Pan seared fish with romesco sauce & garlicky green beans

Seafood
Written By Bea Fawkes

Jump to recipe

DF, GF

Bring brightness to a winter weeknight with this vibrant, flavour-packed fish dinner. Ready in just 45 minutes, it’s a wholesome, delicious dish crowned with perfectly crispy skin — a recipe you’ll reach for again and again!

I love dinner recipes that tick all the boxes! Lots of veg, a tasty sauce and a perfectly cooked protein. It has it all! This is just the kind of recipe to shake up heavy winter meals while still being very satisfying and full of flavour.

I like to make a double batch of the sauce and I just freeze half so I always have some on hand to liven up a quick dinner. In saying that, the sauce is so easy to make! Simply a matter of tasting a few nuts and seeds and then just throwing it all in the blender and you’re done. It’s such a great way to throw more veges into a meal without your kids knowing!

I like to serve this meal with lightly toasted fresh sourdough bread which mops up all the sauce. Roasted potatoes also work perfectly to bulk out the meal.

What's in this recipe?

Romesco sauce

  • Roasted red capsicum & sundried tomatoes

    Roasted red capsicums can be found at any large supermarket and are sold in jars. If you have extra time, feel free to roast your own red capsicums. You’ll need 2 for this recipe - they add such beautiful sweetness and smokiness to the sauce. Sundried tomatoes also boost the sweetness and umami flavour of the sauce. Look for sundried tomatoes marinated in olive oil as they have the most flavour. Were all about extra flavour here!

  • Red wine vinegar & lemon juice

    Red wine vinegar adds acidity and tang to the sauce to cut through the sweetness of the capsicums. Can be substituted with apple cider vinegar. I like to add fresh lemon juice as it adds such a lovely freshness and slight lemon flavour to the dish.

  • Olive oil

    We use a generous amount of extra virgin olive oil here to blend the sauce. This gives it a delicious creamy texture and bright flavor. I would not recommend substituting with any other oil.

  • Almonds & cumin seeds

    Almonds are roasted which add a lovely toasted flavour and creamy texture when blended. The toasted cumin seeds also pack more of a flavour punch when toasted. Can be substituted with ground cumin if you don’t have time to roast the seeds.

  • Smoked paprika

    Smoked paprika is such a crucial ingredient in this sauce. It reinforces the smokiness of the capsicums and also adds a rich red flavour. Can be substituted with sweet paprika however you will lose some of the smokey flavour.

  • Garlic

    Fresh garlic adds umami and tang to the sauce. Please use fresh garlic here. You don’t need to worry about chopping it up as it will just get blended.

  • Salt

    Salt makes all the difference! It brings out all the flavours so don’t forget to add it in!

Garlicky beans

  • Green beans

    Fresh green beans go so well with the bold flavours in the sauce. I like to pan fry them, so they get a little colour and still have a little bite to them. Can be substituted with halved brussels sprouts or sliced courgette.

  • Olive oil

    Olive oil is used to fry the beans. Can be substituted with canola or vegetable oil however I prefer olive oil for its health benefits.

  • Garlic

    Fresh garlic is minced and added to the beans in the last minute of cooking. I prefer the garlic to be minced so it sticks to the beans more easily and you get a move even distribution of flavour. We only add it at the end as it will burn if left in the pan for too long.

  • Lemon juice

    Fresh lemon juice is added in the final few minutes of cooking and helps to steam the beans so they become softer and easier to eat. It also provides acidity and brings out the fresh flavour of the beans.

Pan seared fish

  • Fish fillets

    I like to use skin-on thick white fish fillets for this recipe. I have used barramundi here as it is a readily available and affordable cut where I live. Other suitable fish varieties include snapper or cod.

    I like to use fish with skin-on so it can be fried until crispy. It also helps the fish to stay moist and is so full of flavour. The skin is also packed full of omega 3’s, collagen and protein. We love crispy fish skin in our household! It’s SO GOOD!

  • Oil & butter

    I like to use avocado oil to fry my fish as it has a high smoke point and won’t burn like olive oil. Butter is added in the last few minutes of cooking which adds a lovely buttery flavour. Can be left out if desired however it really pairs so beautifully with the fish!

  • Garlic

    Fresh garlic is added to the pan to and left to crisp in the last few minutes of cooking - this prevents it from burning. It adds wonderful umami flavour to the fish. Please use fresh garlic here!

  • Lemon zest & dill

    Lemon zest and fresh dill provide acidity and freshness to the fried fish and help to balance out the rich flavours.

Step-by-step photos

Pan seared fish with romesco sauce & garlicky green beans

Yield 4
Author
Prep time
20 Min
Cook time
25 Min
Total time
45 Min

GF, DF


Cook modePrevent screen from turning off

Ingredients

Romesco sauce
  • 1/4 cup almonds
  • 1 tsp whole cumin
  • 3 Tbsp olive oil
  • 1 Tbsp red wine vinegar
  • 1/2 cup roasted red peppers (in oil, drained)
  • 1/4 cup sundried tomatoes (in oil, drained)
  • 1 tsp smoked paprika
  • Juice of 1 lemon
  • 2 garlic cloves (peeled)
  • Pinch of chili flakes (optional)
  • 1/2 tsp salt
Garlicky green beans
  • 1 cup green beans (ends trimmed)
  • 1 Tbsp olive oil
  • 2 garlic cloves (minced)
  • Juice of 1/2 lemon
  • Salt & pepper
Fish
  • Zest of 1 lemon
  • 1 Tbsp fresh dill (finely chopped)
  • 2 tsp capers (finely chopped)
  • 4 white fish fillets (skin on)
  • Salt & pepper
  • 3 Tbsp oil (avocado, canola or vegetable)
  • 1 Tbsp butter

Instructions

Romesco sauce
  1. Add all ingredients to a small kitchen blender (e.g Nutribullet) and pulse until smooth. Pour into a small bowl and set aside.
Garlicky green beans
  1. Preheat the oven to 180 degrees Celsius. Line a small baking tray with baking paper.
  2. Add all ingredients to a small bowl and mix with a spoon until well combined. Spread mixture evenly onto baking tray and bake in the center of the oven for 7-8 minutes or until golden. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool. Break into bite sized pieces once cooled.
Fish
  1. Line a large baking tray with baking paper (or use a non-stick baking pan). Spread pumpkin over tray and top with olive oil, garlic and salt & pepper. Mix with your hands to evenly coat the pumpkin. Spread the pumpkin over the tray and place in the oven for 15-20 minutes or until cooked through and golden on the edges. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool.
  2. Place kale in a large serving bowl. Drizzle with 1 Tbsp of the dressing and massage through with your hands (this breaks down the fibers and removes the bitterness from the kale!).
  3. Add the pear and half the red onion and dates. Stir through with a spoon until well combined. Top with roasted pumpkin and drizzle over remaining dressing. Finish with remaining red onion, dates and crumbled blue cheese. Enjoy!

Notes

Serving suggestion

I like to serve this salad with roast chicken or bbq lamb rumps and crispy roast potatoes. Lightly pan-fried green beans round out a full meal if serving to guests! This salad goes with anything really. It's also great eaten by itself for a healthy winter lunch.


Storing

The nuts and dressing can be made 2-3 days ahead and kept in airtight containers in the fridge. Salad ingredients can be prepped 1 day prior and just put together at the time for an easy fresh entertaining salad. Leftovers are also great the next day! The fresh pear will discolour if left longer.

Nutrition Facts

Calories

498

Fat

35 g

Sat. Fat

6 g

Carbs

11 g

Fiber

3 g

Net carbs

7 g

Sugar

4 g

Protein

38 g

Sodium

778 mg

Cholesterol

93 mg
Bea Fawkes
Next

Blueberry porridge bars