Xanthan Gum Free Cilantro-Lime Mackerel with Fennel & New Potatoes Sheet Pan Dinner
Sheet pan dinners are a weeknight lifesaver, and this one brings serious bold flavor without any fuss. Skin-on mackerel fillets get a vibrant marinade of fresh cilantro, lime juice and zest, garlic, cumin, and turmeric — ingredients you can read and recognize without a second thought. While the new potatoes and fennel wedges roast until golden and tender, the fish soaks up all that citrusy, spiced goodness before joining the pan for a final blast of heat. The result is flaky, richly flavored mackerel alongside caramelized vegetables that have picked up every bit of those aromatic pan juices. Because every single component here is a whole, unprocessed ingredient, there's no need to scan labels hunting for hidden thickeners or stabilizers — it's naturally free of them by design. A squeeze of fresh lime and a scatter of feathery fennel fronds over the top pull the whole dish together in a way that looks far more impressive than the effort required.
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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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