This roasted branzino is an easy, delicious seafood dish that is ready in under 30 minutes. It is oven cooked to perfection, drizzled with Japanese style ginger ponzu sauce. Enjoy the tender fluffy meat with crispy skin!
If you have never tried cooking whole fish, you should totally give it a go! Cooking with the bones and head on helps to bring out more flavor and it’s way easier than it sounds.
The prep work will be a breeze if you ask a fishmonger to scale, gut, and clean. Then all you will have to do is to stuff with herbs, roast and drizzle with sauce.
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What Does Branzino Taste Like?
Branzino, or European sea bass is a type of white fish with a mild, flaky, and slightly sweet flavor. It is remarkably similar to other types of sea bass, most often served whole with lemons.
Sauce for This Roasted Branzino
I love to pair the fish with ginger ponzu sauce that is loaded with a refreshing citrusy flavor. Ponzu is a Japanese sauce made with citrus and soy sauce that provides tanginess and umami together. Adding grated ginger elevates the sauce to the next level with a touch of peppery earthy aroma.
Ingredients for This Recipe
- Branzino - scaled and gutted
- Kosher salt
- Olive oil
- Ginger slices
- Lemon slices
For ginger ponzu sauce:
- Grated ginger
- Tamari
- Lemon juice - fresh or bottled
- Honey
For toppigs:
- Scallions
- Radish slices
How to Make This Recipe
1. Preheat the oven to 425°F/ 218°C. Line a baking sheet pan with aluminum foil.
2. Sprinkle salt over the fish and rub it on the inside and outside. Do the same with olive oil.
3. Stuff the fish cavities with ginger and lemon slices.
4. Roast for 7 minutes, flip the fish and roast the other side for 7 minutes.
5. Broil until the skin browns and crisps, for 2-3 minutes.
6. Make the ginger ponzu sauce by combining all sauce ingredients.
7. Serve. Transfer the roasted branzino to a large plate. Top with scallions, radish and drizzle with the sauce.
*See the recipe card below for detailed instructions.
Tips to Make Roasted Branzino
- Be careful not to poke yourself with bones when slathering salt and olive oil inside the cavity.
- Watch the fish closely while broiling as they can get burned pretty quickly.
- Branzino is a bony fish. Beware of those smaller bones upon eating.
What Other Fish Can I use Instead of Branzino?
If branzino is hard to come by, you may try with red snapper, cod, sea bass, halibut or any white fish with a mild flavor.
Storage and Reheating Directions
Leftover roasted branzino can be refrigerated in a covered container for 2-3 days. Microwave on low or cook over the stove top in a skillet for a few minutes.
Recipe
Roasted Branzino with Ginger Ponzu Sauce
Equipment
- 1 baking sheet pan
Ingredients
- 2 branzino (1 ¼ lb each) scaled and gutted
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt use 1 teaspoon per fish
- 2 tablespoons olive oil use 1 tablespoon per fish
- 6 slices ginger
- 6 slices lemon
For ginger ponzu sauce
- 1 tablespoon grated ginger
- 2 tablespoons tamari soy sauce
- 4 tablespoons lemon juice
- 2 teaspoons honey
For toppings
- 5 stalks scallions finely chopped, about 1 cup packed
- 2 radish thinly sliced
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425°F/ 218°C. Line a baking sheet pan with aluminum foil.
- Place the branzino on the sheet pan and pat dry well with paper towels.
- Sprinkle salt over the fish and rub it on the inside and outside. Then do the same with olive oil.
- Stuff the fish cavities with ginger and lemon slices.
- Roast (bake) for 7 minutes, then flip the fish and roast the other side for 7 minutes.
- Turn on the broiler mode (high) and make sure the fish is placed about 6 inches from the heat source. Broil until the skin browns and crisps, for 2-3 minutes.
- While cooking the fish, mix all sauce ingredients to make ginger ponzu sauce.
- Serve the cooked fish on a large plate. Top with scallions and radish slice. Drizzle with the sauce.
Nutrition
The nutritional information on this website is only an estimate and is provided for convenience and as a courtesy only. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
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