By Grocery List Plus Editorial Staff | Published on June 14, 2026
Serves 4
153 cal · 35 min
Fish in Veracruz Sauce
Recipe GLPRb29d70c5d023f7
A vibrant, brightly flavored white fish fillet dish inspired by Veracruz coastal cuisine. Tender fish nestles in a savory tomato sauce enriched with green olives, capers, and warm spices, then finished with fresh cilantro and lime. This naturally whole30-compliant, paleo-friendly main course is ready in about 30 minutes and serves four.
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Ingredients
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 medium yellow onion, halved and thinly sliced
Diamond Crystal kosher salt, to taste
1 Anaheim pepper, seeded and finely diced
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 (14.5 ounce) can fire-roasted diced tomatoes
½ cup green olives, pitted and halved
1 tablespoon drained capers
½ teaspoon dried oregano
1 dried bay leaf
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
4 skinless, boneless white fish fillets (sea bass, red snapper, halibut, cod, or tilapia), about 6 ounces and 1 inch thick each
¼ cup fresh cilantro, minced
1 lime, cut into wedges
Directions
Heat a large skillet over medium heat until hot, then add the olive oil and swirl to coat the pan.
Add the sliced onion, sprinkle with a pinch of salt, and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft and beginning to turn golden, about 8 to 10 minutes.
Stir in the diced Anaheim pepper and minced garlic. Cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
Pour in the canned fire-roasted tomatoes with their juices. Add the green olives, capers, dried oregano, and bay leaf. Stir to combine.
Increase the heat to bring the sauce to a gentle boil, then reduce the heat to maintain a low simmer. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper as needed.
Pat the fish fillets dry with paper towels and season both sides generously with salt and black pepper.
Gently nestle the seasoned fish fillets into the simmering sauce, spacing them evenly. Spoon some of the sauce over the top of each fillet. Cover the skillet with a lid and cook on low heat for 9 to 11 minutes, until the fish is opaque and flakes easily with a fork, reaching an internal temperature of 145°F at the thickest point.
Remove from heat. Sprinkle the fresh minced cilantro over the top and serve each fillet with a generous spoonful of sauce. Pass the lime wedges on the side for squeezing fresh juice over each portion.
Comments
This is a straightforward weeknight fish dish that lands well in Charlotte, where the Veracruz sauce hits the mark with pantry staples and bright regional flavor. Groceries are all available at any major chain—Anaheim peppers appear reliably even at Walmart and Food Lion in the produce section, white fish fillets are standard at Harris Teeter and Publix, and the tomatoes, olives, capers, and oregano sit on every shelf. The real time is closer to 40 minutes when you account for dicing the onion, pepper, and garlic and simmering the sauce through, but that's honest work, not fussy; the dish needs light attention while it simmers but nothing that interrupts dinner prep. At roughly $2.50 to $3.00 per serving depending on which fish you choose, it's budget-friendly and reheats well the next day. The only caveat is that Anaheim peppers are mild and sometimes hard to find in winter months, so cilantro or lime may substitute if you are sourcing this in January; ask the produce manager or swap to a standard poblano if you hit a wall.
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