Chilean Sea Bass with Basil Pesto
Tender and flaky with bold flavors, this Chilean Sea Bass Recipe with Basil Pesto is a quick and easy weeknight dinner. It's made with just 7 ingredients and comes together in 20 minutes! If you do not have access to quality wild-caught Chilean sea bass or from a sustainable source, opt for another white fish fillet.
Servings: 6 people (up to)
Ingredients
- 2 lb wild-caught Chilean sea bass, or another white fish fillet of your choice (see note), thawed if perviously frozen
- extra virgin olive oil
- kosher salt and black pepper
- 1 tsp Red pepper flakes, (I used 2 tsp Aleppo Pepper, which is milder)
- 1-2 lemons, halved
- 1/4 cup basil pesto, try this homemade basil pesto or quality store bought pesto, more to your liking
- 1 cup grape tomatoes, halved (optional)
Instructions
- Heat the oven to 425 degrees F and position a rack in the middle.
- Put the fish in a large lightly oiled baking pan. Drizzle the top of the fish with extra virgin olive oil and season with kosher salt, black pepper, and Aleppo pepper (or red pepper flakes). Cover the baking pan tightly with foil.
- Bake, covered, in the heated oven for 12 to 15 minutes or until the fish is cooked through and flakes easily.
- Heat a grill pan over medium-high heat and add the halved lemons, flesh side down. Grill briefly until the lemons soften and char a bit (about 2 minutes or so). Remove from heat and set aside.
- When the fish is ready, remove it from the oven and uncover. Immediately squeeze one of the grilled lemons all over the fish then spread the basil pesto on top.
- If using, toss the grape tomatoes with a dash of salt and some extra virgin olive oil and arrange over the fish as a garnish. Serve immediately with the remaining lemon.
Video
Notes
- Sustainability Note: There are about 6 Chilean sea bass fisheries which are certified sustainable by the Marine Stewardship Council and one of them is near us in South Georgia. If you do not have access to quality wild-caught Chilean sea bass (which is often in the freezer section) or from a sustainable resource, opt for another white fish fillet.
- Other white fish options to use in this recipe include: striped sea bass, halibut, haddock, or cod.
- How do you know if the fish is fully cooked? The fish is ready when it flakes easily. Its internal temperature should register at around 145 degrees F. Remember that the fish will continue to cook for a little while after you take it out of the oven.
- Leftovers & Storage: store leftover cooked fish in a tightly closed container for up to 2 days. It's best not to reheat the fish and simply serve it cold or at room temperature over a salad of your choice (you can use the example of this salmon salad recipe).
- Homemade basil pesto can be made in advance and stored in the fridge for 1 week or in the freezer for up to 1 month.
- Visit Our Shop to browse quality Mediterranean ingredients including olive oils and spices.
Nutrition
Calories: 286.6kcal | Carbohydrates: 2.7g | Protein: 18.1g | Fat: 22.7g | Saturated Fat: 4.8g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.04g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0.01g | Cholesterol: 67.4mg | Sodium: 273.4mg | Potassium: 31.4mg | Fiber: 0.8g | Sugar: 0.8g | Vitamin A: 613.5IU | Vitamin C: 9.5mg | Calcium: 22.5mg | Iron: 0.2mg
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