This Rockfish recipe is easy to prepare, incredibly delicious with just a few simple fresh ingredients, and the presentation is stunning! In this recipe, you'll learn how to bake a whole Rockfish and Rockfish fillets.
If you’ve ever thought it might be daunting to cook a whole fish, this whole baked Rockfish recipe with lemon and herbs will prove it’s pretty easy — and so delicious!
It bursts with fresh flavors and the fish is so incredibly succulent.
Jump to:
What is Rockfish?
- There are close to a hundred species of Rockfish off the Pacific coast of North America. So when you use a Rockfish recipe, it doesn't necessarily refer to a specific variety.
- Boccacio, Canary, Chili, Flag, Green Striped, Starry, White Belly, Yelloweye and Vermilion are some of the more common Rockfish.
- The varieties of Rockfish range in size and color patterns. The colors may vary from black and green to orange and red, and some have stripes or splotches. They have big eyes and very large mouths that dip downward at the corners.
- Rockfish can be recognized from their bony plates on their heads and bodies and the heavy spines on their fins.
- While they can live in a variety of habitats like on the seafloor and in kelp forests, the name Rockfish comes from the fact that they generally live on rocky reefs and rest on rocks at the bottom of kelp forests.
- Rockfish recipes can be baked, sautéed, fried, poached or steamed.
What does Rockfish taste like?
The different species will vary, but Rockfish are generally a mild fish with a subtle sweet, nut-like flavor. Their oil content is not too high, making them lean and slightly firm, with a lovely flaky quality.
The Ingredients
- Rockfish - I used Vermillion Rockfish. (See What is Rockfish? above for other varieties of rockfish. Always choose fish with bright and shiny skin, firm flesh and a fresh aroma.
- extra virgin olive oil
- lemon juice and lemon slices - I use Meyer lemons over regular lemons when given the option. Meyer lemons are a bit less tart and a touch sweeter. And with a thinner skin and fewer seeds, they are incredibly juicy.
- fresh thyme
- paprika - For this recipe, I use sweet or "regular" paprika. I find the smoked and hot varieties overpower the lemon.
- salt
- black pepper
Substitutions and Variations
- Fresh thyme. You can substitute fresh thyme with dried thyme. Use about ⅓ the amount.
- You can use any fresh herbs you like. I love thyme with this as it has a slight lemony flavor. Basil, oregano, and dill would also be lovely. (If you use rosemary, use about a teaspoon less, as a little can go a long way.)
Recipe Tips
- To score or not to score. Scoring the fish means to make thin slits with a knife just through the skin. Usually a couple, and sometimes in pretty diamond patterns. Scoring makes the presentation more interesting and enables the skin to become crispier. However, sometimes leaving the skin intact keeps in more moisture because there’s a little layer of fat that’s just beneath the skin. I’ve cooked a whole fish both ways, and haven’t noticed a big difference.
- Part of the fun of baking a whole fish is the dramatic presentation. To eat it this way, you can just dig in with a fork, or use a knife to carve. It’s a bit more cumbersome to serve and eat it whole — there are bones to deal with, and it can be messy. So if you want to, you can remove the fish from the bones to serve it. (Learn how to carve a whole fish here.)
- To prevent the tail and fins from burning, wrap them in foil about halfway through the cooking process.
Can you Make this Rockfish recipe ahead?
I don't recommend it. As with most fish recipes, this is absolutely the best right out of the oven. Leftovers can be delicious used in other recipes though (see below suggestions).
How to Make Whole Rockfish
- Prepare the fish. Your fish monger should sell the fish already gutted and cleaned, and instructions for scaling are below.
- Season the fish. Place the fish on a foil or parchment-lined sheet pan. Drizzle olive oil on top and generously sprinkle with salt and pepper. Carefully turn the fish over and repeat this process. Season the inside cavity as well.
- Score the fish if desired. (More about scoring fish is below under "Recipe Tips.") Use the tip of a very sharp knife to cut slits across the top of the fish. They should only cut through the skin — try not to cut into the flesh.
- In a small bowl, mix the lemon juice with oil, thyme and paprika and drizzle it all over the top of the fish.
- Bake. Bake the fish in a 425°F oven just until it’s cooked through, about 15 minutes. The internal temperature should be about 140°F, and the flesh should flake easily. If it’s slightly translucent near the center, that’s okay! (To prevent the tail and fins from burning, wrap them in foil about halfway through the cooking process.)
- Broil the fish if necessary. If the skin did not become crisp and golden by the time it’s cooked, remove it from the oven, broil just until it’s golden brown and sizzling. Watch it carefully as it could just take seconds.
(More detailed instructions are below.)
Please be careful when you're handling a whole Rockfish! The bony plates on their heads and bodies and heavy spines on their fins can be very sharp!
How to Make Rockfish Fillets
- Fillets can be skinned or not. On a foil or parchment-lined sheet pan, drizzle the lemon-herb mixture on the fillets and season with salt and pepper. (Skin side down, if it's on.) Bake in a 375°F oven for about 7 minutes, maybe less.
More Must-Try Incredible Fish Recipes
- Seared Sesame-Crusted Ahi Tuna
- Thirty-Minute Fish Puttanesca
- Pan-Seared Chilean Sea Bass
- Whitefish with Citrus Salsa
- Olive Oil Poached Salmon
- Blackened Fish Tacos
- Chimichurri Salmon
What to do With Leftover Fish
- Although the general rule of thumb is to eat fresh fish as soon as it’s cooked, leftover fish recipes can be quite delicious.
- Leftover fish — especially flaky Rockfish, is perfect in stews and soups as their firm texture holds up very well. I often use leftover fish in my Summer Fish Stew or Smoky Tomato Fish Stew.
- Leftover fish is also great to mix with a bit of mayonnaise, finely chopped onion and pickle relish. Make a sandwich with it, as you would canned tuna fish.
You will definitely wow guests (and yourself!) with this amazingly succulent fish recipe. The lemon and herbs put it over the top, and the presentation is a show-stopper.
Enjoy!
* Please see recipe note for baking rockfish fillets rather than the whole fish.
Baked Rockfish Recipe with Lemon
Ingredients
- 1 whole (approximately 3 pound) Rockfish (I used Vermilion)
- 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon fresh thyme, finely chopped
- ¼ teaspoon sweet paprika
- kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- lemon slices and thyme sprigs for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat the oven and prep the pan. Preheat the oven to 425°F, adjust a rack to the top third of the oven, and line a sheet pan with foil or parchment paper.
- Prep the fish. Your fish should already be gutted and cleaned. If it's not already scaled, use a fish scaler brush or the back of a knife by rubbing it in the opposite direction of the scales. This might be a bit messy, as the scales tend to “pop” off, but it’s quite easy. Rinse the fish and then pat it dry with paper towels.
- Season the fish. Place the fish on the foil-lined sheet pan. Drizzle about 1 tablespoon of the oil on the fish and gently rub it in. Generously sprinkle with salt and pepper. Carefully turn the fish over and repeat this process. Then season the inside cavity with salt and pepper.
- Score the fish if desired. Use the tip of a very sharp knife to cut three slits, about two inches apart, diagonally across the top of the fish. The slits should only cut through the skin — try not to cut into the flesh. (Scoring makes the presentation more interesting and enables the skin to become crispier. However, sometimes leaving the skin intact keeps in more moisture because there’s a little layer of fat that’s just beneath the skin. I think you get the best of both, if you just cut a few slits.)
- Add the lemon and herbs. In a small bowl, mix the lemon juice with the remaining tablespoon of oil, thyme and paprika. Drizzle this all over the top of the fish.
- Bake the fish. Place the sheet pan in the preheated 425°F oven and bake just until the fish is cooked through, about 15 minutes. (You can test this by checking the internal temperature which should be about 140°F, and/or use a sharp knife or fork to peek into the flesh near the center. The flesh should flake easily and be opaque. If it’s slightly translucent near the center, that’s okay.(See Recipe Notes below for instructions for Baked Rockfish Fillets.)
- Broil the fish if necessary. If the skin doesn't become crisp and golden by the time it’s cooked, remove it from the oven, turn on the broiler and adjust a rack so the fish will be a couple of inches below it. Place the fish beneath the broiler just until it’s golden brown and sizzling. Watch it carefully as it could just take seconds.
- Serve! Serve the finished fish immediately.
angiesrecipes
The fish looks so tender and succulent. I don't remember when I last had a rockfish any more...I usually had them steamed with lots of ginger, onion and a splash of hot chili oil...gotta try your oven version as soon as I find some to try.
valentina
Thanks, Angie. Now I'm inspired to make it steamed with ginger, onion and chili oil! YUM. That sounds amazing! 🙂 ~Valentina
Liz
I'm not sure if I've ever eaten rockfish, but your recipe is something I'd definitely adore! Have a wonderful week, Valentina!
valentina
Thanks, Liz. Hope you can try a rockfish one day. 🙂 ~Valentina
Eha Carr
Homework needed as I have never heard of rockfish in Australia and yet, as you say, it is a Pacific creature ! Perhaps it is sold under a different name here. Living basically alone I cook whole fish when friends come or are staying . . .usually steaming such with aromats Chinese-style. I like your simple version very much. For many years I did not score my whole fish exactly for fear of losing moisture - watching so many chefs on local cooking shows almost automatically do so have begun to use the practice also and achieved good results if careful. . . so to get a perfectly fresh and delectable creature into the pan . . .
valentina
Eha, I would love whole fish cooked with Asian flavors. Sounds so delicious! Over rice -- yum! Thanks for your note. 🙂 ~Valentina
David @ Spiced
Cooking an entire fish at once is indeed a bit daunting, however you've got me intrigued now! I love a good flaky white fish, and this sounds like a delicious recipe. Also, that's a great idea to make "tuna fish" using the leftovers. I bet that would make for one heck of an awesome sandwich the next day for lunch!
valentina
Thanks, David. Happy you're intrigued. Hope you give it a go and enjoy! 🙂 ~Valentina
David Scott Allen
This looks absolutely fantastic, Valentina - now, I need to find out if I can get a whole rockfish! Any thoughts for a substitute? I know AZ isn't far from the California coast, but we don't get a lot of whole fish here...
valentina
Thanks, David. I've also cooked a whole Striped Bass the same way and it was a great success. Only problem is they're very big -- about 5 lbs and up. I did it for a big group, but it was a bit tricky to maneuver. Red Snapper and Trout are great choices too -- and you can get them on the small side. Hope you come across some. Enjoy and have a great weekend. 🙂 ~Valentina
David Scott Allen
Hi - I saw the fish monger today and he said he can order rockfish for me. Yay! I have wanted to try it so this will be fun!
valentina
This makes me so happy, David. It's fun to make and you and Mark enjoy it! Hope you are both saying well and that you had a lovely weekend. 🙂 ~Valentina
Dawn - Girl Heart Food
Love the presentation! And with herbs and lemon, this must be so delicious, Valentina! So perfect for entertaining 🙂
valentina
Thank you, Dawn. Big compliment from someone with so many amazing fish recipes! 🙂 ~Valentina
C
Did filets. Delicious. Great recipe! Will try with the other herbs mentioned.
valentina
Thanks so much for writing in. So happy you enjoyed this recipe. It's fun to mix up the herbs. Enjoy! 🙂 ~Valentina
Kelly
Made this with fillets and it was easy and delicious. Even the picky eaters in my family liked it.
valentina
That's fantastic, Kelly. So happy it was a hit and thanks so much for sharing. 🙂 ~Valentina
C. W.
I made it with "mystery" "rock cod" from Safeway and it tasted great! (It looked like the rockfish images on the Internet, complete with spiny fins.)
I used sage and rosemary as I had fresh on hand and they worked very well.
Thank you for this useful and easy recipe.
valentina
You are so welcome. So happy you liked it! I bet the rosemary and sage were delicious! 🙂 ~Valentina
Bishop Hart
Hello, I just received some Rockfish fillets from a friend. I will try your lemon recipe and post the result later based upon what many has said I know I will enjoy.
valentina
Hi! I hope you enjoy it! 😀 ~Valentina
Chef Mimi
this is beautiful - a lovely presentation! I love the sweet paprika choice in your seasonings. Happy New Year!
valentina
Thank you, Mimi! I'm never without both sweet and smoked paprika in my spice drawer. Love them. Happy New Year to you! 🙂 ~Valentina
Robin
I made this last night for the husband and it was great! I went with two smaller fish and removed the heads. Presentation was a little less impressive, but this way they both fit in my cast iron. We like crispy skin so I browned them in avocado oil for about 2 minutes on each side before pouring the herb mixture over them and finishing in the oven! Served with wilted mixed greens - Delicious!
valentina
Hi Robin. Thanks so much for writing in. I'm so happy you loved this recipe. I'm sure the two smaller fish still made for a cool presentation. 🙂 Love that your browned the skin to make it crispy. Delicious! And thank you for checking out my site and recipes. Enjoy! 🙂 ~Valentina
Diana Marquez
I made this a few weeks ago and it is amazing. That’s why I’m making it again today! I’ve never had rockfish but my husband swears by it. It is absolutely the perfect whole fish to use. I’m going to try the Asian inspired flavors with the next one. Thank you for the recipe!
Valentina
Hi Diana, Thank you so much for writing in. I'm so happy you love this recipe! The fish will definitely be incredibly delicious with Asian flavors. 🙂 ~Valentina
Scott Miller
I just made this on 04/09/2023 @ 21:47 and they were awesome. I love Rockfish even more than Halibut thanks to Humpy's in Alaska. This was an Alaskan flashback for the whole family. Thank You Ma'am!!
Valentina
Hi Scott, Thanks so much for writing in. This makes me so happy - made my day! 🙂 ~Valentina
Carol A Dunstan
Maryland born and raised, rock fish is one of the best catches in the Cheasapeake Bay, I prefer it blackened so I will try this recipe and let you know if it is as good as what our local restaurants offered!
Valentina
Hi Carol. I look forward to hearing back. I hope you love it! 🙂 ~Valentina
theresa
was just given 9 bags frozen filet rock fish with about 10 pieces per bag and never heard of this type fish - will do some fried like catfish tonight and maybe asian flavor like salmon tomorrow - for salmon I use terrayaki sauce poured over fish, salt, pepper and put in foil pouch, in 400 degree oven for about 20 min and open foil for about 5 more minutes and it is great with white rice and green beans - think this will be same - our local food bank gave these out today and just going to experiment -
Valentina
Hi Teresa, All sounds great! Lucky you to have been given so much fish. I hope you try this recipe and love it,too. Simple and delicious. 🙂 ~Valentina
Jeff the Chef @ Make It Like a Man!
Yeah, I can't make a whole fish, I'm afraid. It's just a thin thread of denial that keeps from being a vegetarian, and food that actually resembles the animal it came from crosses the line. I just keep telling myself that shrimp tails are fancy, convenient little holders that they put on the shrimp, but there's no story I can tell myself about a whole fish!
Valentina
Hi Jeff, I totally get it. I don't love eating foods with eyeballs intact, but it's super fun to cook a whole fish. Fillets for you. 😉 ~Valentina
Marissa
We love rockfish and I'm always looking for new ways to cook it. So you know I'll be trying this recipe. Thank you, Valentina. It looks wonderfully simple to prepare and totally delicious.
Valentina
Enjoy, Marissa. Thank you! 🙂 ~Valentina
Healthy World Cuisine
Keeping it whole is the way to go- if you can find it fresh. The whole family would be fighting over the cheeks. Love your simple spice mixture.
Valentina
Thanks so much. Saving you the cheeks. 😉 Enjoy. ~Valentina