Whole Roasted Fish With Tomatoes

This whole roasted fish with tomatoes is easy, flavorful, and gorgeous. Roasted with juicy cherry tomatoes, fresh herbs, and garlic, it’s a simple yet stunning dish that’s perfect for any night of the week.

Roasting a whole fish might sound a bit fancy, but trust me—it’s one of the easiest and most rewarding meals you can make. Not only does it look impressive on the plate, but each bite is bursting with flavor, making it a total showstopper that’s still simple enough for a weeknight.

Living on the west coast of Florida, where fresh seafood is always within reach, I love cooking fish this way. It’s fuss-free, and the results are always amazing. Roasting whole fish is one of those dishes that somehow looks like it belongs in a fine-dining restaurant, yet it’s so easy to make—no complicated techniques required!

This particular combination of tomatoes, shallots, garlic, and fresh herbs adds the perfect balance of flavor. As the fish roasts, all the juices from the vegetables create a natural sauce that makes every bite even more delicious. 

What I love most about this recipe is how simple it is—just a few ingredients and you’re good to go. There’s no heavy sauce or complicated prep involved, yet it’s so satisfying. The fish is light and flaky, and the roasted tomatoes, shallots, and garlic add so much depth of flavor without weighing the dish down. It’s the kind of meal that leaves you feeling full and content without feeling overly stuffed. Whether you’re cooking for yourself or having company over, this dish feels fancy enough for a special occasion but easy enough to enjoy any day of the week.

Ingredients:

2 whole striped bass (12-14 oz each), scaled and gutted (you can also use rainbow trout, red snapper)

1 bunch each, fresh parsley, dill and thyme (you can also use oregano and basil)

1 lemon, sliced

3-4 shallots, sliced

3-5 garlic cloves, sliced

12 oz cherry tomatoes

¼ - ⅓ cup olive oil

salt, pepper

How to Cook Roasted Fish With Tomatoes

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit.

Place the 2 whole fish into a 13 x 9 inch rimmed baking dish. Season the fish with salt and pepper on both sides and in the cavity of the fish as well. Place some of all the herbs and the lemon slices into the cavity of the fish. Place the sliced shallots around the fish on the bottom of the baking dish. Place the tomatoes all around the fish as well, on top of the shallots. Nestle the garlic slices and the thyme all around the tomatoes. Season the shallots and tomatoes with salt and pepper. Drizzle the olive oil over the tomatoes and the fish. Roast the fish in the preheated oven for 30-40 minutes, depending on the size of the fish. The fish should be golden in some areas and the tomatoes should be golden and some of them will blister and be almost black.

Serve with more fresh herbs, along with the tomatoes, shallots and garlic, discarding the herbs and lemon slices from the cavity of the fish. 

Whole Roasted Striped Bass With Tomatoes and Herbs

Olga Klyuchits

This whole roasted fish with tomatoes is easy, flavorful, and gorgeous. Roasted with juicy cherry tomatoes, fresh herbs, and garlic, it’s a simple yet stunning dish that’s perfect for any night of the week.

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Prep Time 5 minutes mins

Cook Time 30 minutes mins

Total Time 35 minutes mins

Course Entree

Servings 2

Ingredients

  

• 2 whole striped bass 12-14 oz each, scaled and gutted
• 1 bunch each fresh parsley, dill and thyme (you can also use oregano and basil)
• 1 lemon sliced
• 3-4 shallots sliced
• 3-5 garlic cloves sliced
• 12 oz cherry tomatoes
• ¼ - ⅓ cup olive oil
• salt pepper

Instructions

 

• Preheat the oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit.
• Place the 2 whole fish into a 13 x 9 inch rimmed baking dish. Season the fish with salt and pepper on both sides and in the cavity of the fish as well. Place some of all the herbs and the lemon slices into the cavity of the fish.
• Place the sliced shallots around the fish on the bottom of the baking dish. Place the tomatoes all around the fish as well, on top of the shallots. Nestle the garlic slices and the thyme all around the tomatoes. Season the shallots and tomatoes with salt and pepper.
• Drizzle the olive oil over the tomatoes and the fish.
• Roast the fish in the preheated oven for 30-40 minutes, depending on the size of the fish. The fish should be golden in some areas and the tomatoes should be golden and some of them will blister and be almost black.
• Serve with more fresh herbs, along with the tomatoes, shallots and garlic, discarding the herbs and lemon slices from the cavity of the fish.

Notes

You can use whole fish such as bass, snapper, trout, tilapia, etc. for this recipe.