Whenever you are lucky enough to have a whole fish on your hands, I recommend that you do it justice by grilling it as the Greeks do: directly over open heat and dressed with a delicious bath of olive oil, lemon juice and fresh herbs.
That’s exactly what I did with the whole striped bass that I found the other day, though any mild white-fleshed fish will do (sea bream, branzini, red snapper, trout).
Grilled whole fish makes for a healthy and incredibly satisfying meal. A 3-pound fish feeds two very hungry people, but if you have a lot of other side dishes it could certainly sustain another diner. If you can get a fish that’s been scaled, gutted and cleaned properly, that will make your life a whole lot easier. Otherwise, take to YouTube for great tutorials that can show you the process, step-by-step. 
The prepping and grilling of the fish is the easiest part of this dish. The herb dressing is not much more work than chopping up a couple of garlic cloves and a smattering of fresh herbs (parsley, dill, mint, scallions). Then, simply mix it with olive oil, lemon juice, capers and dried oregano and adjust the taste with salt and black pepper to your liking. The dried oregano is really what gives it that Greek touch! Once the fish is done, you can spoon this lively dressing over the whole thing to finish it off.
A pair of long-handled tongs and a large fish spatula will be helpful tools for handling the fish on the grill. You’ll find that parts of the skin will char and release from the flesh–opa! Don’t worry, that doesn’t mean that you’ve done anything wrong. It happens. The char is actually desirable in this case as it lends a remarkable smoky flavor to the fish. The result you’re aiming for is a flaky, tender and moist grilled fish.
As far as side dishes, I served mine with potato wedges roasted in butter with garlic, sage, lemon juice and lemon zest alongside a crisp Greek salad of chopped romaine, grape tomatoes, cucumber, red onions and feta cheese crumbles. You could also do a simple rice pilaf, orzo, or really create a feast by adding warm pita bread and an array of dips, like hummus, tatziki and baba ghanoush.
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Whole Fish Grilled The Greek Way
- Total Time: 32 minutes
- Yield: Serves 2-4 1x
- Diet: Pescatarian, Omnivore, Gluten-Free
Description
A simple, flavorful way to grill a whole fish. Bright herbs and lemon complement the flaky white flesh.
Ingredients
- 3 lbs (1361 g) whole striped bass
- Extra virgin olive oil
- Kosher salt
- Black pepper
- Dried oregano
- 2 whole lemons
- 5 cloves of garlic
- 1/2 a small bunch of Italian flat-leaf parsley
- 1-2 stalks of scallions
- A few sprigs of mint
- A few sprigs of dill
- A few sprigs of fresh thyme
- 1 tablespoon of small capers
- Kitchen twine
Instructions
- Lay the fish on a clean cutting board. Pat dry all over with paper towels and inside the cavity. Make 2 to 3 deep incisions along the body on each side with a sharp knife.
- Season the fish with 1 tablespoon kosher salt, rubbing it evenly all over, into the incisions and cavity. Do the same with 1 teaspoon black pepper and 1 teaspoon dried oregano.
- Chop 1 clove of garlic and rub it all over the fish, including the incisions and cavity.
- Slice one lemon thinly into half-moons. Slice another garlic clove. Layer the lemon, garlic, and a few sprigs of fresh thyme inside the fish cavity. Tie the fish closed with kitchen twine.
- Coat the fish with olive oil and massage it on both sides. Set aside.
- Chop the remaining garlic, parsley, scallions, mint, and dill. Put them in a small bowl with ½ teaspoon dried oregano and 1 tablespoon capers.
- Slowly pour olive oil into the bowl, stirring until it has the consistency of a loose sauce. Grate the zest of the remaining lemon into the sauce and add the juice of half the lemon. Stir and season to taste with salt and pepper. Set aside.
- Place the fish on the hot grill. Let it cook for 6 to 8 minutes before carefully flipping it with tongs and a spatula.
- Let it cook for an additional 6 to 8 minutes. Check the doneness by inspecting the incisions; the flesh should be opaque white. If not, lower the heat, close the lid for a minute or two, and check again.
- Lift the fish onto a serving platter. Remove the charred skin (optional) and spoon the herbed dressing over the fish or let everyone serve themselves.
Notes
- For even cooking, make sure your grill is hot and consistently heated.
- Substitute other firm white fish like snapper or sea bass for the striped bass.
- Serve immediately for the best flavor and texture; leftovers can be refrigerated for up to 2 days.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 12 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Grilling
- Cuisine: Greek
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 450
- Sugar: 5
- Sodium: 400
- Fat: 25
- Saturated Fat: 5
- Unsaturated Fat: 15
- Carbohydrates: 15
- Fiber: 2
- Protein: 35
- Cholesterol: 100
Frequently Asked Questions
What type of fish can I use for this recipe?
You can use any mild white-fleshed fish such as striped bass, sea bream, branzini, red snapper, or trout.
How should I prepare the fish before grilling?
Make sure the fish is scaled, gutted, and cleaned properly; if not, consider watching tutorials on YouTube for guidance.
What fresh herbs work best in the dressing for the grilled fish?
Fresh parsley, dill, mint, and scallions are recommended for the herb dressing.
Spot on.
Grilled mine using a churrasco setup, and the Greek seasoning was spot on. Just found it a tad oily—might reduce next time.
Try adding fresh oregano to the marinade before grilling, it really enhances the flavor of the fish.
Great Suggestion Nisha!!
This is Mediterranean cooking at its best. I just had a version of this in Spain, made with sea bass, and it was just incredibly juicy and delicious.
This for sure is the best way to cook fish. Love Greek food, but this is more pan-European in my mind, nevertheless it is absolutely dleicious.
This is amazing. Thank you, love it.
Did 2 smaller whole snappers on a gas grill. Prepared per menu and the dish turned out very well.
Huzzah! So glad to hear it worked out!
One of the best fish I ever had!
Thank you very much for this amazing recipe. I am in Greece at the moment and did this for bunch of my friends, with fresh breams and sea basses from the market, with homegrown lemons, grilled on charcoal. Even though I could not get thyme, capers and scallions, the result was absolutely delicious! The herbal mix is just superb..
I think the important part of the magic is not to be shy with the incisions and putting the spices into it… The result is super-tasty fish.
Thank you so much for this excellent recipe,
O.
oh my gosh! we tried this recipe with whole Snapper last night and it was off the charts !! the most delicious fresh and beautiful ingredients but tastes like exceptional restaurant cooking!
Thanks for a gorgeous recipe we will be using lots in future ! So impressed with this fish and the oozy sauce on top :)
Dear Jessica,
I tried your recipe just as you instructed and I got to say I have never had a fish so delicious in my life! I have traveled and eaten in very prominent places but they do not come close to this recipe! I have also tried other fish recipes and have not had the satisfaction that making this has given me. It was aromatic, eye-popping and last but not least, delicious beyond words can explain! Thank you for sharing your recipe with the rest of us and I look forward to trying more of your recipes in the future.
“5. Chop the remaining garlic cloves, parsley, scallions, mint and dill and put in a small bowl. Add ½ teaspoon of dried oregano and 1 tablespoon of small capers. Slowly pour olive oil into the bowl, stirring until it has the consistency of a loose sauce. Grate the zest of the remaining lemon into the sauce and add the juice of half the lemon. Stir and season to taste with salt and black pepper. Set aside”
What do I do with this?? No instructions!
Serve it over the cooked fisf
Hi there,
I’m in Cyprus at the moment and would like to make this recipe with sea bream. How many people does this recipe serve? What size fish would you recommend for 2 adults?
Thank you!
Leone.
The best fish I have ever made!!! I used fresh basil in the cavity.
This is an outstanding recipe, better than all the fish dishes I have had in Greek restaurants!!!!
Tried this with red snapper and baked it then seved with raw spinach and baked potatoes. Left out the mint, dill etc. It was amazing. I even made it twice, first for me then for firends coning over. So easy yet so good.