Branzino with Lemon and Herbs

Name: Branzino with Lemon and Herbs
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 45 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients: 2 fish whole branzino (European sea bass), cleaned, scaled, gutted; 4 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil; 2 lemon, thinly sliced; 4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced; 6 fresh thyme sprigs; 4 fresh rosemary sprigs; 4 tbsp fresh flat-leaf parsley, roughly chopped; 1.5 tsp kosher salt; 1/2 tsp black pepper, freshly ground; 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice; 2 tbsp capers, drained

Whole branzino (European sea bass) scored and stuffed with lemon, garlic, and fresh herbs, then roasted at high heat until the skin is crisp and the flesh is moist and flavorful. A refined yet simple Mediterranean dinner.

45 minMediumServes 4360 cal/serving

ItalianDinnerOvenMediterraneanPescatarianHigh ProteinHigh FiberLow CarbHalal-friendlyDairy-FreeGluten-FreeNut-FreeEgg-FreeShellfish-FreeSesame-FreeLow-SodiumPork-FreeAlcohol-FreeCorn-Free

Cook this free in the appFree. No download, no account. The screen stays awake and each step can run its own timer.

Ingredients

2 fish whole branzino (European sea bass), cleaned, scaled, gutted
4 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
2 lemon, thinly sliced
4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
6 fresh thyme sprigs
4 fresh rosemary sprigs
4 tbsp fresh flat-leaf parsley, roughly chopped
1.5 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp black pepper, freshly ground
2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
2 tbsp capers, drained

Instructions

1

Preheat oven to 450°F (230°C). Line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
2

Pat 2 fish scaled, gutted whole branzino (European sea bass), cleaned dry inside and out with paper towels. Using a sharp knife, make 3 diagonal slashes about 1/2 inch deep on each side of each fish.
3

Drizzle half the 4 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil over the fish, rubbing it into the slashes and cavity. Season generously inside and out with 1.5 tsp kosher salt and 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper.
4

Stuff each cavity with a few slices of 2 thinly sliced lemon, half the 4 thinly sliced garlic cloves, and a mix of 6 fresh thyme sprigs and 4 fresh rosemary sprigs sprigs.
5

Place fish on the prepared baking sheet. Roast for 20 to 25 minutes until the skin is crisp and the flesh is opaque and flakes easily, reaching an internal temperature of 145°F (63°C) at the thickest part.
6

Drizzle with remaining olive oil and 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice. Scatter 2 tbsp drained capers and 4 tbsp roughly chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley over the fish and serve immediately.

Cook this free in the appCooking it now? The app keeps the screen awake and times each step. Free, nothing to install.

Keep this recipe

Prints the ingredients and method only.

The Italian Kitchen 30 recipes from this kitchen in one printable PDF. $5, no account.

Questions

What oven temperature does Branzino with Lemon and Herbs need?

For Branzino with Lemon and Herbs, the oven is set to 450 F (about 230 C) in step 1. The longest stretch at that heat is 25 minutes, in step 5. The target internal temperature is 145 F (about 65 C), given in step 5. A probe thermometer removes the guesswork.

Why pat it dry first in Branzino with Lemon and Herbs?

Step 2 reads: "Pat 2 fish scaled, gutted whole branzino (European sea bass), cleaned dry inside and out with paper towels." Surface water has to boil off before anything can brown. Drying at step 2 means the food sears in the first minute instead of steaming.

What can I use instead of capers in Branzino with Lemon and Herbs?

The entry for Branzino with Lemon and Herbs calls for 2 tbsp capers, drained. In its place: Chopped green olives give the same briny pop.

Can I use a different white fish instead of the branzino in Branzino with Lemon and Herbs?

Yes. Any firm white fish of similar thickness works: cod, haddock, pollock and halibut are interchangeable here. Timing follows thickness, not species. As written, the entry for Branzino with Lemon and Herbs uses 2 fish whole branzino (European sea bass), cleaned, scaled, gutted.

Is Branzino with Lemon and Herbs keto-friendly?

A serving of Branzino with Lemon and Herbs carries 17 g of carbohydrate, 7 g of it fiber. Against a strict 20 g keto day that is 85 percent of the budget; against a moderate 100 g low-carb day it is 17 percent.

Serve it with

Cook this free in the app

Textual Chef is 4,544 plain-text recipes, free to read and free to cook from. No account, no paywall, no ads, no life stories. Open this one in the app and each quantity sits inside the step that uses it, so you read once and cook.

Every recipe is curated or public-domain sourced, written to one template and checked before it publishes. Nothing here is a scraped blog post.

Cook this free in the appNo download needed. It opens in your browser. The kitchen tools (planner, shopping list, pantry, import) are $5.33 a month billed annually; the first 30 days are free.