Roasted Halibut with Tomatoes, Peppers, and Olives

Healthy Roasted Halibut with Tomatoes, Peppers, and Olives ~ it’s like putting a pan of Mediterranean sunshine on the dinner table, but it’s a lot more delicious.  Roasting is the best way to cook a firm white fish like halibut, it comes out tender, juicy, and so darned pretty!

This yummy meal is low in fat, carbs, and calories, but high in protein, and gluten free.  It’s easily adapted for Whole 30 and paleo diets, so basically no one’s left out.

Serve this healthy baked fish with some crusty bread and a nice white wine…you’ll be living large with very little effort.  This is the real life kind of meal you’d find in my kitchen if you happen to drop in on me on a random night. And did you know we’re supposed to be eating fish at least 2 times a week according to the American Heart Association?

Is halibut a healthy fish?

• Omgosh it’s one of the healthiest foods you can eat.  
• Halibut is a high quality protein, and rich in heart healthy omega-3s.
• Halibut is loaded with selenium, an important trace mineral and powerful antioxidant.
• It’s a delicious source of Phosphorus, Magnesium, Vitamin B12, and Vitamin B6.
• Because halibut is a low fat source of protein it’s ideal for weight loss diets.

Is halibut sustainable?

• Pacific halibut is rated thumbs up by Seafoodwatch.org, but Atlantic halibut is overfished and has bycatch issues.  Bycatch is when other fish are caught up unintentionally in fishing nets, etc.  You probably won’t find Atlantic halibut for sale in the US right now, but you should always read labels or ask your fish monger.
• My halibut is from Norway where the fish is farmed sustainably.
• You can substitute another firm white fish for the halibut, which does tend to be expensive.  Cod would be ideal.

Roasted halibut with sunny Mediterranean ingredients like tomatoes, peppers, and olives, is a great way to eat healthy and low carb all year long.  

It’s the middle of winter and yet I can always find red plum tomatoes in the produce section.  If you can’t, a good can of crushed tomatoes will do.  I love to buy American whenever I can, but when it comes to canned tomatoes, imported are the only way to go 🙂  My current fave brand?  Mutti.  

ingredients for this roasted halibut recipe

• halibut fillet ~ it’s $$$ so feel free to substitute.
• crushed tomatoes ~ I used fresh plum tomatoes that are pretty good year round, but you can use a good quality canned.
• garlic ~ gotta have it.
• wine ~ either white or red is ok.
• bell peppers ~ the more colors the merrier.
• olives ~ I love my pitted bright green Castelvetrano olives, but you could us inky kalamata if you prefer them.
• capers ~ don’t be afraid of them!
• fennel seeds ~ these little seeds burst with flavor when you bite down on them.
• lemon ~ I used Meyer lemons, because I’m in California and I can 😉
• parsley ~ substitute basil if you like.
• red onion ~ sliced wafer thin, and added raw at the last minute for some bite and some crunch.

What the heck are capers?

One of the most misunderstood foods on the planet, that’s what.

• Capers are little flower buds!
• They grow on a plant in the Mediterranean.
• They’re pickled and sold in little jars.  Why little jars?  Because their flavor is nice and strong, and a little goes a long way.
• Capers taste like a cross between a pickle and an olive, with a bright, briny lemony taste.
• See them in action in my Creamy Lemon Dill Salmon and my Tossed Salad Nicoise.

roasted halibut assembly

• spread the fresh tomato sauce into a baking dish
• top with the halibut fillet
• arrange sliced peppers around the fish
• scatter olives and capers around the fish
• dot the fish with butter and season with salt
• after roasting, scatter fresh parsley and thin sliced red onions on top of the fish
• drizzle with olive oil and fresh cracked pepper

The fish is done to flaky perfection in 40 minutes, the butter melts and caramelizes the top of the fish, the peppers soften and sweeten, the sauce deepens in flavor, and the olives, capers, and lemons make everything pop.  This is a great meal.

Serving suggestions for roasted halibut

This meal doesn’t need much to complete it, there’s plenty of vegetables built right in.

• When we’re feeling lazy we serve this with boxed couscous, easy peasy.  You could also do rice, quinoa, or lentils.
• Crusty bread is always great for mopping up that tomato sauce.
• Of course a big green salad always works.

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4.41 from 5 votes

Roasted Halibut with Tomatoes, Peppers, and Olives

Roasted Halibut with Tomatoes, Peppers, and Olives is a healthy dinner that brings the sunny colors and flavors of the Mediterranean to your table.  Roasting is the best way to cook a firm white fish like halibut, it comes out tender, juicy, and perfectly delish!

Course Main Course

Cuisine American

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 40 minutes

Yield 5 servings

Calories 200kcal

Ingredients

• 1 1/3 lbs ripe plum tomatoes
• 2 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed
• 1/3 cup white wine
• 1-2 Tbsp tomato paste (the kind in the tube is handy)
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1 1/2 lb Norwegian or Pacific halibut fillet
• 2 bell peppers, seeded and sliced (I used 1/2 of 4 different color peppers)
• handful of olives, I used Castelvetrano
• 2 Tbsp capers, drained
• 1 tsp fennel seeds
• 1 Meyer lemon, cut in wedges
• 1 Tbsp butter

garnish

• handful fresh chopped parsley
• very thinly sliced red onion slivers
• olive oil

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350F
• Rinse and chop the tomatoes into large chunks. Put them into a food processor with the garlic, and pulse/process them until pureed, but they don't have to be super smooth, some texture is good.
• Put the tomatoes in a skillet and bring up to a boil. Turn down the heat to medium and add the wine and paste. Let it cook for about 15 minutes at a gentle bubble, so it can thicken. Taste and season well with salt and pepper.
• Pour the sauce into the bottom of your baking pan. Top with the fish. Add the sliced peppers, olives, capers, fennel seeds and lemon wedges around the fish and nestle everything into the sauce.
• Dot the fish with butter and loosely cover with foil. Bake for 40 minutes, removing the foil half way through. Finish the dish under the broiler for some last minute color.
• Top the fish with the parsley and onions, drizzle with good olive oil, shower with fresh cracked black pepper and serve.

Notes

I was actually out of tomato paste and used my Harissa paste (also in a tube) which made this sauce deliciously spicy.  If you love harissa, give it a try in this recipe.

If you love fresh basil, you could add it to the the tomato sauce when you add it to the pan.  (Don't cook it beforehand.)

I like to soak the raw onions in cold water while the fish bakes, this helps to take the sting out of their flavor.  Dry on paper towels before topping the fish.

Recipe inspired by and adapted from Bon Appétit

Nutrition

Calories: 200kcal | Carbohydrates: 9g | Protein: 27g | Fat: 5g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 73mg | Sodium: 236mg | Potassium: 1023mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 2708IU | Vitamin C: 78mg | Calcium: 32mg | Iron: 1mg