tomatoes, Olives and White Beans. If you just want to make the fish, a 14-oz can is just fine! Just halve the amount of garlic, olives and oregano.
  • Prep Time: 10 minutes
  • Cook Time: 12-14 minutes
  • Category: Dinner
  • Method: Roasting
  • Cuisine: Italian

Keywords: whitefish in tomato sauce with olives, whitefish in tomatoes, whitefish

Did you make this recipe?

Tag @leanndacavalier on Instagram and hashtag it #whipsmartkitchen

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Filed Under: Dinner, Italian, Recipe

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About Leannda

Hey, I'm Leannda! I love to cook and I'm always down for some tiramisu. When I'm not cooking I'm probably teaching or sideline reporting. DWest Virginia native. Lover of mountains and rivers. Currently living in Tennessee with my husband, Adam; daughter, Siena; and our cats, Professor and Steely. read more

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Hey, I'm Leannda! I'm into healthy eating, but I'm always down for some tiramisu. When I'm not cooking I'm probably teaching or sideline reporting. I live outside Knoxville, Tennessee with my husband Adam, and our cats Professor and Steely. Read More…

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