Whole sea bream gets baked here over a bed of potatoes, tomatoes, and peppers, all coated in chermoula — the garlic, cilantro, and lemon marinade that shows up across Moroccan seafood cooking. The vegetables roast in the fish’s juices, so nothing goes to waste.

One Pan, Fish and Vegetables Together

Scoring the fish before marinating lets the chermoula work its way into the flesh rather than just sitting on the surface, which makes a real difference in flavor. For a stovetop take on whole fish rather than baked, my sardine tagine uses a similar chermoula-adjacent approach in a covered pot instead of the oven.

1. Make the chermoula (enough for 2 whole fish)

   • Zest 2 lemons and squeeze their juice.

   • Add 4 Tbsp tomato paste.

   • Add 10 garlic cloves, crushed.

   • Add 8 Tbsp finely chopped parsley + cilantro (mixed).

   • Stir in ~6 Tbsp olive oil.

   • Spices: 2 tsp sea salt, 2 tsp black pepper, 2 Tbsp paprika, 2 Tbsp cumin, 2 Tbsp coriander, ½ tsp chili powder.

   • Loosen with 100 ml cold water.

   • Mix well, cover, and chill while you prep the fish.

2. Prep the fish

   • Use whole seabream (works with most whole fish).

   • Scale and gut (already done in video), keep the head, remove fins except the tail.

   • Score 3 long slits on each side (even cooking + flavor penetration).

   • Season lightly inside and out (pinch salt/pepper if you like).

3. Stuff and marinate

   • Pack chermoula generously into the belly cavity.

   • Rub chermoula into the slits and all over the fish.

   • Cover and refrigerate while you prep vegetables.

4. Build the roasting base (prevents burning + adds sauce)

   • Oil the pan lightly with olive oil.

   • Layer 1: thin onion slices + a few spoonfuls of chermoula.

   • Layer 2: thin potato slices (they take longest) + more chermoula.

   • Layer 3: tomato slices and bell peppers.

   • Lay the fish on top and use the remaining chermoula over everything.

5. Bake—covered, then uncovered

   • Cover tightly with foil.

   • Bake 1 hour at 180°C / 350°F (preheated).

   • Uncover and bake ~20 min more at the same temp for color.

   • Baste at least once during the uncovered phase so the fish stays juicy.

6. Serve

   • Family style: bring the whole tray to the table with Moroccan bread and a side of harissa.

   • Plated: add fresh lemon juice, chiffonade parsley, fresh cracked pepper, and a drizzle of olive oil to each plate.