Baked Veracruz-Style Fish (Pescado A La Veracruzana) is an easy, light, colorful and super-flavorful dish perfect for a weeknight or date night!
Baked Veracruz-Style Fish (Pescado A La Veracruzana) is the way to add tons of flavor to your next meal!
What does the Veracruz style mean?
Pescado A La Veracruzana means fish prepared in the Veracruz style which is simply with a tomato sauce and olives and capers. Veracruz was one of the first places the Spanish settled in Mexico so this classic dish also has a healthy, Mediterranean flair! Most of the recipes for this classic dish also include golden raisins and pickled or fresh jalapenos for even more flavor.
Veracruz-style fish is typically made with crushed tomatoes so it tends to be a very “saucy” dish. I changed it up here for something lighter and to allow the taste of the fish to shine through.
Which fish can be used for Baked Veracruz-Style Fish?
Almost any white fish can be used in this dish. I used barramundi but you can use:
- Tilapia
- Red snapper
- Halibut
- Cod
- Flounder
- Catfish
How to make Baked Veracruz-Style Fish (Pescado A La Veracruzana):
You’ll love the simplicity of Baked Veracruz-Style Fish! Because it’s so easy, I didn’t photograph every step. Simply:
- Cook the onion in a small amount of oil.
- Add the tomatoes and toss around until they blister and begin to soften.
- Add the other ingredients: Garlic, pickled jalapenos, olives, capers, golden raisins, some Mexican oregano…..
- Place the fish in a baking dish then pour every last drop of the tomato sauce over the fish and bake!
Super simple and so flavorful!
Now, you could be resisting the raisins. Am I right? I am with you because I’m so not a raisin person.
However, when I finished cooking the sauce and with all the other acidic elements here like the olives, capers and tomatoes, I craved another dimension of flavor. The little pop of sweet that the golden raisins deliver balanced all the flavors perfectly! Trust me on the raisins!
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Baked Veracruz-Style Fish (Pescado A La Veracruzana)! Perfect for a weeknight or date night dinner!
Serve this dish with:
- Patatas Bravas Chilenos
- Perfect Roasted Potato Wedges
- Southwestern Squash, Corn and Poblano Casserole
More healthy fish recipes to try!
- Sheet Pan Thai Sweet Chili – Lime Baked Fish with Garlic Broccolini
- Baked Fish with Cherry Tomato-Olive Sauce and Lemon Chive Asiago Orzo
- Seared Salmon with Baby Kale Quinotto and Warm Roasted Cherry Tomato Salad
- Indian Spiced Sea Bass with Braised Red Lentils
- Asian Vegetable Noodle Broth Bowls with Pan-Seared Fish
- Mediterranean Fish en Papillote
- Pomegranate and Orange Glazed Salmon with Stir-Fried Vegetables
Baked Veracruz-Style Fish (Pescado A La Veracruzana)
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil plus more for baking dish
- ¼ medium onion finely chopped (approximately ½ cup)
- 2 cups (heaping) cherry or grape tomatoes
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- ¼ cup green olives halved or sliced if large
- 2 tablespoons chopped pickled jalapenos plus 1 tablespoon liquid from the jar plus 1 tablespoon liquid from the jar
- 1 tablespoon (heaping) golden raisins
- 1 tablespoon drained capers
- 2 teaspoons dried oregano preferably Mexican
- salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
- 2 (8-ounce) fish fillets such as tilapia, barramundi, cod, red snapper
- Cilantro sprigs for garnish
- Lime wedges for serving
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Lightly oil a baking dish large enough to hold your fish and evenly distributed sauce. Set aside.
- Heat oil over medium-high heat in a skillet or saute pan. Add the onion.
- Reduce heat to medium and cook the onion for 4-5 minutes or until beginning to soften.
- Add the cherry tomatoes. Cook 4-5 minutes or until the tomatoes are beginning to blister and soften.
- Add the garlic, green olives, pickled jalapenos plus liquid from the jar, raisins, capers, oregano and salt and black pepper, to taste. Cook 1 minute to heat through. Let cool 5-10 minutes.
- Season fish fillets with salt and black pepper on both sides, then place in the prepared baking dish.
- Pour the sauce over the fish fillets.
- Bake 15-20 minutes or until fish easily flakes with a fork.
- Garnish with cilantro and serve with lime wedges.
Notes
Nutrition
These are estimated values generated from a nutritional database using unbranded products. Please do your own research with the products you're using if you have a serious health issue or are following a specific diet.
Sharon says
I was sceptical about the raisins…. only tried them because I read Carol’s comment that they were good and she wasn’t a raisin person. She was right! Excellent meal. If you aren’t into spicy, just use a bit less pickled jalapeño. I served it over cilantro lime cauliflower baked rice. Recipe can be found in Carol’s index of recipes. A keeper.
Carol says
Hi, Sharon, Thanks so very much and glad you enjoyed! Also glad you went with the raisins as I was skeptical, too but they work beautifully! Thanks again!
Pam Greer says
This is my kind of dinner! I absolutely love all the flavors in it and you’re right the raisins do add just that extra something to it!
Carol says
Thanks, Pam! It was surprising what a difference the raisins made. I thought they might be a detriment but they were just the pop this recipe needed. Thanks again!
Pam Greer says