Easy Baked Sea Bass with Olives and Cherry Tomatoes
Easy Baked Sea Bass with Olives and Cherry Tomatoes is a crispy, flavorful meal that’s ready in just 20 minutes. After making this many times, I’ve discovered the trick to perfectly crispy skin. Jump to the recipe card or keep reading for my best tips. If you love recipes like this, you’ll also enjoy Easy Cajun Sweet Potato Rice Bowl with Black Beans and Easy Crockpot Broccoli Cheddar Chicken and Rice Dinner.
Why This Easy Baked Sea Bass with Olives and Cherry Tomatoes Is Pure Comfort
- Crispy skin with tender, flaky fish inside
- Bright, fresh flavors from cherry tomatoes and olives
- Easy cleanup with just one pan
- Healthier than takeout with no added oil
What You'll Need for Easy Baked Sea Bass with Olives and Cherry Tomatoes
Choosing the right ingredients makes a big difference, but this recipe is forgiving enough to work with what you have.
- 4 sea bass fillets
- 1 pint cherry tomatoes
- 1/2 cup pitted green olives
- 1 lemon
- Salt
- Black pepper
- Garlic powder
- Red pepper flakes
- Fresh parsley
- Optional: Lemon wedges
- Optional: Fresh parsley
📝 Ingredient Notes
- Sea bass: You can also use cod, halibut, or snapper.
🛒 Tools & Equipment I Recommend
- Stainless Steel Skillet — Even heat distribution for perfectly cooked fish → See on Amazon
- Kitchen Tweezers — Easy flipping of fish fillets for crispy skin → See on Amazon
How to Make Easy Baked Sea Bass with Olives and Cherry Tomatoes
- Preheat oven: Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C).
- Prepare fish: Pat fish fillets dry with a paper towel. Season both sides with salt, black pepper, garlic powder, and red pepper flakes. Heat a stainless steel skillet over medium-high heat, add fish fillets skin-side down, and cook for 4-5 minutes until skin is crispy. Flip and cook for another 1-2 minutes.
- Add tomatoes and olives: Transfer skillet to the preheated oven. Add cherry tomatoes and olives to the skillet around the fish. Bake for 10-12 minutes until tomatoes are bursting and fish is cooked through.
- Finish and serve: Squeeze fresh lemon juice over the top. Garnish with fresh parsley and serve with lemon wedges.
Cook's Tips for Perfect Easy Baked Sea Bass with Olives and Cherry Tomatoes
- Common mistake and fix: Don't overcrowd the skillet. Cook fish in batches if needed to ensure crispy skin.
- Pro tip: Use kitchen tweezers to flip the fish fillets for even cooking and crispy skin.
- Pro tip: For a one-pan meal, serve with crusty bread to soak up the delicious juices.
Storing & Reheating Easy Baked Sea Bass with Olives and Cherry Tomatoes
Short-Term Storage
Store in an airtight container in the fridge. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Make-ahead tip: Prepare the fish and tomatoes ahead of time. Bake just before serving.
Freezing Easy Baked Sea Bass with Olives and Cherry Tomatoes
Freeze cooked fish for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.
How to Reheat Without Drying It Out
Oven: Reheat in the oven at 350°F (180°C) for 10-15 minutes. Microwave: Reheat in the microwave for 1-2 minutes. Fish may lose some crispiness.
Recipe Notes
- Chef tip: For a spicy kick, add some sliced jalapeños to the skillet with the tomatoes and olives.
- Best substitution: You can use canned cherry tomatoes if fresh are not in season.
- Make-ahead: Prepare the fish and tomatoes ahead of time. Bake just before serving.
- Scaling: This recipe can be easily doubled or tripled to serve more people.
- Troubleshooting: If the fish skin is not crispy, try cooking it in a dry skillet over medium heat for a few more minutes before transferring to the oven.
Want to level up this recipe?
Stainless Steel Skillet — Even heat distribution for perfectly cooked fish → Check price on Amazon
Easy Baked Sea Bass with Olives and Cherry Tomatoes
Ingredients
Main Ingredients
- 4 sea bass fillets
- 1 pint cherry tomatoes
- 1/2 cup pitted green olives
- 1 lemon
Seasonings
- Salt
- Black pepper
- Garlic powder
- Red pepper flakes
- Fresh parsley
Optional Toppings
- Lemon wedges
- Fresh parsley
Instructions
- Preheat oven: Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C).
- Prepare fish: Pat fish fillets dry with a paper towel. Season both sides with salt, black pepper, garlic powder, and red pepper flakes. Heat a stainless steel skillet over medium-high heat, add fish fillets skin-side down, and cook for 4-5 minutes until skin is crispy. Flip and cook for another 1-2 minutes.
- Add tomatoes and olives: Transfer skillet to the preheated oven. Add cherry tomatoes and olives to the skillet around the fish. Bake for 10-12 minutes until tomatoes are bursting and fish is cooked through.
- Finish and serve: Squeeze fresh lemon juice over the top. Garnish with fresh parsley and serve with lemon wedges.
Notes
- Chef tip: For a spicy kick, add some sliced jalapeños to the skillet with the tomatoes and olives.
- Best substitution: You can use canned cherry tomatoes if fresh are not in season.
- Make-ahead: Prepare the fish and tomatoes ahead of time. Bake just before serving.
- Scaling: This recipe can be easily doubled or tripled to serve more people.
- Troubleshooting: If the fish skin is not crispy, try cooking it in a dry skillet over medium heat for a few more minutes before transferring to the oven.
Storage
- Fridge: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
- Freezer: Freeze cooked fish for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.
- Oven reheat: Reheat in the oven at 350°F (180°C) for 10-15 minutes.
- Microwave reheat: Reheat in the microwave for 1-2 minutes. Fish may lose some crispiness.
- Make ahead: Prepare the fish and tomatoes ahead of time. Bake just before serving.
Nutrition Per Serving
- Calories: 220
- Protein: 30g
- Fat: 8g
- Carbs: 8g
- Fiber: 1g
- Sugar: 3g
- Sodium: 500mg
- Cholesterol: 70mg
- Sat. Fat: 1g
Nutritional values are estimates only. Actual values may vary by brand and portion size.
Easy Baked Sea Bass with Olives and Cherry Tomatoes FAQs
Prepare the fish and tomatoes ahead of time. Bake just before serving to keep the fish crispy.
Overcooking can cause the fish to become dry. Cook until the fish is just opaque and flakes easily with a fork.
Yes, but make sure they are thawed completely before cooking. You may need to adjust the cooking time.
Yes, cook the fish at 400°F (200°C) for 8-10 minutes, then add the tomatoes and olives and cook for another 5-7 minutes.
Serve with crusty bread, quinoa, or roasted vegetables for a complete meal.
A Warm Final Note
I can’t wait for you to try Easy Baked Sea Bass with Olives and Cherry Tomatoes and see how effortlessly it comes together. When you make it, pop back here and leave a rating or share how it turned out — I love hearing from you!
