We know that making dinner, by necessity, often becomes just another thing on your never-ending to-do list. Which conflicts with your desire to eat well. And by well, we mean healthily yet satisfyingly, easily yet elegantly. Enter this delicate baked fish with crisp seasoned bread crumbs and Parmesan cheese with a white wine pan sauce that’s proven to be surprisingly popular with kids and adults alike. Easy, healthy, family friendly, and on the table in a mere 30 minutes. The crisp, buttery, cheesy topping that everyone’s raving about is actually inspired by a classic Italian preparation for clams, though thankfully it works just as well on its filleted cousins.–Angie Zoobkoff
Lemon Sole Oreganata
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup fresh or dried bread crumbs
- 1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon grated lemon zest, preferably organic
- 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
- 4 tablespoons olive oil
- Four (8-ounce) thin white fish fillets, such as sole, flounder, or tilapia
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 2/3 cup dry white wine
- 1/4 cup flat-leaf parsley leaves, roughly chopped
- Lemon wedges, for serving
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 450°F (230°C) and position a rack in the top third of the oven.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the bread crumbs, oregano, lemon zest, Parmigiano-Reggiano, and 3 tablespoons oil until the mixture resembles wet sand.
- Brush the remaining 1 tablespoon oil over the bottom of a rimmed baking sheet. Place the fish in a single layer on the sheet and season with the salt. Sprinkle the bread crumb topping evenly over each fillet and pat gently to help it adhere. Pour the wine around the fish. Bake the fish until barely cooked through, 6 to 10 minutes, depending on the thickness of the fillets.
- Remove the baking sheet from the oven and heat the broiler to high. Slide the baking sheet back in the oven and broil until the bread crumbs are toasted and golden brown and the fish is cooked through, 1 to 2 minutes. Using a wide spatula, transfer the fillets to dinner plates, sprinkle with the parsley, and drizzle with any pan juices. Serve with a lemon wedge to squeeze over the top.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Recipe Testers’ Reviews
This is such a fast and easy weeknight meal! My kids and I enjoyed it very much. The cooking technique is so versatile as it should work on nearly any type of fish that you can imagine. I served the fish with a blend of wild and brown rice and a stir-fry of snow peas with garlic, oil, lemon juice and lemon zest.
This is a great week night meal. And the recipe couldn’t be easier. From the fridge to the table in about a half hour and great flavors to boot. Oregano, lemon zest, and Parmesan are great together and, mixed with some bread crumbs and olive oil, make a great topping for the fish.
Sole was an excellent vehicle for the topping since it’s light, firm, flaky, and not fishy. Of course, crisping the topping for a couple minutes under the broiler was perfect.
I can never have too many weeknight dinner options that are easy, tasty, and look pretty to boot. This recipe slides right into that category.
I used tilapia, as we always have some in the freezer, and fresh breadcrumbs (I just pulsed a couple slices of whatever sourdough is lurking around the counter or freezer). The topping was moist but got a lovely crunch on the top.
I think the thing I love most about this recipe is how it lends itself to improvisation. Throw in some pecans and swap the oregano for rosemary. Some macadamias with lime zest and ginger would be fabulous. Whole wheat, sourdough, curry powder, za’atar, you name it! I served it with roasted green beans that I threw on to cook while preparing the fish. I love an easy dinner!
I always think the less fussy a fish recipe is, the better. This one is tasty, light, easy, and has good flavor.
The bread crumb mixture was just enough to cover the amount of fish. I have to admit that once I breaded the fish and poured the wine around it, I was a bit skeptical, concerned that things were going to get soggy. I was even more skeptical as the fish was cooking. It looked strange, as if the breading wasn’t going to hold together and it might fall off the fish. But, voila, it all worked out when the fish went under the broiler. What came out was golden brown, crunchy on the outside, and perfectly moist in the inside.
I served this fish with roasted herb potatoes, and some roasted broccoli with a mustard vinaigrette. What’s even better is that the portion I ate the night after came out just as good as the previous night once I stuck it in the oven at 350°F for a few minutes.
This is a great weekday recipe. It doesn’t take very long to make but the flavors are wonderful. Fresh fish, lemon zest, Parmigiano-Reggiano, parsley, and lemon with crisp bread crumbs—a wonderful combination. The white wine poured around the edges of the fish keep the fish moist even as the bread crumbs brown and crisp.
I served it with bok choy and white wine and it made a delicious and very satisfying meal.
This sole recipe produced a family-approved dish that would be perfect for company. The Parmigiano-Reggiano bread crumb mixture can be made ahead of time and means you can put the dish together at the last minute.
I served the fillets with roasted asparagus.
This is a great “adult” take on a fish finger! The breading was super flavorful and I loved that it baked in the oven and wasn’t fried.
I used sea bass fillets, as that is what my store had in stock. I love that this is adaptable to other types of fish.
This fish is a delicious and fast meal to prepare. The lemon zest and Parmigiano-Reggiano made the topping very flavorful while the wine created a light sauce.
I bought Dover sole and used panko whole-wheat bread crumbs. Baking time was right on and broiling for a couple minutes made the topping golden and crunchy, adding nice texture. Parsley added beauty and freshness.
