Whole baked branzino gives that restaurant-worthy wow factor yet is so easy to make at home. Here the cavity is stuffed with lemon slices, thyme and shallot, then baked on a sheet pan until the skin is golden brown and the white fish is moist and flaky. Roasted cherry tomatoes and a quick caper sauce are the perfect accompaniments to this 25-minute gluten-free Mediterranean meal!  

Two whole roasted fish on a baking sheet, garnished with lemon slices, capers, fresh herbs, and surrounded by roasted cherry tomatoes and garlic cloves. A bowl of herb dressing sits nearby.

When people think of branzino, that visual of a beautiful salt-baked fish comes to mind, expertly chiseled from the encasement by a restaurant staff. I’ve made it this way at home a few times before, even once at an Airbnb in Italy.

Two whole raw fish on a green baking tray, surrounded by fresh parsley, thyme, lemon slices, a shallot, garlic, and a jar of capers on a white surface.

While delicious, I’ve found that you get equally moist, flaky flavorful fish by simply baking the branzino on a sheet pan with a few garnishes. The beauty of baked branzino the simple way is you can also throw some cherry tomatoes on the pan (even potatoes!) with your extra herbs and shallots to complete the meal.

How to make whole baked branzino: step by step

Two whole raw fish with silvery scales lie side by side on a green metal tray; one is partially filleted, exposing pink flesh. The tray rests on a white surface.
Rinse the whole branzino inside and out. Pat dry and season.
Two whole fish stuffed with lemon slices and fresh thyme are placed on a green baking tray. Nearby, a brown plate holds more lemon slices, thyme sprigs, and a few pieces of fish on a light surface.
Stuff the cavity with lemon, thyme and shallot.
Two whole raw fish with lemon slices, cherry tomatoes, onions, and herbs are arranged on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, ready to be roasted.
Roast at 425F on a sheet pan with cherry tomatoes for 20 min.
A glass bowl filled with a chopped green herb, caper, and olive oil mixture sits on a white surface with a spoon inside.
Make the caper sauce while the branzino bakes.
Two whole baked fish on a parchment-lined baking tray, surrounded by sliced lemons, cherry tomatoes, and onions. The fish have slits on their skin and are roasted with herbs and vegetables.
Broil the fish for one minute if you want the skin crispier.
A plate of cooked white fish topped with chopped herbs and capers, served with roasted cherry tomatoes and lemon slices, garnished with fresh thyme, with a fork on the side.
Cut into fillets or serve whole with the caper sauce.

Since branzino is such a popular Mediterranean fish, you’ll find similar preparations in Italian and Greek cooking: some mixture of herbs, lemon, and briny things like olives or capers. I use the latter to create a flavorful olive oil based sauce (no dairy!) to top the finished fish. It’s a trick that began with this sheet pan swordfish recipe, and since it was so good, I now always make some sort of salsa verde with capers and green herbs (in this case parsley) for other gluten-free fish dishes.

Many of my friends find whole baked fish intimidating, but in terms of the cooking process, it’s actually much more forgiving. There are very few places you can go wrong with this baked branzino, as the skin and bones keep everything extra moist.  

Two whole baked fish are placed on a baking tray lined with parchment paper, surrounded by roasted cherry tomatoes and lemon slices. The fish have scored skin and are garnished with lemon.
Two whole baked fish on a parchment-lined tray, garnished with sliced lemons, roasted cherry tomatoes, and herbs. A hand is spooning a green sauce onto one of the fish.

Just make sure to watch out for bones when you carve the finished baked branzino into fillets, but it tends to be much easier to navigate than a flat fish like flounder or sole.

If you can’t find branzino at the market, this preparation would also be wonderful with a whole trout (if smaller than a pound, stick with 15 minute cook time), red snapper, or a black sea bass.

Since we are topping this baked branzino with a dairy-free caper dressing, I don’t mind if the skin doesn’t get ultra crispy, but if that’s a deal breaker, pop the pan under the broiler for a few minutes to get it even more golden brown.

A plate with baked white fish topped with capers and herbs, served with roasted tomatoes and lemon slices; a hand holds a fork taking a bite from the fish.

All you need on the side in the summer months is a simple green salad, but long-cooked potatoes in the style of the Greek lemon chicken and potatoes recipe, would also be delicious.

Read on for how to make this whole baked branzino—a stunner for any dinner party, but quick enough for a special weeknight meal.

With health and hedonism,

Phoebe

A baking tray with two whole roasted fish garnished with herbs, lemon slices, and surrounded by roasted cherry tomatoes. A glass bowl of green herb sauce with a spoon is placed nearby on a white surface.

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Lemon-Herb Whole Baked Branzino

Whole baked branzino gives that restaurant-worthy wow factor yet is so easy to make at home. Here the cavity is stuffed with lemon slices, thyme and shallot, then baked on a sheet pan until the skin is golden brown and the fish is moist and flaky. Roasted cherry tomatoes and a quick caper sauce are the perfect accompaniments to this 25-minute gluten-free Mediterranean meal!

I love serving this fish with a simple green salad or lemony roast potatoes. If there’s room on your sheet pan, you can always throw on some quartered baby potatoes to roast with the fish!

Course Main Course
Cuisine Italian, Mediterranean
Diet Diabetic, Gluten Free, Kosher, Low Calorie, Low Lactose
Keyword baked, greek, Sauce, sheet pan dinner, whole fish
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Servings 4
Author Phoebe Lapine

Ingredients

  • 2 whole branzino about 1 pound each, scaled and gutted
  • Olive oil
  • Sea salt
  • 2 lemons
  • 1 large shallot thinly sliced
  • 10 fresh thyme and/or oregano sprigs
  • 1 garlic clove minced
  • 2 tablespoons roughly chopped capers
  • 2 tablespoons roughly chopped parsley
  • 1 pint cherry tomatoes halved

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper.
  • Rinse and dry each whole branzino inside and out, then place them on the prepared sheet pan.
  • Score the skin in the center of each top-facing fillet using a sharp knife, angled diagonally down the side of the fish (you should have 3 or 4 slits, depending on the size of your branzino).
  • Season the cavity of the fish generously with the salt and brush or drizzle the outside with oil. Thinly slice one of the lemons. Stuff each cavity with several lemon slices, the sliced shallot and the thyme or oregano sprigs. Scatter any leftover lemon slices, shallots and herbs around the fish on the sheet pan along with the cherry tomatoes. Give the veggies another good drizzle of oil and season with salt.
  • Bake the branzino in the center of the oven until the flesh is white and flaky and the skin is nicely browned, about 20 minutes. If you want the skin to get more golden brown, feel free to place the pan under the broiler for a minute or two (just watch the veggies – you don’t want them to burn!).
  • Meanwhile, when the fish is in the oven, make the caper sauce: juice the remaining lemon into a small mixing bowl. Add ¼ cup olive oil, ½ teaspoon sea salt, the capers, parsley and garlic. Mix thoroughly and set aside.
  • Transfer the whole baked branzino to a platter, or serve directly on the sheet pan drizzled with one tablespoon of the caper dressing, and the rest on the side. A simple green salad and some lemony roasted potatoes would complete this perfect Mediterranean meal!

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