You’ll love this easy baked grouper recipe, prepared Mediterranean-style with a few spices and bold fresh flavors, including garlic, lemon juice, tomatoes and olives!
Ready in just over 20 minutes, this healthy, low-carb baked fish recipe is perfect for any night of the week. If grouper is not available, I have other options for you below along with lots of ideas for salads and sides to serve along! Be sure to read on for the step-by-step tutorial.
Whenever I’m out at my local grocery store, I make a point of stopping at the fish counter to chat up my fishmonger friend. Last time, I happened upon some beautiful looking grouper fillets and my mind immediately went to something quick and fuss-free like a baked fish dinner.
This baked grouper recipe gets its bold Mediterranean kick from a few spices and a combination of favorites: fresh garlic, tomatoes, olives, lemon juice, and extra virgin olive oil.
It’s super easy to put together. Ready in just over 20 minutes! Plus, my family absolutely loves it!
And if you’re following the Mediterranean diet, or if you’re looking for a low-carb fish recipe, this one should be on your list to try.
What is Grouper? And what can I substitute for it?
I’m a big fish person, but I have to say, grouper is something truly special.
I use the more readily available red grouper, a white fish from the sea bass family. It’s lean, moist, and has a lovely mild and slightly sweeter flavor.
Grouper lends itself to a variety of preparations–I love it grilled, pan seared, or baked. This time, I obviously went for baked grouper, a healthy and light options for those who are looking for low-carb meals!
If grouper fillet is not available to you, you can substitute it in this recipe for red snapper fillets, cod, halibut, haddock, or sea bass. Textures and thickness may vary, so be sure to adjust the cooking time as needed (fish is ready when its flesh turns opaque and you can easily flake it using a fork; internal temp should register 145 degrees F.)
Ingredients for this Mediterranean-style Grouper Recipe
This light baked grouper recipe requires a few ingredients that you may already have on hand! But the secret is definitely in the bold Mediterranean flavors. Here’s what to need to make it:
Grouper Fillet: I used 1.5 pounds of red grouper fillet here. This recipe is versatile, so you can substitute grouper for another fish if you need to. Some good options, as I mentioned earlier: red snapper fillets, cod, halibut, haddock, or sea bass.
Spice Mixture: Because grouper is a mild-tasting fish, it can take on a variety of seasonings and flavors. Here, we give it a quick coating in some Mediterranean spices including cumin, oregano, and paprika for color and depth.
More Mediterranean Flavor Makers: in addition to the spice mixture, we add in fresh minced garlic, fresh lemon juice, and excellent extra virgin olive oil. This trio is essential to creating the bright and bold Mediterranean flare to this recipe.
For this recipe, I used Early Harvest Greek extra virgin olive oil for its rich and fruity finish, plus it lends just the right amount of fat to help this extra lean fish.
Toppings: For more color and even more flavor, we top our fish fillets with a combination of sweet cherry tomatoes and sliced kalamata olives. The olives here contribute a distinctive rich, salty, slightly tangy flavor–a bit of Greek twist. If you’re not a fan of olives, you can feel free to omit them or use capers in their place.
Fresh Herbs: Not a big surprise here, the final finishing touch to this baked fish recipe is fresh herbs. I love using dill here; it’s grassy with a bit of anise-like licorice flavor works well with fish. That said, when dill is not available, you can absolutely use a different fresh herb like a handful of fresh parsley, basil, or even mint.
How to Make This Baked Grouper Recipe: Step-by-Step
This Mediterranean baked fish recipe can be made in just over 20 minutes! It’s as easy as 1, 2 , 3. Here is how:
Step 1: Prepare and Season the Fish Fillets
Pat fish fillets dry and season on both sides with kosher salt.
Prepare the spice mixture of cumin, oregano and paprika in a small bowl, then season the fish well on both sides.
Step 2: Add Lemon Juice, Olive Oil, and Toppings
Put the seasoned fish in a lightly-oiled baking dish (I used this 9″ x 13″ cast iron dish for even cooking <-affiliate link)
Top the fish with fresh minced garlic, making sure to spread the garlic well. Add juice of 1 lemon, and a generous drizzle of extra virgin olive oil (I highly recommend Early Harvest Greek extra virgin olive oil for its rich, fruity finish), then top with the sliced tomatoes and kalamata olives.
Step 3: Bake
Place the baking dish on the middle rack of a 400 degree F heated-oven. Bake for about 12 to 13 minutes or until the fish turns opaque in color and flakes easily using a fork.
TIP: You’ve heard me say this earlier, no one likes dry fish so avoid overcooking your grouper. If you’re not sure, use an instant read thermometer (affiliate link); fish is ready when its internal temp registers 145°F, which should be measured at the thickest part of the fish fillet.
What to Serve with Baked Grouper?
This grouper recipe makes a light and delicious dinner any night of the week. I can think of more than a dozen sides and salads to go along. Here are a few ideas:
Salads: Shirazi salad; Mediterranean Lentil Salad; Mediterranean 3-Bean Salad
Sides: Crispy Brussels Sprouts; Baked Zucchini with Thyme and Parmesan; Greek Lemon Rice; Italian Roasted Veggies
Since this is a quick recipe, be sure to prepare your sides and salads before your fish goes in the oven. Enjoy!
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Mediterranean-Style Baked Grouper with Tomatoes and Olives
- Total Time: 23 minutes
- Yield: Serves 4 or 5 1x
Description
Easy baked grouper recipe, prepared Mediterranean-style with a few spices and bold fresh flavors, including garlic, lemon juice, tomatoes and olives.
Ready in just over 20 minutes, this healthy, low-carb baked fish recipe is perfect for any night of the week. Be sure to view the step-by-step tutorial and suggestions in the post.
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 lb grouper fillet (or a similar fish)
- kosher salt
- 1 tbsp dry oregano
- 1 to 1 1/2 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp sweet paprika
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 4 large garlic cloves, minced
- Juice of 1 large lemon, more for later
- Extra virgin olive oil (I used Early Harvest Greek extra virgin olive oil)
- 6 to 8 oz cherry tomatoes, halved
- 6 to 8 pitted kalamata olives, sliced
- Chopped fresh dill (about 1/4 oz or so)
Instructions
- Heat oven to 400 degrees F.
- Pat the fish dry and season with salt on both sides. In a small bowl, combine the spices (cumin, oregano, paprika, and black pepper), and season the fish with the spice mixture on both sides.
- Place seasoned fish in a lightly-oiled baking dish. Add minced garlic on top, then add lemon juice and a generous drizzle of extra virgin olive oil (I used Early Harvest Greek EVOO). Arrange cherry tomatoes and olives on top of the fish fillets.
- Bake in heated oven for 12 to 13 minutes, or until the fish is opaque and easily flakes with a fork.
- Remove from heat and add fresh dill (or your favorite herb). Enjoy!
Notes
- Cook’s Tip: How do you know when fish is ready? Its flesh should be opaque and should flake easily using a fork. Internal temperature should register around 145 degrees F at the thickest part of the fish.
- What to Substitute for Grouper? If grouper is not available, you can use red snapper fillets, cod, halibut, or haddock fillets in this recipe. Textures will vary. Adjust cooking time as needed and use an instant read thermometer (per tip above) to determine when your fish is ready.
- Visit Our Online Shop to browse our Greek extra virgin olive oils, all-natural and organic spices and more!
- Prep Time: 10 mins
- Cook Time: 13 mins
- Category: Fish and Seafood
- Method: Baked
- Cuisine: Mediterranean
I had high hopes and while completely edible I won’t save this recipe though I may riff on some of its concepts. I found the seasoning combo muddled and it was bizarrely lacking in a real flavor as a result. Too many different seasonings here that while all solid seem to detract from one another.
I’m sorry, but WAY too much spice in here. If you love cumin, go for it. Completely overwhelms the dish.
I usually love cumin, but in this recipe it seemed to take over the dish. I will probably use a different spice profile next time…perhaps a more italian mix?
Made this tonight. Followed the recipe exactly. But it’s just too dry for a lean fish, even baked. The spice rub makes it worse, and you can’t even taste the fish!
Next time, I’ll rub the fillets with olive oil before I do the spice rub, and I think I’ll cover it in the oven for some or all of the time. 400 is hot enough to vaporize the lovely tomato/olive liqueur. Might even throw some broth in to steam it.
Also made the greek lemon rice. That’s too dry, too, and it needs salt, but the parsley and dill are gorgeous.
Thank you for the feedback, Laura.
This will become a go to recipe. We have access to fresh grouper, and this combination of seasonings with olives and tomatos is delicious. Being able toassemble early makes a great dish for card night.
Wow! I’m not a great cook. This was the best dish I EVER cooked. I made it for my guy, who loves fish.
I read the previous reviews and, as I’m not a great fan of cumin, used only 1/4 teaspoon. I also sautéed onion with the tomatoes prior to placing atop the grouper and placing grouper in oven.
It came out so very good I even loved it and I don’t really care for fish.
Thank you so much for this recipe!
Love this! I do it with chicken when fish isnt available. I also add capers and zucchini:)
In my business, I’ve had meals on many Greek ships. My favorite food! Tasting this meal I made tonight, any of those Greek cooks would think I was one of them! Bravo!
I just made this! It’s delicious! Very easy. I’ll skip the Cumin next time though.
I’ve made this multiple times and it is excellent.
(Tend to reduce the dried herb quantities in general… specifically for the recipe: cumin/oregano/paprika because the ones available locally are fresh and potent!).
Thank you.
I agree with previous comment by Laurie. The cumin was way overpowering & basically ruined an expensive piece of fish. Would have been fine w/ maybe a 1/4 teaspoon if that. I don’t think that chili recipes even use that much cumin. Awful & would not make again.
Thank you for the feedback. I appreciate you giving the recipe a try.
This was my first recipe from this website and it was outstanding! The cumin added such a delicious flavor to this Mediterranean style dish. It definitely was a hit and I will be Looking forward to other recipes to try. Thank you for sharing 💜
My pleasure, Marianne! Glad you enjoyed it!
First time on the site and I made the Grouper and the Lemon Rice, plus sauteed spinach. It was perfect. We are fortunate to live in Florida and the red grouper is in season so I got some beautiful fresh this morning,. I love this site ad will use it often in the future.
Welcome to the Mediterranean Dish, Robin! So glad you enjoyed your first recipe :).
Made this dish last night with Black Grouper. Utterly Delicious!
Thanks, Adam!
I just made the recipe for 2 and loved it. I scaled back on the spices because I made less fish and used an olive medley from Trader Joe’s that was perfect.
Thanks for sharing, Michelle!
This dish came out pretty dry, and I would use much less cumin, as it dominates the flavors. Recipe sounded much better than it actually turned out to be.