Whole Roasted Fish with Crispy Skin (Print Version)

Whole fish with crispy golden skin, aromatic herbs, and citrus for an impressive Mediterranean-inspired main dish.

# What You Need:

→ Fish

01 - 1 whole fish (sea bass, snapper, or branzino), about 2.5 pounds (cleaned and scaled, with head and tail)
02 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
03 - 1 ½ teaspoons coarse sea salt
04 - ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

→ Aromatics & Stuffing

05 - 1 lemon, sliced into rounds
06 - 4 sprigs fresh thyme
07 - 2 sprigs fresh rosemary
08 - 2 cloves garlic, sliced

→ Garnish

09 - 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
10 - 1 lemon, cut into wedges

# How to Prepare:

01 - Preheat the oven to 425°F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper or aluminum foil.
02 - Pat the fish completely dry inside and out using paper towels. Make diagonal cuts through the skin 3–4 times on each side to help crisp the skin.
03 - Rub olive oil over the entire fish, including inside the cavity. Season generously with coarse sea salt and black pepper on all surfaces.
04 - Fill the fish cavity with lemon slices, fresh thyme sprigs, rosemary sprigs, and sliced garlic cloves.
05 - Place the fish on the prepared baking sheet. Arrange so the skin remains exposed and not submerged in oil or juices for maximum crispiness.
06 - Roast in the center of the oven for 20–25 minutes until the skin is golden and crispy and the flesh flakes easily when tested with a fork.
07 - Let the fish rest for 2–3 minutes before transferring to a serving platter. Sprinkle with fresh chopped parsley and serve with lemon wedges.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The skin becomes impossibly crispy, like the best potato chip you have ever tasted, while the meat stays impossibly moist
  • It looks like something from a high-end restaurant but requires almost zero actual cooking skill
  • The aromatics infuse the fish from the inside out, so every bite tastes bright and herbaceous
02 -
  • The fish must be completely dry before it hits the oven or the skin will steam instead of crisp, so really take your time with those paper towels
  • Do not stuff the cavity too tightly or the heat cannot circulate inside and the fish will cook unevenly
  • The fish is done when the flesh is opaque and flakes easily with a fork, and if you pull at the fin bone and it slides out, you are definitely in the clear
03 -
  • If your oven has a convection setting, use it because the circulating air makes the skin even crispier
  • Let the fish come to room temperature for 20 minutes before roasting so it cooks evenly

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