Easy Greek Oven Baked Fish (Psari Plaki)

Name: Easy Greek Oven Baked Fish (Psari Plaki)
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 60 min
Total time: 65 min
Ingredients: 2 tablespoons olive oil; 2 large onions (halved then sliced thinly); 3 cloves garlic (crushed or sliced); 1 teaspoon paprika; 1 teaspoon oregano and/or other dried herbs; 1 teaspoon cinnamon; a big pinch each of salt & pepper; 14 ounces chopped tomatoes (1 can); 1 tablespoon tomato paste (mixed with ¼ cup water (UK = tomato puree)); ½ cup red or white wine; 1 teaspoon honey; ½ cup basil ((fresh) plus extra for sprinkling at the end (or use parsley)); 1 pound fish fillets; fresh bread or toasted bread with salt and olive oil; Greek salad

By Helen Schofield

on Jul 29, 2022

42 Comments

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Looking for interesting ways to cook fish? Fan of Mediterranean food? This delicious Greek fish recipe (AKA psari plaki) is for you! It’s so simple and healthy – just local white fish baked with tomatoes and onions and lots of yummy Greek flavors. So easy to make with just a few basic ingredients, and the oven does most of the work!

Overhead view of a piece of Greek baked fish with tomatoes and onions and basil on a patterned blue and white plate with a fork and a piece of bread with red baking dish behind.

5 star review *****

Wow. Made (this Greek oven baked fish) this evening and just added it to my list of regular recipes. Served with boiled rice and Greek salad. Time to see what other delights this site has to offer… (Fiona)

Why you’ll love it
About the ingredients
What kind of fish to use
How to make Greek oven baked fish
How to serve
Recipe FAQ
More easy fish dinners
Easy Greek Oven Baked Fish (Psari Plaki) Recipe

Why you’ll love it

This delicious Greek oven baked fish is one of those recipes that you’ll wish you’d known years ago. Here’s what I love about it:

It’s quick and easy to make. Ready in about an hour, but the oven does most of the work.

It’s super simple – just white fish baked in lots and lots of tomatoes and onions.

But it’s such an interesting way to cook fish. Red wine and Greek herbs and spices take it to next-level delicious! Read on to find out my ‘secret ingredient’ ;-).

It’s very healthy and low in calories, if that happens to be important to you.

It’s a delicious and healthy fish dinner to serve midweek, but it’s also a good choice for easy entertaining.

What’s psari plaki?

Psari (pronouned p-SAR-ee, with an emphasis on the SAR) means fish in Greek. Give it a try! Plaki (plak-EE) is actually a classic Greek cooking method meaning baking in the oven with olive oil, vegetables and herbs. So psari plaki is simply a delicious Greek fish dish baked in the oven in tomatoes and onions and other delicious and simple Greek flavors. It’s definitely one of those recipes that everyone in Greece has their own version of (like moussaka, pastitsio and gemista!). I hope you enjoy mine!

About the ingredients

For the tomato and onion sauce

Onions: The recipe starts with 2 whole large onions. Regular white onions are fine.

Garlic: You’ll need 3 large cloves.

Good quality olive oil: To slowly cook the onions and garlic in.

Greek herbs and spices: Paprika, cinnamon & dried oregano. You could say cinnamon is the secret ingredient in many traditional Greek dishes. Don’t skip this!

Tomatoes, tomato paste and red or white wine: Mix together these 3 before pouring them into the sauce with the onions. It doesn’t matter which wine, but you can’t go wrong with a full-bodied red such as Cabernet or Merlot.

Honey: For a touch of sweetness to balance out the acidity of the tomatoes.

Fresh basil or parsley: I prefer the fresh and subtle anise flavor of basil, but by all means use parsley instead if basil isn’t available.

What kind of fish to use

Any kind of white fish fillets will work really well for this Mediterranean fish recipe. In Greece, tsipoura (sea bream) would be a great choice. Cod, haddock, snapper, tilapia, bass or grouper would all work too.

I like to use local Australian wild caught snapper – just because that’s what’s commonly available, it’s reasonably priced, and it tastes good.

I’d definitely look for a good quality, wild caught fish if the budget allowed. But you can use whatever white fish is economical and widely available where you live.

How to make Greek oven baked fish

This Greek fish recipe is so simple you won’t believe it. Essentially, there are only 3 main steps.

Step 1: Start by gently cooking the sliced onions for about 10 minutes, then add garlic. You might think it looks like a lot of onions. It is, but that’s OK!

frying onions in a pan for Greek baked fish

Step 2: Then add the can of tomatoes, tomato paste and the wine, plus all the yummy Greek herbs and spices (and of course salt and pepper).

cooking onions and tomatoes in a frying pan for Greek baked fish

Step 3: Let simmer for about 15 minutes. Then stir in the honey and fresh herbs. Pour over the fish and bake for about 30 minutes.

closeup of Ingredients in a pan for Greek baked fish

Put your feet up while it cooks! Then serve immediately and enjoy!

Closeup of someone spooning Greek fish baked in tomatoes and onions from a red baking dish.

How to serve

We tend to keep our wonderful Greek baked fish or ‘psari plaki’ simple:

Serve everyone some of the delicious oven roasted fish in the yummy and healthy Mediterranean tomato onion sauce.

Serve a plate of quick and easy grilled bread with olive oil and salt, AND…

Optionally, serve a big traditional Greek salad on the side (if you have the energy, or if you’re serving this meal to guests!)

Other side dish possibilities could include:

Rice! Several readers have enjoyed this Greek style baked fish with rice on the side. This Mediterranean rice is perfect, and you can make it either on your stove-top or in your Instant Pot (pressure cooker).

Potatoes. I recommend trying this ridiculously good Greek potatoes recipe! Or these classy mini garlic parmesan hasselback potatoes – especially if you’re entertaining.

Looking for more Greek style sides? Take a look at this collection of 21 easy Greek side dishes for loads of delicious inspiration!

A closeup of Greek white fish with tomatoes and onions on a blue patterned dish with fresh basil and a fork.

Recipe FAQ

Should I cover the fish when baking it?

No, there is no need to cover the dish for this recipe, which makes it even easier!

How do I know when the fish is cooked?

To check if fish is done, just insert a fork in the thickest part and twist it to see if the fish easily flakes. If it still looks opaque in the middle, give it a few more minutes before checking again. If you have a food thermometer, the internal temperature should be 145F/63C.

Can I reheat the leftovers?

Fish cooks quickly and can be easily overcooked, so it’s always best eaten when first cooked. If you have leftovers, however, you can reheat them gently in the oven. Just cover with aluminium foil and warm through at around 275F/135C for about 15 minutes or until piping hot again.

I don’t recommend using the microwave to reheat this. It’s too easy to overheat the fish, making it tough and dry.

More easy fish dinners

Lemon butter salmon with asparagus and potatoes (DELICIOUS!)
10-minute salmon with dill yogurt sauce
Basic CRISPY salmon fish cakes (yup, crispy. Yum.)
Baked panko cod with lemon butter sauce (aka posh fish and chips!)
20-minute Thai fish curry (so easy, and a real crowd pleaser!)

Or see all my fish recipes.

If you like this recipe, please do also check out some of my other easy Greek recipes!

About Helen Schofield

Don't expect to find anything fussy or complicated here. Just QUICK, EASY & (mostly!) HEALTHY recipes from the Mediterranean and beyond. ENJOY!