Coconut Free Cilantro-Lime Mackerel with Fennel & New Potatoes Sheet Pan Dinner
Sheet pan dinners are a weeknight lifesaver, and this one delivers serious flavor without a long ingredient list or complicated technique. Mackerel fillets get a bright, herby marinade of fresh cilantro, lime juice and zest, garlic, cumin, and turmeric — bold enough to stand up to the fish's rich, meaty flesh. While the new potatoes and fennel wedges roast until golden and caramelized at the edges, the fish soaks up all that citrusy spice before joining the pan for a final quick blast of heat. The result is a complete, satisfying meal on a single tray with almost no cleanup. Every ingredient here is straightforward and naturally free from tropical oils or hidden additives that can sneak into store-bought sauces and spice blends, so you can cook with total confidence. The anise-sweet fennel and buttery potatoes balance the zesty fish beautifully, and a squeeze of lime at the table ties everything together. It's the kind of dinner that looks and tastes far more impressive than the effort it actually takes.
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Learn more →Ingredients
4 servings
For the sheet pan
- 1 ½ lb new potatoes, halved
- 1 large fennel bulb, cored and cut into ¾-inch wedges, fronds reserved
- 3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil, divided
- ¾ tsp fine sea salt, divided
- ½ tsp black pepper, divided
For the marinade
- ¼ cup fresh cilantro leaves and tender stems, finely chopped
- 2 tbsp fresh lime juice (from about 2 limes)
- 1 tsp lime zest
- 2 garlic cloves, finely minced
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- ½ tsp ground turmeric
- ¼ tsp red pepper flakes
For the fish
- 4 mackerel fillets (about 5–6 oz each), skin-on, pin bones removed
For serving
- lime wedges, for serving
- reserved fennel fronds, roughly chopped, for serving (optional)
Instructions
- 1
Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 425°F (220°C). Line an 18×13-inch rimmed sheet pan with parchment paper or foil.
- 2
Toss the halved new potatoes and fennel wedges on the prepared sheet pan with 2 tablespoons of the olive oil, 1/2 teaspoon of the salt, and 1/4 teaspoon of the black pepper until evenly coated. Spread in a single layer, cut sides down. Roast for 20 minutes, until the potatoes are just beginning to turn golden at the edges and the fennel is softened.
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