Baked Fish with Vegetables and Lemon
Fish dries out in the oven because it is baked too long at too low a temperature. Do the opposite: 220°C for 20 to 25 minutes only. It is done when the flesh turns opaque and flakes easily with a fork — every extra minute dries it out.
- Prep
- 25 min
- Cook
- 25 min
- Total
- 50 min
- Calories
- 290
Baked fish is easier and lighter than fried, and the two usual complaints are that it dries out or that the kitchen smells. Both are solved before the tray goes into the oven.
Method
-
1
Clean and dry
Clean the fish and rinse it with water and lemon, then dry it completely with paper towel. Wet fish steams instead of browning, and drying also cuts the smell.
⏱ 12 min -
2
Score and marinate
Cut two diagonal slashes on each side and rub with the garlic, cumin, coriander, salt and olive oil. The slashes let the marinade reach the flesh rather than sitting on the skin.
⏱ 10 min -
3
Rest
Refrigerate covered for 20 minutes. A long rest with lemon starts to cure the fish chemically and turns the texture mushy — do not go past half an hour.
⏱ 21 min -
4
Vegetable base
Parboil the potatoes for 5 minutes and lay them in the tray with the onion and peppers, then set the fish on top. The vegetables stop the fish sticking and catch its juices.
⏱ 10 min -
5
Hot oven
Preheat to 220°C, lay the tomato and lemon slices over the fish and drizzle over the remaining olive oil. A hot oven from the start seals the surface.
⏱ 12 min -
6
Short bake
Bake for 20 to 25 minutes. The fish is ready when the flesh is opaque and flakes easily at the thickest point.
⏱ 25 min -
7
Dill and rest
Scatter the chopped dill as it comes out and let it stand 5 minutes so the juices settle back into the flesh.
⏱ 6 min
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Tips that actually matter
- Dry the fish completely — it cuts the smell and improves browning.
- High heat for a short time, not 180°C for a long one — that is the core rule.
- Parboil the potatoes for 5 minutes, or they will still be raw when the fish is done.
- Never marinate with lemon for more than half an hour; the acid breaks the flesh down.
People also ask
Why does baked fish dry out?
It was in too long. Fish cooks fast — 20 to 25 minutes at 220°C is enough for a medium fish. Test with a fork at the thickest point; if it flakes, it is done.
How do I cut the fishy smell?
Rinse with water and lemon or vinegar, dry it thoroughly, and lay lemon slices over it in the oven. Acid neutralises the alkaline compounds responsible for the smell.
Why are the potatoes still hard?
Potatoes need longer than fish. Parboil them for 5 minutes before you lay them down, or slice them very thin so both finish together.
Cook mode
Baked Fish with Vegetables and Lemon
-
1
Clean and dry
Clean the fish and rinse it with water and lemon, then dry it completely with paper towel. Wet fish steams instead of browning, and drying also cuts the smell.
-
2
Score and marinate
Cut two diagonal slashes on each side and rub with the garlic, cumin, coriander, salt and olive oil. The slashes let the marinade reach the flesh rather than sitting on the skin.
-
3
Rest
Refrigerate covered for 20 minutes. A long rest with lemon starts to cure the fish chemically and turns the texture mushy — do not go past half an hour.
-
4
Vegetable base
Parboil the potatoes for 5 minutes and lay them in the tray with the onion and peppers, then set the fish on top. The vegetables stop the fish sticking and catch its juices.
-
5
Hot oven
Preheat to 220°C, lay the tomato and lemon slices over the fish and drizzle over the remaining olive oil. A hot oven from the start seals the surface.
-
6
Short bake
Bake for 20 to 25 minutes. The fish is ready when the flesh is opaque and flakes easily at the thickest point.
-
7
Dill and rest
Scatter the chopped dill as it comes out and let it stand 5 minutes so the juices settle back into the flesh.
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