Grilled Branzino with Lemon & Herbs
Whole branzino, split and grilled until the skin crisps, finished with bright lemon and fresh herbs. A restaurant-quality Mediterranean dish ready in under 20 minutes.
- Total time
- 18 min
- Servings
- 2
- Calories
- 385
- Protein
- 42g
Ingredients
- 2 fish (about 1 lb each) whole branzino, cleaned and gutted
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 whole lemon
- 4 sprigs (or thyme) fresh rosemary sprigs
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- 1
Place each branzino on a cutting board with the head pointing to your right and belly facing you. Using a sharp knife, cut straight down the center of the belly from head to tail, splitting the fish into two identical halves with the skin still attached to both pieces.
- 2
Pat both halves dry with paper towels, pressing gently on the skin and flesh side to remove any moisture, which helps them crisp on the grill.
- 3
Rub both sides of each fish half evenly with 1.5 tablespoons olive oil, then sprinkle 0.5 teaspoon salt and 0.25 teaspoon pepper all over the skin and flesh side.
- 4
Cut the lemon in half lengthwise, then cut each half crosswise into three thin slices so you have six half-moon slices total.
- 5
Preheat a grill or grill pan to high heat and let it heat for 3 minutes until you see wisps of smoke rising from the grates or pan surface.
- 6
Place both fish halves skin-side down directly on the hot grill grates and lay two rosemary sprigs on top of each half, pressing them lightly onto the flesh.
- 7
Cook without moving for 5–6 minutes until the skin turns dark golden-brown and you can see it starting to separate easily from the grates when you gently lift the edge with a spatula.
- 8
Slide a wide fish spatula under each half and flip carefully, then lay the remaining two rosemary sprigs on top of the flesh side and cook for 2 more minutes until the flesh is opaque and flakes easily when pressed with a fork.
- 9
Transfer both fish halves to a serving plate, then arrange three lemon half-moon slices on top of each half, fanning them slightly so they overlap.
- 10
Drizzle the remaining 1.5 tablespoons olive oil evenly across both fish halves, then serve immediately while the skin is still warm and crispy.
Tools you’ll need
- sharp chef's knife or filleting knife
- cutting board
- paper towels
- grill or 12-inch grill pan
- long tongs or fish spatula
- serving plate
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