Roasted Branzino With Lemon and Thyme

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.

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.