Go Back
Moroccan Fish
carrie

Moroccan Fish (One-Pan Dinner)

This Moroccan fish is a bold, healthy one-pan dinner inspired by North African chreime. Flaky fish fillets simmer gently in a richly spiced tomato sauce with colorful vegetables, fresh herbs, and lemon for a warming, flavor-packed meal that’s naturally gluten-free and easy enough for weeknights.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Total Time 1 hour
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Dinner, Main Course
Cuisine: Mediterranean, moroccan
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Base
  • 4 fillets fish fillets about 4 oz each; salmon, cod, or firm white fish
  • 1 large red bell pepper sliced into thin strips
  • 1 long green pepper or 2 jalapeños for extra heat
  • 2–3 medium carrots peeled and sliced (optional)
  • 1 medium russet potato peeled and cubed (optional)
  • 5–6 cloves garlic halved
Sauce
  • ⅓ cup olive oil plus more if needed
  • 1 tablespoon tomato paste
  • 3/4–1 cup water adjust for sauce thickness
  • 1 tablespoon sweet paprika
  • ½ tablespoon hot paprika use sweet paprika for mild
  • 1 teaspoon salt plus more to taste
  • ½ teaspoon ground cumin
  • ¼ teaspoon turmeric
  • ½ cup fresh cilantro chopped, divided
  • 1 large lemon half sliced, half juiced

Method
 

  1. Prepare all vegetables by slicing peppers, carrots, and cubing the potato. Halve the garlic cloves.
  2. Heat olive oil in a large sauté pan over medium heat. Add peppers, carrots, potatoes, and garlic, and sauté for 2–3 minutes until slightly softened.
  3. Add tomato paste, sweet paprika, hot paprika, salt, cumin, and turmeric. Stir to coat the vegetables evenly with spices.
  4. Pour in water and half of the chopped cilantro. Bring to a gentle simmer, cover, and cook for 12–15 minutes until vegetables are tender.
  5. Lightly season the fish with salt and nestle the fillets into the sauce, spooning sauce over the top. Add a little more water if needed.
  6. Top with remaining cilantro and lemon slices. Cover and simmer on low heat for 20–25 minutes, spooning sauce over fish halfway through.
  7. Finish by squeezing fresh lemon juice over the fish just before serving.

Notes

This dish is very flexible—use salmon, cod, snapper, or halibut. Adjust heat by changing the amount of hot paprika. Freezing is not recommended, but leftovers keep well refrigerated for up to 3 days. If you don’t like cilantro, substitute fresh parsley.