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Salt-Baked Whole Fish

Salt-Baked Whole Fish With Fresh Herbs

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Enjoy tender, juicy seabream with this easy Salt-Baked Whole Fish with Fresh Herbs recipe. Two seabreams are stuffed with rosemary, garlic, jalapeño, parsley, and lemon, then baked in a salt crust to lock in moisture and flavor.
Course Main Course
Cuisine Mediterranean
Keyword Moist Seabream Recipe, Salt Crust Fish, Salt-Baked Whole Fish
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 5 minutes
Servings 4 people
Calories 350
Author DelishDoers
Cost 40

Equipment

  • 1 oven

Ingredients

For seabreams:

  • 2 seabreams scaled and cleaned
  • 1 sprig of fresh rosemary
  • 5-7 garlic cloves smashed
  • ½ jalapeño sliced
  • 1 bunch of Italian parsley
  • 6 lemon slices 2 per fish, 2 for garnish
  • 4 tomato slices
  • Salt and pepper to taste

For salt crust:

  • 1 egg optional, for extra crust firmness
  • 1 ½ cups of water
  • 8-10 lbs. of coarse salt

Instructions

  • Gather all ingredients.
    Ingredients for Salt-Baked Whole Fish
  • Preheat the oven to 350°F.
    preheat the oven for Salt-Baked Whole Fish
  • Mix the salt crust: In a large bowl, combine the salt, water, and egg. Mix until it forms a dough-like texture. The egg helps the salt crust hold together better but can be skipped if desired.
    Mix the salt crust for Salt-Baked Whole Fish
  • Create the salt bed: Spread a ½-inch thick layer of the salt mixture on a baking sheet to form a bed for the fish. Lay the seabreams on top of the salt bed.
    create the salt bed for Salt-Baked Whole Fish
  • Prepare the fish: Season the insides of each seabream with salt and pepper. Stuff them with rosemary, garlic cloves, jalapeño slices, tomato slices, and a few sprigs of parsley. Add two lemon slices inside each fish for a fresh citrus punch.
    Prepare the fish for Salt-Baked Whole Fish
  • Cover the fish: Use the remaining salt mixture to completely cover the fish, ensuring no gaps. The crust should be thick enough to trap the moisture inside.
    Cover the fish with salt mixture for Salt-Baked Whole Fish
  • Bake the fish: Bake for 25-30 minutes. The salt crust will harden and form a shell, locking in all the juices and flavors.
    Salt-Baked Whole Fish
  • Resting and Revealing: Remove the fish from the oven and let it rest for about 5 minutes. Then, gently crack open the salt crust with a spoon or the back of a knife and carefully lift it away to reveal the fish.
    Rest and reveal for Salt-Baked Whole Fish
  • Serve: Transfer the fish to a serving platter and garnish with lemon and tomato slices. Pair with your favorite side dishes, like roasted vegetables or a light salad.
    Serve Salt-Baked Whole Fish

Video

Notes

  • Don’t worry about it being too salty: The fish won’t taste overly salty. The salt only forms a crust and doesn’t penetrate the fish itself.
  • Presentation matters: Crack the salt crust open in front of your guests for a dramatic and impressive reveal. It's sure to add a wow factor to any meal!

Nutrition

Calories: 350kcal