Pan Seared Fish With Tomatoes & Olives is a simple weeknight dinner, ready in minutes!
White fish is pan-seared to create crisp, golden edges and a tender, flakey centre, then simmered only for a couple more minutes with grape (or cherry-sized) tomatoes, garlic and white wine (optional for those who don’t particularly like white wine)…. then finished with a sprinkle of olives and herbs. A Fish With Tomatoes & Olives recipe that will become a family weeknight staple!
This is one of those meals that you can whip up with minimal effort and in minimal time, with maximum flavour. One of those dinners you need to get ready in less than half an hour. No need for frozen fish fingers or fish cakes when the family is screaming for dinner! And OF COURSE it tastes better than anything frozen!
This is another recipe I grew up with! A ‘rushed’ recipe when my mother was pressed for time and didn’t feel like hanging around the oven or stove for hours, instead opting to pan sear some fish in less than 10 minutes, and creating the best sauce to go with it! She would squeeze grape tomatoes (or sometimes she’d use cherry tomatoes), and burst them into the pan, which would create one of the best, most delicious smells coming out of her kitchen.
Now, I have a confession. I’m not a huge fish fan. Give me salmon every single day (or night) of the week…. but fish? I’ll usually pass.
Except for this one.
For some reason, no matter what fish she cooks into this sauce, it doesn’t taste at all too ‘fishy’. Do you know what I mean? Our favourite fish to go into this recipe though, is bass or cod fillets.
If you’re loving her seafood recipes, check out her famous PAELLA!
ENJOY!
Pan Seared Fish With Tomatoes & Olives
Ingredients
- 2 teaspoons olive oil
- 4 bass or cod fillets skin off (or other firm white fish)
- Pinch of salt
- Cracked black pepper to taste
- 2 large cloves garlic minced
- 1 onion finely sliced
- 1 cup grape tomatoes (or cherry or Heirloom tomatoes) quartered
- 1/4 cup white wine
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- ⅓ cup pitted kalamata olives
- 2 tablespoons parsley or basil to garnish, chopped
Instructions
- Heat oil in a large non-stick pan over medium heat. Season both sides of the fish with salt and pepper. Fry the fish until golden brown, (about 5 minutes). Carefully flip the fillets over and continue cooking for a further 2 minutes. Add in the onion and garlic, and fry until fragrant (about 2 minutes). Add in the tomatoes (burst them with your finger tips while adding them into the pan for added flavour), wine, lemon juice and olives, and continue cooking until the fish has cooked through and sauce has reduced a little. Taste test and adjust seasoning accordingly (more salt or pepper). Pour the sauce over the fish and serve immediately with the herbs.
Peter says
Stupidly simple quick and delicious. Every ingredient pops, the tomato, fish, wine and olives and they go together so well.
Phil says
I made this and my wife and I loved it. I used grouper filet (since we live in Florida) in a cast iron pan and it was awesome. The grouper was a little thin so it cooked in less time than noted in the recipe. I’m a huge olive fan so that was the icing on the cake. This recipe is really easy and gives a result that looks and tastes first class restaurant quality. Thank you for sharing this…..you made this amateur cook look good!
Annette says
Can I make this with flounder?
Nora says
This is sooooo good! Even my olive hating husband loved it, It’s simple fast and balanced!
Bert says
Forget my other recipes, this is it!
Annette says
Made this fish tonight, it was amazing!! Thanks again for another great recipe.
Gary says
Very nice dish….I did a bit of a modification. After searing the fish, I removed it from he pan, then sautéed the onions and garlic, deglazed with the wine and reduced to a syrup, sautéed the tomatoes, returned the fish to the pan and added the lemon juice and olives. Stirred and served. The wine reduction gave a nice note from the Chardonnay I used in the recipe. I am a Keto diet person so I served the fish/tomato on a bed of whipped cauliflower….great combination. (rating did not register…I give this one 5 stars)
Karina says
Thanks for sharing! I am so glad that you made it your own! Thanks for following along with me! XO
Joy says
Hi. What should I serve with this?
Karina says
Hi Joy! We usually serve this with rice 🙂
icemaker says
The end result is impressive, it looks great!
Tina says
Please make a video of you cooking this recipe.
Tina says
Do you have any plans on making a video of this recipe?
Dan says
The end result is impressive, it looks great!
Margaret Ann @ MAK and Her Cheese says
LOVE THIS! So simple and perfect for summer nights. Oooooooh it would be amazing over some creamy polenta! I’ll have to get on that asap.
Thanks for the inspiration!
– MAK