Whole Sea Bass-Two Ways
Sea Bass is called Branzino in Italian. Here are two simple Italian inspired ways to cook whole sea bass, Lemon-Rosemary Whole Sea Bass and Tomato-Herb Sea Bass. The fish are cooked in the oven wrapped in aluminum foil to prevent over cooking and for easy clean up. This is a great recipe for a fancy dinner or a simple meal! Serve with roasted diced potatoes or rice and veggies.
Prep Time15 minutes mins
Cook Time25 minutes mins
Total Time40 minutes mins
Course: Fish, Keto, Main Dish, Seafood
Cuisine: American, Italian
Keyword: branzino, in foil, whole fish
Servings: 4
Author: Louise Rio
Lemon-Rosemary Whole Sea Bass
- 1 large (or 2 small) 3 lbs. (1.5 kg) whole sea bass (branzino), gutted and cleaned left whole
- 4 Tbsps extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 Tbsp fresh rosemary, finely chopped
- 1 Tbsp fresh parsley, finely chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 lemon, half sliced thinly and half cut into wedges, for serving
- salt
- ground black pepper
Tomato-Herb Whole Sea Bass
- 1 large (or 2 small) 3 lbs. (1.5 kg) whole sea bass (branzino), gutted and cleaned left whole
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 4 Tbsps extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 Tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
- 1 Tbsp fresh rosemary, chopped
- 1 (14.5 oz/411g) can diced tomatoes, drained
- salt
- ground black pepper
Lemon-Rosemary Whole Sea Bass
If the whole fish is not gutted and cleaned, see the NOTES below; set whole cleaned fish aside. Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C/gas 6). Place a large sheet or 2 sheets of foil on a baking sheet and place the prepared fish in the middle. In a small bowl, combine the rosemary, parsley, garlic, ½ tsp salt, and ¼ tsp ground black pepper.
Stuff the fish with the rosemary mixture filling the belly, gill cavities, and sprinkle a little over the top of the fish. Drizzle with 4 Tbsps olive oil. Salt and Pepper the fish to your taste. Place the belly with the lemon slices. Lay 2 or 3 slices around the top of the fish.
Wrap the fish loosely with the foil and fold the ends to seal the foil. Bake for 20-25 minutes for small fish and 30-35 minutes for larger fish. The fish is done when the internal temperature is 140°F (60°C) in the thickest part of the fish.
To serve, leave the whole fish in the foil and transfer to a platter. Decorate with fresh rosemary sprigs and/or fresh parsley sprigs.
Using a fork or a large serving fork, lift the skin from the belly to the backbone in a few sections. Lift the cooked fish fillet off of the bones and place on a plate. Divide the fish fillet for 1 or 2 servings. Turn the fish over and repeat on the other side. Serve the lemon wedges on the side.
Tomato-Herb Whole Sea Bass
If the whole fish is not gutted and cleaned, see the NOTES below; set whole cleaned fish aside. Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C/gas 6).Place a large sheet or 2 sheets of foil on a baking sheet and place the prepared fish in the middle. In a small bowl, combine the rosemary, parsley, garlic, ½ tsp salt, and ¼ tsp ground black pepper.
Stuff the fish with the rosemary mixture filling the belly, gill cavities, and a little to sprinkle over the top of the fish. Drizzle the top of the fish with 3 Tbsps olive oil.
Spoon the tomatoes over the top of the fish. Drizzle with remaining 1 Tbsp olive oil. Salt and Pepper the fish to your taste. Loosely Seal the foil or parchment paper around the fish. Bake for 20-25 minutes for small fish and 30-35 minutes for larger fish. The fish is done when the internal temperature is 140°F (60°C) in the thickest part of the fish.
To serve, leave the whole fish in the foil and transfer to a platter. Decorate with fresh rosemary sprigs and/or fresh parsley sprigs.
Using a fork or a large serving fork, lift the skin from the belly to the backbone in a few sections. Lift the cooked fish fillet off of the bones and place on a plate. Divide the fish fillet for 1 or 2 servings. Turn the fish over and repeat on the other side.
How to gut and clean a whole fish: You can ask your fishmonger to scale, gut, and clean the whole sea bass. If it is not, then follow these steps.
- Scale it by running the back of the knife from tail to head all over into a plastic bag.
- Gut by using a sharp small knife and cut a slit from the fish's anal opening to the gills. Pull the guts out with your fingers, then scrape out the kidneys that remain attached to the backbone. Use a spoon to scrape out any remaining guts.
- Remove gills if serving whole or making stock, which are bitter tasting, by lifting the gill covers and cutting them out with kitchen shears.
- Rinse the whole fish under cold running water. Pat dry well with a paper towel before cooking.