Food & Cooking Recipes Ingredients Seafood Recipes Roasted Branzino With Lemon and Thyme 5.0 (5) Ready in just 30 minutes, roasting the whole fish makes for an easy seafood entrée. Close Credit: Ryan Liebe Prep Time: 10 mins Total Time: 30 mins Servings: 2 Jump to recipe For this roasted branzino recipe, we bake the whole fish in just 30 minutes. It's seasoned with simple ingredients—olive oil, thyme, and salt—so the fresh seafood flavor shines through. You might be surprised that a seafood recipe uses such a high oven temperature (450 degrees Fahrenheit) for a delicate fish; however, this is what makes the skin crisp, even while it protects the flesh from drying out. The secret to an evenly baked branzino with crisp skin is to prop it up with lemon wedges along its sides. You can use this roasting technique with other fish too, such as snapper, perch, cod, Arctic char, bass, sea bream, and haddock. How to Store Fish the Right Way (So Your Fridge Doesn't Smell) What Is Branzino? If you're unfamiliar with branzino—also known as European or Mediterranean sea bass—it's a mild, slightly sweet, flaky, white-fleshed fish that’s popular in Italian cuisine. It's usual to cook and serve the whole fish, as in our recipe, but it can also be filleted. The fish also has very few small bones, making it easy to prepare. What to Look for When Buying a Whole Branzino When buying a whole branzino, look for clear, plump eyes, bright red gills, flesh that’s firm and springy to the touch, and smells fresh and briny, not fishy. If you spot sunken eyes, brown or gray gills, or a strong fishy reek, keep on walking! How to Serve a Whole Fish It can seem intimidating to serve a whole fish, but don't be put off; the process is very straightforward. To portion a whole fish into two servings, first cut the fillet free from the top side of the fish and remove it with a spatula. Remove the bones to free the other fillet, then transfer each fillet to a serving plate. Directions Credit: Jacob Fox Preheat oven and season fish: Preheat oven to 450°F. Pat fish dry; rub cavity and skin with oil, then season generously with salt and pepper. Stuff cavity with lemon slices and a few sprigs of thyme. Credit: Jacob Fox Prepare for roasting: Transfer to a rimmed baking sheet, standing fish upright (cavity-side down); anchor in place with 3 lemon wedges along each side. Scatter remaining thyme sprigs around fish. Credit: Jacob Fox Credit: Jacob Fox To cook a whole fish evenly and ensure the skin becomes crispy, prop it up on its belly, using lemon wedges to bolster it on both sides. The citrus softens and caramelizes in the oven, perfect for squeezing over the fish when serving. Cook fish: Roast until fish is just cooked through, 17 to 22 minutes, depending on size. Fillet fish and serve with roasted lemon wedges or a sauce. Credit: Jacob Fox What to Serve With Roasted Branzino This simple seafood preparation pairs perfectly with side dishes containing other bright Mediterranean flavors. Greek Lemon-Roasted Potatoes French Lentil Salad Greek-Taverna Salad Dolmades (Stuffed Grape Leaves) Leek, Bacon, and Pea Risotto Frequently Asked Questions Do you eat the skin of a whole branzino? Yes, you can eat the skin of a whole branzino—if you want to. To make it tasty, you need to make sure the skin crisps up during cooking. We don't recommend eating the skin if it isn't crispy. Are there a lot of bones in branzino? No, there are not a lot of bones in branzino. Compared to other types of fish, the branzino has very few bones. This is one of the things that makes it a good choice for cooking whole. How do you know when roasted branzino is done? You know when roasted branzino is done because the fish will have lost its translucent or raw appearance and will flake easily. Check the fish at the start of the cooking time given in the recipe. Another good rule of thumb is to cook the fish to an internal temperature of 140-145 degrees. 5 Other Fish Recipes to Try Grilled Whole Fish With Lemon and Thyme Baked Fish With Summer Squash Tilapia with Arugula, Tomatoes, and Capers Martha's Pan-Seared Salmon Skillet Cod With Bulgur, Zucchini, and Tomatoes Updated by Jennifer Anderson Jennifer Anderson Jennifer is a writer for decorvow.com.