Name: Salt Baked Whole Fish
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 8 min
Total time: 23 min
Ingredients: 1 whole fresh fish (red snapper, grouper, striped bass, etc.); 1 handful fresh cilantro; 1 handful fresh dill; 2 sprigs fresh oregano; 1 lemon (sliced); 1 lime (sliced); kosher salt (about 2 boxes for a 2-3 pound fish); egg whites (2 egg whites per cup of salt)

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A whole salt-baked fish is an easy recipe for entertaining. It’s a showstopper that will wow your guests, but keep you stress-free. It can be made with almost any combination of aromatic herbs and citrus, perfect year-round for dinner parties or holiday meals.

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This is one of those recipes that, when I first made it, I wanted to do it so I could say I did it. Make a salt baked whole fish? Who does that? Me.

It seemed very aspriational. Very impressive. Very chef-y.

Well, maybe it is, but it’s also very simple. (I know I say that all the time, about lots of food things, but it’s really true. About lots of food things.)

The first time I made a salt baked whole fish, I had it in my head that it had to be whole red snapper. That’s what all the pictures said on the internet.

A woman's hands are shown preparing a salt baked whole fish, she stuffs a whole fish with lemon, lime and fresh herbs. The fish is laying on a bed of salt on a sheet pan.

So I called my local fish market to order one for Christmas dinner, and they told me that I couldn’t specify size, they give me what they get, and I agreed. What I got was a whopper of a fish, it must have been at least 7 pounds. It barely fit on the sheet pan.

I think I bought two boxes of kosher salt, going by some arbitrary notion that I had put together during my research. As I began to make the salt crust and apply it, it became painfully obvious that I did not have nearly enough salt.

I was freaking out a little, already up to my wrists in the salt mixture, fearing utter failure at my aspirational, chef-y attempt of this culinary feat.

Just then, my husband was running out to the local bodega and asked if I needed anything. “More kosher salt!”, I screamed. “How much?”, he asked, calmly. “LOTS!! Get four more boxes! This thing is huge!”

In the end, I don’t know how many boxes of salt I used, but my panic was utterly unnecessary. The fish was perfect. And it fed four of us for at least three days straight.

This time, I selected a much more reasonably-sized two-pound fish – a whole striped bass – and made a batch of fish tacos.

Fresh cilantro, dill and oregano on a wooden cutting board with some kosher salt and sliced lemons and limes, that will be used to make a salt baked whole fish.

What fish is used for salt-baked fish and salt crust fish?

For salt crust or salt baked fish, you can use a wide variety of fish. Try whole red snapper, whole branzino, whole sea bass, or whole striped bass for this recipe. Look for sustainable seafood.

What does a salt crust do?

The salt crust keeps the fish moist and locks in the flavors of the aromatics. You can use any herbs, citrus, etc., that you like, depending on your taste and your plans for serving.

How much salt do you need to bake a fish?

How much salt? Depends on how big your fish is. I got a couple of boxes for this small-ish two pound fish. Get more than you think you’ll need. Just get it. You’ll use it. It’s salt.

Thanks to Brian Cummings for shooting these photos of my hands in action!

Photos in this post were taken with a Sony a7R II using a Sony Sonnar T* FE 35mm F2.8 ZA lens. It’s a great camera. And we’re thinking about upgrading to the Sony a7R III soon.

Fresh cilantro, dill and oregano on a wooden cutting board with some kosher salt and sliced lemons and limes.

How to make a salt baked fish

You can use whatever herbs you like, according to your plans for serving. Use the ones I chose, or parsley, rosemary, thyme are all also acceptable.
You can also use whatever citrus you like/have. One kind or a few kinds.
Use two egg whites per cup of kosher salt. I got a couple of boxes for this small-ish two pound fish.

Whole fish on a bed of salt on a sheet pan next to a cutting board with fresh herbs and sliced lemons and limes.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

Remove fins from fish. Or ask your fish monger to do so. They can be bony and difficult.

Stuff the cavity of the fish with the herbs (stems and all) and sliced citrus.

A woman's hands are shown separating and egg over a glass bowl on a white surface.

A woman's hands are shown working with a kosher salt and egg white mixture in glass bowl on a white table top.

Mix salt and egg whites until the mixture becomes the consistency of wet sand.

A whole striped bass stuffed with herbs and citrus fruit sits on a bed of salt on a silver sheet pan.

Put a layer of the salt mixture onto a sheet pan. and place the stuffed fish on top.

A woman's hands are shown spreading a kosher salt and egg white mixture onto a whole fish. The fish's head is exposed.

Smear the rest of the salt mixture over the body of the fish – you can leave the head and tail exposed.

It doesn’t need to be too thick, but enough so that it forms a coating that isn’t see through or cracking.

A whole fish that has been baked in a salt crust is shown on a silver sheet pan. The edges of the salt are browned.

Place the fish in the oven and cook about 8 minutes per pound until the flesh is about 120 to 125 degrees.

This two pound fish took a little longer than that – I checked after 16 minutes, then gave it another 5 and checked again. It took a little over 20 minutes in all.

Whole fish baked in salt on a silver tray surrounded by chunks of salt crust.

Gently rack open the salt crust – I used a rolling pin. Remember you are just trying to loosen the crust, you don’t want to smoosh the fish inside!

A woman's hands are shown peeling back the skin of a whole fish that has been baked in salt.

Remove crust and peel back the skin of the fish. Lift out the flesh, then carefully remove the backbone, and lift the remaining flesh.

Be sure to check for small bones. Don’t forget the meat up around the collar of the fish – that’s good eatin’! Don’t leave it behind.

A white platter with fish, corn tortillas, lime, cilantro, fresh limes, fresh cabbage and a bowl of salsa.

Serve as an entree or make aromatic fish tacos like I did.

What do you serve with salt-baked fish?

More seafood recipes

Thanks to Brian Cummings for shooting these photos of my hands in action!

Salt Baked Whole Fish

This simple salt baked whole fish is seasoned perfectly and the presentation will impress your guests! Herbs and citrus can be customized to your preference, or whatever you have on hand.

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Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 8 minutes

Cook time per pound: 8 minutes

Total Time: 23 minutes

Course: entertaining, feast of the seven fishes, holiday recipe, Main Course

Cuisine: Dinner party, party foods, Seafood

Keyword: Salt Baked Whole Fish

Servings: people per pound

Ingredients

1 whole fresh fish red snapper, grouper, striped bass, etc.
1 handful fresh cilantro
1 handful fresh dill
2 sprigs fresh oregano
1 lemon sliced
1 lime sliced
kosher salt about 2 boxes for a 2-3 pound fish
egg whites 2 egg whites per cup of salt

Instructions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Remove fins from fish. Or ask your fish monger to do so. They can be bony and difficult.
Stuff the cavity of the fish with the herbs (stems and all) and sliced citrus.
Mix salt and egg whites until the mixture becomes the consistency of wet sand.
Put a layer of the salt mixture onto the sheet pan. and place the stuffed fish on top.
Smear the rest of the salt mixture over the body of the fish – you can leave the head and tail exposed. It doesn’t need to be too thick, but enough so that it forms a coating that isn’t see through or cracking.
Place the fish in the oven and cook about 8 minutes per pound until the flesh is about 120 to 125 degrees. This two pound fish took a little longer than that – I checked after 16 minutes, then gave it another 5 and checked again. It took a little over 20 minutes in all.
Gently rack open the salt crust – I used a rolling pin. Remember you are just trying to loosen the crust, you don’t want to smoosh the fish inside!
Remove crust and peel back the skin of the fish. Lift out the flesh, then carefully remove the backbone, and lift the remaining flesh. Be sure to check for small bones. Don’t forget the meat up around the collar of the fish – that’s good eatin’! Don’t leave it behind.
Serve as an entree or make aromatic fish tacos like I did.

Video

Notes

You can use whatever herbs you like, according to your plans for serving. Use the ones I chose, or parsley, rosemary, thyme are all also acceptable.

You can also use whatever citrus you like/have. One kind or a few kinds.

Use two egg whites per cup of kosher salt. How much salt? Depends on how big your fish is. I got a couple of boxes for this small-ish two pound fish. Get more than you think you’ll need. Just get it. You’ll use it. It’s salt.

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