Sea Bass with Tomatoes, Olives, and Fennel
A bright, briny one-pan dish for late summer or year-round.
This is a fish dish that manages to be both light and indulgent. The kind of thing you’d expect at a seaside trattoria — fennel melting into tomato, briny olives and capers cutting through with brightness, and fish that cooks gently right in the sauce.
It’s a one-pan meal, but it tastes layered, like it took hours. The fish poaches in the sauce, so you don’t need any extra steps or tricks — just let the flavors build Mediterranean-style.
It feels special enough for guests, yet simple enough for a Tuesday. Perfect if you’re eating lighter or looking for high-protein meals that still feel abundant and comforting. Rustic enough for crusty bread at the table, elegant enough to serve in shallow bowls with a drizzle of olive oil and fennel fronds.
Sea Bass with Tomatoes, Olives, and Fennel
Serves 4
INGREDIENTS
2 skinless fillets of white fish (branzino, sea bass, dorade, or snapper), 180 g each
1 bulb fennel, thinly sliced
1 shallot, chopped
2 garlic cloves, finely minced
3 large tomatoes, grated
60 g (¼ cup) Kalamata or Niçoise olives, pitted and halved
2 tablespoons capers, rinsed
3 sprigs fresh thyme or oregano
¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
60 ml (¼ cup) extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for finishing
120 ml (½ cup) dry white wine
Juice of half a lemon
Salt and freshly ground black or white pepper
METHOD
Pat the fish dry, cut the fillets into large pieces (about 8–10 cm) and leave covered at room temperature.
Warm the olive oil in a wide pan over medium heat. Add shallot and garlic, cook 2 minutes until soft and fragrant, not browned.
Stir in the fennel with a pinch of salt. Lower the heat and cook slowly, 8–10 minutes, until fully softened and translucent.
Raise the heat, pour in the wine. Reduce for 2–3 minutes until nearly dry.
Add tomato pulp, olives, capers, thyme, and red pepper flakes. Lower to medium-low and simmer uncovered for 20–25 minutes, stirring, until thick and jammy. Taste and adjust.
Reduce heat to low. Nestle fish into the sauce, spooning some over. Cover. Let the fish poach gently — 5 minutes for thin fillets, up to 8 for thicker ones — until opaque and just flaking. Remove from the heat and let rest 2 minutes.
Spoon sauce into warm shallow plates, top with fish. Serve at once with crusty bread or a salad.
Kitchen Notes
If fresh fennel isn’t available, you can substitute it with 1 teaspoon of fennel seeds. Toast the seeds gently in the olive oil with the shallot and garlic to release their aromatic oils.
You can add a few saffron threads bloomed in warm water for a floral note. Stir them into the sauce before adding the fish.
Fennel fronds will make a great minimal garnish here.