Psari Plaki – Greek Baked Fish with Onions & Tomatoes

Mother’s day recipe alert… It’s special, it’s fancy and it’s delicious!!

I have a great fish recipe called Psari Plaki, meaning roasted fish… Greek style! Treat your mom with succulent, flaky, buttery fish drenched in the most delicious sauce, baked with Mediterranean flavors.

When it comes out of the oven, all you need to do is drizzle some more olive oil, throw on some fresh parsley, sprinkle some feta, give her a side of some great crusty bread and you are all set… almost.

Wait! You need to pour that favorite wine of hers! And there you go… Perfection!!

Are you looking for something different this Mother’s day? Way different. Something that happens on the other end of the Mediterranean. Try creating my easy and fresh, yet delicate fish dish with all the goodness of Greek flavors. It has simple ingredients yet it turns into one delectable and interesting meal.

What is Psari Plaki?

🐟 + 🍅 + 🧅= 🥘 = 😊

Yes psari plaki happens with the above equation.

Psari (SAH-ree ) is the Greek word for fish and Plaki is a cooking technique. The term Plaki (plah-KEE) refers to baking in the oven with plenty of oil along with veggies and herbs. For example, another popular dish is Gigantes Plaki, which is simply beans baked with tomatoes and veggies.

Psari plaki is fish that is layered or covered with plenty of veggies and olive oil.

In Greece you find that tables are ruled by seafood, as there is an abundance all throughout the year. You get to enjoy it in different styles. Bake, grill, roast or stove top. The recipes are passed from one generation to the next and are held close to their hearts.

This classic baked fish dish, with onions and tomato sauce, has seen as many versions as there are cooks in Greece. Everybody has their own little tricks or tips.

Some like to cook it with whole fish, some like filets.

Some like a very basic sauce, some like to spruce up the sauce with more veggies like potatoes and carrots, or any other veggies their heart desires.

Some like to make a sauce to pour over the fish and some layer the fish with tomatoes and other veggies slices.

Some use basic herbs and some add bunches more… Whatever you do, it always comes out of the oven looking absolutely delicious.

What fish to use for Psari plaki?

When I’m making this Greek-style dish, I look for any firm white fish. That means fish like cod, halibut, haddock, grouper, mahi mahi, or tilapia. Even sea bass or swordfish can work great. And you know what? Sometimes I even use salmon, it adds a delicious twist! The key is choosing a fish that can soak up all that yummy tomato sauce.

Ingredients Needed

For the fish

• Fish – Today I am using fresh cod filet.
• Seasoning – Salt, pepper, lemon juice and oregano.

For the sauce

• Olive oil – Plenty… It’s Mediterranean 🙂
• Onion – Sliced.
• Tomatoes – I am using canned crushed tomatoes. You can use finely diced and quickly blend them.
• Garlic
• Herbs & spices – Oregano, red chili flakes, salt and pepper.
• White wine (optional)
• Sugar – Just a little to cut the tang of the tomatoes. (optional)
• Parsley
• Kalamata olives – You can use black or green olives in their absence.

Psari Plaki Recipe

This is pretty straightforward and simple in essence…

First, I season the filets with some salt, pepper, oregano, and a squeeze of lemon juice. Then, I let them sit aside while I get everything else ready. Sometimes I’ll even marinate them in the fridge for about 30 minutes for extra flavor.

Next, I heat up some olive oil in a pan and sauté the onions until they’re nice and soft, which usually takes about 10 minutes. Then, I add in the garlic and cook it for a couple more minutes until it’s fragrant.

Once that’s done, I toss in the tomatoes, along with all the herbs and spices mentioned, and some fresh parsley (some day’s I might add a bit of sugar too if tomatoes are too tangy). Then, I let it all simmer together for about 5 minutes to let the flavors mingle and develop.

Then I stir in wine and cook for 15 minutes till the sauce thickens up a bit.

If I’m using an oven-safe casserole dish, I simply place my seasoned fish filets right into the sauce, making sure to spoon plenty of sauce over them for maximum flavor.

If I’m using a separate baking dish, I start by spreading half of the sauce on the bottom. Then, I place the fish filets on top of the sauce and layer the remaining sauce over them. This way, the fish gets coated with that delicious sauce from all sides as it bakes.

Once I’ve added the olives, I pop the dish into my preheated oven, on the middle rack, set to 375°F, and let it cook for about 35-40 minutes, or until the fish is nice and flaky.

In the last few minutes of cooking, I sometimes switch to broil to add a bit more color to the fish

When it’s done, I take it out of the oven and let it sit for a few minutes to cool slightly. Then, I garnish it with more fresh parsley, some lemon slices, and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil for that perfect finishing touch.

Serving Suggestions

1. All that beautiful sauce and fish can be polished off with some great fresh crusty bread. If you feel like making your mom feel more special, you can cook my no knead bread. All homemade…
2. Psari plaki is great over some delicate pilaf or rice. Try it with my Greek lemon rice.
3. I also love it over a bed or orzo or couscous.
4. It goes great with some kind of potato.
5. For a low carb option, try it with keto bread, cauliflower rice or even zoodles.

Some great variations

1. When I’m making psari plaki, sometimes I like to add extra veggies to the sauce for more flavor and volume. I’ll throw in chopped celery, fennel, potato wedges, carrot slices, or different colored bell peppers. It not only adds great flavor to the dish, but also builds up the volume.
2. Some people add artichoke hearts, raisins or capers to the sauce.
3. Another way I make psari plaki is without sauce. I slice up veggies like onions, carrots, potatoes, lemons, and tomatoes, then season them well with herbs and spices. I arrange them in an oiled baking dish and place the seasoned fish filet, or sometimes a whole fish, on top. Then, I pour wine all around the baking dish, sprinkle on lots of parsley, and pop it in the oven to bake.

Whatever way you make it (I am sure this is going to be your regular to treat yourself), it’s going to turn out awesome. It has that Mediterranean heart and soul. Try different variations and versions. Warm summer nights are coming your way, and I have given you a perfect light, healthy, fresh yet comfort foody kinda dish. My version of delicious Psari Plaki… Embrace it and make it yours!!

Psari Plaki, on our Gypsy Plate… enjoy!

Happy Mother’s Day from me and Noah!

Try these other great fish recipes!
Mediterranean Fish with Tapenade
Salmon with Mango Salsa
Bahamian Boiled Fish
Maple Pecan Salmon
Fish en Papillote
Finnish Salmon Soup
Salmon Patties
Fried Catfish
Cioppino

Psari Plaki - Greek Baked Fish with Onions & Tomatoes

Yield: 4 servings

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 50 minutes

Total Time: 55 minutes

This Greek baked fish, Psari Plaki, is a great addition to your recipe collection. Flaky white fish with light, fresh and vibrant Mediterranean flavors.

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Ingredients

To marinate fish

• 1.5 lbs fish (see note 1)
• ¼ tsp black pepper
• ¼ tsp dried oregano
• ½ lemon, juiced
• ¼ tsp salt

For plaki sauce

• 1 extra large onion, sliced into half moons
• 4-6 garlic cloves, sliced
• 1 28oz can crushed tomatoes or tomato sauce
• ¼ cup fresh parsley, chopped
• 2 tsp oregano
• ½ tsp red chili flakes
• ½ tsp sugar (optional)
• ½ cup white wine
• ½ cup kalamata olives
• ¼ tsp black pepper
• Salt to taste
• ½ cup olive oil

For garnish

• Drizzle of extra virgin olive oil
• 2 Tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
• ¼ cup feta cheese (optional)

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 375°F
2. Marinate the fish with salt, pepper, oregano and lemon juice for 30 minutes, or while you prep the sauce.
3. Heat olive oil in a braiser pan on medium high heat. Add onions and sauté till they get golden brown in color (about 10 minutes). Add in garlic and sauté for a couple of minutes.
4. Add in tomatoes and stir in salt, pepper, oregano, sugar, red chili flakes, parsley and cook for a couple of minutes. Stir in wine and simmer the sauce for 15 minutes.
5. If you are using the oven proof dish like mine, place the fish in the sauce such that there is a little sauce at the bottom and spoon the sauce generously over the fish. If using a separate baking dish, pour half the sauce in the bottom, place the fish and cover the fish with remaining sauce. Throw in kalamata olives.
6. Bake on the middle rack of the oven for 35 minutes, or until fish is flaky.
7. Drizzle extra virgin olive oil, garnish with parsley, feta and lemon slices if desired.

Notes

1. We are using cod filet today. Any firm white fish will go great. Think haddock, halibut, grouper, snapper, mahi mahi or tilapia
2. Leftovers: Refrigerate any leftovers in an airtight container for up to three days..

Nutrition Information

Yield 4 Serving Size 1
Amount Per Serving Calories 631Total Fat 41gSaturated Fat 8gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 32gCholesterol 105mgSodium 1097mgCarbohydrates 15gFiber 6gSugar 12gProtein 51g

Nutrition information calculated by Nutritionix.

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Welcome to GypsyPlate! I'm Alpana, former wordwide tour manager and professional caterer, now full time blogger. I love exploring cuisines from around the world, and my recipes have been featured on sites such as MSN, Parade, Brit + Co, CNET and AOL. You can explore my entire collection of sortable recipes in my Recipe Index or learn more about me here.