An easy, 20 minute seafood recipe, white fish is baked with olive oil until flakey then drizzled with a lemony tahini garlic sauce and topped with toasted pine nuts and fresh parsley.
When it comes to picky eaters, there isn’t a topic more picked over than seafood. The brilliance of white fish is that it’s mild and doesn’t taste super “fishy.” Plus fish is a great source of Omega 3s, and if you are trying to incorporate it into more of your meals, this Lebanese Baked Fish with Tahini Sauce and Toasted Pine Nuts is perfect for you. My family loves it, and I hope yours will as well.
Ingredients
For the fish:
- White fish: I use fresh water white fish, but you could use tilapia, cod, or any mild white fish.
- Pine Nuts: Soft, nutty flavor with a slight sweetness. It’s really easy to toast your own, but you could also buy pre-toasted pine nuts.
- Salt and pepper: For added flavor.
For the sauce:
- Tahini: A Middle Eastern condiment made from sesame, it’s commonly used in sauces, hummus, or served by itself.
- Lemon juice: Acidic and fresh flavor that brightens the sauce.
- Garlic: Nutty, earthy, and a bit spicy that pairs great with tahini.
- Cayenne: Optional, but it adds lovely heat to the sauce.
- Salt: For flavor.
How to Make Lebanese Baked Fish with Tahini Sauce and Toasted Pine Nuts
Start by cooking your fish. Pat them dry, and lay the fillets in a flat layer in a prepared baking dish.
Then drizzle your fish with olive oil.
And season with salt and pepper. Bake it in the oven at 375 for about 15 minutes.
While the oven is warm, roast the pine nuts on the second rack for 6-8 minutes.
While the fish is baking, make your tahini sauce. Start by freshly grating your garlic into a small bowl.
Next add the tahini, lemon juice, and salt.
Use warm or hot water to thin the sauce to the consistency of your liking.
Once your fish has finished baking, take it from the oven and drizzle with the tahini sauce.
Top with minced parsley and lemon wedges.
And finish with the toasted pine nuts.
Serve and enjoy!
Easy Substitutions
- Change the nuts. Try it with toasted almond slices, walnuts, or peanuts. Or no nuts, if you’re allergic, you can use sunflower seeds or pumpkin seeds for that bit of crunch.
- Switch the fish. The tahini sauce would go well with halibut, cod, walleye, or tilapia. Use your favorite kind!
Frequently Asked Questions:
What goes well with tahini?
I love tahini with fish, eggplant, chicken, and cucumber. If you like tahini sauce, try my Grilled Eggplant or Chicken Salad with Tahini Dressing recipes.
Can you eat tahini by itself?
Yes you can! It can be a little bitter on it’s own, but has strong earthy and nutty flavors.
How do I store leftover fish?
Kept in an airtight container, the fish will stay good for up to 3 days in the fridge.
More Seafood Recipes
- Sautéed Shrimp with Garlic and Chilies
- Jamaican Fish Escovitch
- Sweet and Spicy Baked Salmon
- Kung Pao Shrimp
- Broiled Whitefish with Mango Salsa
Did you try this fish recipe? The next time you make it, snap a picture and share it to your socials! Tag @thelemonbowl and #thelemonbowl so we can admire and share your dish.
Whether you love seafood or are on the fence, my Lebanese Baked Fish with Tahini Sauce and Toasted Pine Nuts is the recipe to try.
Your fork is waiting.
Lebanese Baked Fish with Tahini Sauce and Toasted Pine Nuts
Ingredients
- 20 ounces white fish (such as tilapia, grouper, walleye)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- salt and pepper (to taste)
- ¼ cup pine nuts
- minced parsley, lemon wedges (optional garnish)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Spray a baking dish with nonstick spray then place fish filets in a single layer. Drizzle with olive oil then sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bake until fish is tender and easily flakes with a fork, about 15-20 minutes.
- While the oven is warm, toast pine nuts on a baking sheet in the oven until golden brown, about 6-8 minutes on the second rack.
- While fish is baking, whisk the tahini sauce in a small bowl. Add the warm water 1-2 tablespoons at a time or until mixture becomes a nice saucy consistency.
- Once the fish is cooked, drizzle with tahini sauce and top with toasted pine nuts and minced parsley. Serve with lemon wedges.
Hi Liz. This is the second recipe of yours that I’ve made. Fantastic!! I made it with Dover Sole and served it with a minty Lebanese cabbage salad.
Thank you, Liz in the PNW.