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Baked grouper fillet topped with blistered cherry tomatoes, olives, and capers in a ceramic dish with golden pan juices

Oven-Baked Grouper with Cherry Tomatoes and Capers

Grouper fillets baked over cherry tomatoes, capers, and olives with a splash of white wine, ready in about 40 minutes.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 22 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Southern Italian style
Calories: 224
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 4 grouper fillets, skin-on x 180 g (about 720 g total); or sea bass, halibut, or snapper
  • 4 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil divided
  • 3 cloves garlic thinly sliced
  • 400 g cherry tomatoes halved
  • 2 tbsp capers rinsed if salt-packed
  • 60 g black olives (Taggiasca or Gaeta) pitted
  • 100 ml dry white wine or fish stock with a squeeze of lemon
  • 1 lemon zested and sliced
  • 3 tbsp fresh parsley chopped
  • 30 g fine dry breadcrumbs use gluten-free panko if needed
  • fine sea salt to taste
  • black pepper to taste
  • 1/4 tsp red chili flakes optional

Method
 

  1. Heat the oven to 200C/400F. Oil a 33 x 23 cm / 13 x 9-inch baking dish with 1 tbsp of the olive oil.
  2. In a mixing bowl, toss the cherry tomatoes, garlic, capers, olives, chili flakes if using, 1 tbsp olive oil, and a pinch of salt and pepper.
  3. Spread half the tomato mixture over the base of the dish. Pat the grouper fillets dry, season both sides with salt and pepper, and lay them skin side down on top.
  4. Scatter the remaining tomato mixture over and around the fish. Tuck the lemon slices between the fillets and pour the white wine into the dish.
  5. Sprinkle the breadcrumbs evenly over the fillets and drizzle with the remaining 2 tbsp olive oil.
  6. Bake for 18 to 22 minutes, until the thickest part of the fish reaches 145F/63C on an instant-read thermometer and flakes easily with a fork. The tomatoes should be soft and bubbling at the edges.
  7. Remove from the oven and let rest for 3 minutes in the dish; the sauce keeps loosening as it settles.
  8. Scatter with parsley and lemon zest, then spoon the tomato-caper sauce over each fillet before serving.

Notes

  • Use an instant-read thermometer; grouper thickness varies fillet to fillet.
  • Rinse capers if salt-packed to keep the sauce from turning too briny.
  • Don't skip the rest time; the sauce settles and thickens off the heat.
  • Prep the tomato mixture ahead but bake the fish fresh for best texture.