By Grocery List Plus Editorial Staff | Published on June 12, 2026
Serves 4
526 cal · 40 min
Baked Fish with Tomato-Olive Sauce
Recipe GLPR0653b6190f6f91
A Mediterranean-inspired baked fish dish featuring snapper or sea bass fillets topped with a vibrant tomato-olive sauce and served alongside fluffy cilantro-infused white rice. Fresh lime wedges and pickled jalapeños with carrots accompany the meal for added brightness and heat.
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Ingredients
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 white onion, diced
1 tablespoon minced cilantro stems
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves
1 cup long-grain white rice
Kosher salt, to taste
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1 14-ounce can cherry tomatoes
1/3 cup pimiento-stuffed olives, roughly chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup whole pickled jalapeños with carrots
4 snapper or sea bass fillets, about 6 ounces each
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
Lime wedges, for serving
Directions
Preheat the oven to 425°F. In a medium saucepan, heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the diced onion and minced cilantro stems and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is softened, about 3 to 4 minutes.
Stir the rice into the onion mixture until all the grains are well coated with oil. Add 1 1/2 cups of water, 1/2 teaspoon of salt, and several grinds of pepper. Bring the mixture to a boil.
Cover the saucepan with a lid, reduce the heat to low, and cook without stirring until the liquid is completely absorbed and the rice is tender, approximately 15 minutes. Remove from heat, keep covered, and let rest for 5 minutes. Fluff gently with a fork and set aside.
While the rice cooks, pour the canned cherry tomatoes with their liquid into a 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Using your hands, gently crush the tomatoes to release their juices. Stir in the remaining 3 tablespoons of olive oil, chopped cilantro leaves, chopped olives, minced garlic, 1/2 teaspoon of salt, and several grinds of pepper.
Take one of the pickled jalapeños from the jar, roughly chop it, and stir it into the tomato sauce. Season the fish fillets on both sides with salt, pepper, and the chili powder.
Place the seasoned fish fillets skin-side down in the baking dish with the tomato-olive sauce. Spoon some of the sauce over the top of each fillet.
Bake in the preheated 425°F oven until the fish is cooked through (it should reach an internal temperature of 145°F and flake easily with a fork) and the sauce is bubbling around the edges, approximately 15 to 20 minutes.
Divide the cooked cilantro rice evenly among four plates. Place one baked fish fillet alongside the rice on each plate. Serve with lime wedges and the remaining pickled jalapeños and carrots on the side.
Comments
Fresh snapper is available year-round at Harris Teeter and Kroger seafood counters in Charlotte, and all other ingredients are standard grocery staples found everywhere—no special trips needed. Cost runs roughly $3.50 to $4.50 per serving, driven by the snapper itself, which is the only premium item. The stated 40 minutes is honest if rice is already on the stove and prep is brisk; figure 35 to 45 minutes realistically from shopping bag to table. This is a weeknight-friendly one-pan dish that doesn't demand constant attention, though snapper is delicate and benefits from watching the oven to avoid overcooking. Leftovers reheat decently in a gentle oven, and it fits well with North Carolina's love of tomato-forward coastal cooking.
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