Grilled Branzino with Cacio e Pepe Pasta
Whole branzino char-grilled with lemon and herbs, plated alongside creamy cacio e pepe. A Mediterranean dinner that comes together in 25 minutes.
- Total time
- 25 min
- Servings
- 2
- Calories
- 620
- Protein
- 52g
Ingredients
- 2 fish (12 oz each) whole branzino, cleaned and scaled
- 8 oz spaghetti or linguine
- 1 cup pecorino romano, finely grated
- 1 tbsp black pepper, freshly cracked
- 1.5 whole (zested + juiced) lemon
- 3 sprigs fresh herbs (rosemary, thyme, or parsley)
- 3 tbsp (divided) olive oil
Instructions
- 1
Start water boiling in a large pot. Salt it generously — should taste like the sea.
- 2
Pat branzino dry. Stuff each cavity with lemon zest, herbs, and a pinch of salt and pepper.
- 3
Drizzle fish outside with olive oil. Season skin generously with salt and pepper.
- 4
Heat a grill or grill pan to medium-high. Sear branzino 6 minutes per side until skin crisps and flesh flakes easily.
- 5
Cook pasta in boiling salted water until al dente. Reserve 1 cup pasta water before draining.
- 6
Toss hot pasta with 2 tbsp olive oil, pecorino, cracked pepper, and 3 tbsp pasta water until silky and creamy.
- 7
Plate pasta, top with grilled branzino, and squeeze fresh lemon juice over both.
Tools you’ll need
- large pot
- grill or grill pan
- kitchen knife
- cutting board
- tongs
- pasta fork or tongs
- serving plate
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