Barley Free Mediterranean Whole Roasted Fish with Herbs and Lemon

Total time50 min

Prep time20 min

Cook time30 min

Barley Free Mediterranean Whole Roasted Fish with Herbs and Lemon

Whole roasted fish is one of those showstopper meals that looks far more impressive than the effort it actually takes. Two beautiful fish — branzino, sea bass, or red snapper all work wonderfully — get scored, seasoned, and stuffed with lemon rounds, fresh thyme, rosemary, garlic, and parsley before hitting a hot oven alongside a bed of zucchini and fennel. The result is crispy-skinned, fragrant, and deeply flavorful in a way that feels genuinely restaurant-worthy. Every single ingredient here is naturally free of grain-based additives, so there's no label-scanning or substitution stress involved — just clean, whole food from start to finish. The roasted fennel and zucchini soak up all those herby, citrusy juices from the fish as everything cooks together on one pan, making the side dish practically effortless. A final squeeze of lemon and a scatter of fresh parsley over the platter is all it needs before serving. This is the kind of weeknight-or-weekend recipe that earns serious compliments with very little fuss.

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Ingredients

4 servings

2 whole fish (about 1.5 lb each), such as branzino, sea bass, or red snapper, scaled and gutted
3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil, divided
Private Selection Italian Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Bertolli Extra Virgin D'Italiia Olive Oil 16.9oz
Extra Virgin Olive Oil FIELD DAY OLIVE OIL EXTRA VIRGIN Olitalia Extra Virgin Olive Oil
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1 tsp sea salt
½ tsp black pepper, freshly ground
1 lemon, thinly sliced into rounds
6 sprigs fresh thyme
4 sprigs fresh rosemary
¼ cup fresh flat-leaf parsley, roughly chopped
4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
1 medium zucchini, sliced into ¼-inch rounds
1 medium fennel bulb, cored and thinly sliced
½ tsp dried oregano

For serving

1 lemon, cut into wedges, for serving
2 tbsp fresh flat-leaf parsley, roughly chopped, for serving (optional)

Instructions

1
Preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C). Toss the zucchini and fennel with 1 tbsp of the olive oil, the dried oregano, and a pinch of salt and pepper on a large rimmed baking sheet, then spread them into an even layer.
2
Pat the fish completely dry inside and out with paper towels. Using a sharp knife, cut 3 diagonal slashes about 1/2 inch deep through the thickest part of each fish on both sides — this helps the fish cook evenly and allows the seasoning to penetrate.

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