Easy Baked Sea Bass with Olives and Cherry Tomatoes
Easy baked sea bass with olives and cherry tomatoes is a better than takeout, 20-minute restaurant version you’ll love. After making this many times, I discovered the trick to perfectly crispy skin and tender, flaky fish. Jump to the recipe card or keep reading for my best tips. If you love recipes like this, you’ll also enjoy Easy Spicy Shrimp Sushi Stacks Ready in 20 Minutes and Creamy Pistachio Cheesecake Recipe with Graham Cracker Crust.
Why This Easy Baked Sea Bass with Olives and Cherry Tomatoes Is Pure Comfort
- Perfectly crispy skin with tender, flaky fish inside
- Bright, fresh flavors from cherry tomatoes and olives
- Easy, hands-off baking method with minimal cleanup
- Ready in just 20 minutes for a quick weeknight meal
What You'll Need for Easy Baked Sea Bass with Olives and Cherry Tomatoes
Choosing the right ingredients makes a big difference, but this recipe is forgiving enough to work with what you have.
- sea bass fillets
- cherry tomatoes
- olives
- garlic
- lemon
- olive oil
- salt
- pepper
- garlic
- lemon
- olive oil
- salt
- pepper
- Optional: fresh parsley
- Optional: lemon wedges
📝 Ingredient Notes
- sea bass fillets: You can also use cod, snapper, or halibut.
🛒 Tools & Equipment I Recommend
- Stainless Steel Baking Sheet — Ensures even cooking and easy cleanup. → See on Amazon
- Digital Meat Thermometer — Prevents overcooking and ensures perfect doneness. → See on Amazon
How to Make Easy Baked Sea Bass with Olives and Cherry Tomatoes
- Preheat oven: Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C).
- Prepare fish: Pat fish dry with paper towels. Season both sides with salt, pepper, and minced garlic. Drizzle with olive oil.
- Add tomatoes and olives: Place fish on a baking sheet. Toss cherry tomatoes and olives with olive oil, salt, and pepper. Arrange around fish.
- Bake: Bake for 12-15 minutes, or until fish is cooked through and flakes easily with a fork. Be careful not to overcook.
- Serve: Garnish with fresh parsley and serve with lemon wedges.
Cook's Tips for Perfect Easy Baked Sea Bass with Olives and Cherry Tomatoes
- Common mistake and fix: The #1 reason this recipe fails is overcooking the fish. To prevent it, use a meat thermometer and remove the fish from the oven when it reaches 140°F (60°C). Let it rest for 5 minutes to finish cooking.
- Pro tip: For extra crispy skin, start the fish skin-side down on the preheated baking sheet. Flip it halfway through cooking.
- Pro tip: To make ahead, prepare the fish and ingredients up to a day in advance. Store separately in the refrigerator until ready to bake.
Storing & Reheating Easy Baked Sea Bass with Olives and Cherry Tomatoes
Short-Term Storage
Store in an airtight container in the fridge. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Make-ahead tip: You can prepare the fish and ingredients up to a day in advance. Store separately in the refrigerator until ready to bake.
Freezing Easy Baked Sea Bass with Olives and Cherry Tomatoes
Freeze cooked fish for up to 2 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight before reheating.
How to Reheat Without Drying It Out
Oven: Reheat in the oven at 350°F (180°C) for 10-15 minutes, or until warmed through. Microwave: Reheat in the microwave for 1-2 minutes, or until warmed through. Be careful not to overcook.
Recipe Notes
- Chef tip: For a spicy kick, add red pepper flakes to the tomatoes and olives before baking.
- Best substitution: You can use cod, snapper, or halibut instead of sea bass.
- Make-ahead: Prepare the fish and ingredients up to a day in advance. Store separately in the refrigerator until ready to bake.
- Scaling: This recipe can be easily doubled or tripled to serve more people.
- Troubleshooting: If the fish skin is not crispy, broil it for 1-2 minutes after baking to crisp it up.
Want to level up this recipe?
High-quality Olive Oil — Enhances the flavor of the fish and vegetables. → Check price on Amazon
Easy Baked Sea Bass with Olives and Cherry Tomatoes
Ingredients
Main Ingredients
- sea bass fillets
- cherry tomatoes
- olives
- garlic
- lemon
- olive oil
- salt
- pepper
Seasonings
- garlic
- lemon
- olive oil
- salt
- pepper
Optional Toppings
- fresh parsley
- lemon wedges
Instructions
- Preheat oven: Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C).
- Prepare fish: Pat fish dry with paper towels. Season both sides with salt, pepper, and minced garlic. Drizzle with olive oil.
- Add tomatoes and olives: Place fish on a baking sheet. Toss cherry tomatoes and olives with olive oil, salt, and pepper. Arrange around fish.
- Bake: Bake for 12-15 minutes, or until fish is cooked through and flakes easily with a fork. Be careful not to overcook.
- Serve: Garnish with fresh parsley and serve with lemon wedges.
Notes
- Chef tip: For a spicy kick, add red pepper flakes to the tomatoes and olives before baking.
- Best substitution: You can use cod, snapper, or halibut instead of sea bass.
- Make-ahead: Prepare the fish and ingredients up to a day in advance. Store separately in the refrigerator until ready to bake.
- Scaling: This recipe can be easily doubled or tripled to serve more people.
- Troubleshooting: If the fish skin is not crispy, broil it for 1-2 minutes after baking to crisp it up.
Storage
- Fridge: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- Freezer: Freeze cooked fish for up to 2 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight before reheating.
- Oven reheat: Reheat in the oven at 350°F (180°C) for 10-15 minutes, or until warmed through.
- Microwave reheat: Reheat in the microwave for 1-2 minutes, or until warmed through. Be careful not to overcook.
- Make ahead: You can prepare the fish and ingredients up to a day in advance. Store separately in the refrigerator until ready to bake.
Nutrition Per Serving
- Calories: 320
- Protein: 34g
- Fat: 18g
- Carbs: 7g
- Fiber: 1g
- Sugar: 2g
- Sodium: 500mg
- Cholesterol: 90mg
- Sat. Fat: 3g
Nutritional values are estimates only. Actual values may vary by brand and portion size.
Easy Baked Sea Bass with Olives and Cherry Tomatoes FAQs
Yes, you can prepare the fish and ingredients up to a day in advance. Store separately in the refrigerator until ready to bake.
The #1 reason this recipe fails is overcooking the fish. To prevent it, use a meat thermometer and remove the fish from the oven when it reaches 140°F (60°C). Let it rest for 5 minutes to finish cooking.
Yes, you can use cod, snapper, or halibut instead of sea bass.
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Yes, you can freeze cooked fish for up to 2 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight before reheating.
A Warm Final Note
I can’t wait for you to try Easy Baked Sea Bass with Olives and Cherry Tomatoes and see how effortlessly it comes together. When you make it, pop back here and leave a rating or share how it turned out — I love hearing from you!
