Baked gilt head bream (dorada al horno in Spanish) is one of my favorite Spanish fish recipes. Fresh gilt head bream is simply prepared with lemon, herbs, white wine, and olive oil and baked in the oven. You’ll love this mouthwatering fish dinner!
If you love Spanish fish recipes, be sure to check out these recipes for boquerones en vinagre (vinegar-cured anchovies) and pan fried cod.
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Introduction
Dorada (or gilt head bream in English) is a very common fish in Spain. It was the first fish that I enjoyed whole, since I grew up in the US eating only filleted fish, and I fell in love with its delicious flavor and simple preparation!
I adapted the baked gilt head bream recipe from Javi Recetas, one of my favorite Spanish food blogs written by a Gaditano (a person from Cadiz).
This recipe is shockingly simple, and the only tricky part is eating it— make sure you don’t swallow any bones! This recipe has served me well over the years. It’s super quick to get in the oven and makes a fast and delicious meal.
Ingredients
Curious what ingredients you need for this baked gilt head bream? Grab these key ingredients (and a few others), and you’ll be ready to whip up this amazingly refreshing dish!
- Fish: Dorada (or gilt head bream in English) is a very common fish here in Spain. Substitute sea bream, sea bass, or any other whole hearty fish.
- Lemon: Thin slices of lemon infuse the fish with a bright citrus flavor as it cooks.
- Marinade: This is a tangy mixture of white wine, olive oil, lemon juice, and spices that make the fish tender and flavorful!
See recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
How to Make Gilt Head Bream
If you’d like to see the full ingredients and instructions, scroll to the bottom of the post for the printable recipe card.
- Make the marinade by mixing the wine, olive oil, lemon juice, salt, pepper, bouillon cube, and dried herbs in a small bowl. (image 1)
- Make three diagonal cuts on each fish, then place the fish on a baking tray and pour the marinade on top. (image 2)
- Place a thin lemon slice in each diagonal cut on the fish. (image 3)
- Bake the fish at 285°F (140°C) for 40-45 minutes, or until the fish is fully cooked. Add a little water to the pan if the fish drys out. (image 4)
- Make the picadillo salad. Deseed the tomatoes and pepper, then dice the tomato, pepper, and onion. Toss with salt, pepper, vinegar, and olive oil to taste. (image 5)
- Serve the baked bream with the picadillo salad and enjoy! (image 6)
Recipe FAQs
No, these two types of fish are quite different. Bream has a rich, hearty texture, while sea bass has a lighter, flakier texture. Fortunately, bream is a very affordable fish in many areas, so be sure to use it in this recipe if you can find it!
Sea bream, or dorada in Spanish, is known to have a rich, meaty flavor without any fishy taste. It has a juicy texture that is perfect in this baked bream recipe–especially when paired with a tomato salad (picadillo).
In Spain, sea bream is called dorada.
Serve
My in-laws in Cadiz prepare their gilt-head bream on the grill, covered in sea salt. Then, they serve it whole (one dorada per person!) with a heaping side of picadillo, a fresh salad (or what I might call a salsa) made of red pepper, onion, and tomato. But it also goes well with potatoes like patatas a lo pobre.
If you’re looking for some tapas to start with, I would recommend a good gazpacho or salmorejo. There’s nothing better!
Expert Tips
- Ask your fishmonger to clean the fish and prepare them for baking.
- The fish I buy are usually about 600g (1.3 lbs) each, but the size varies. If they are very large, they might need more time in the oven.
Baked Gilt Head Bream Recipe
This easy baked gilt head bream recipe is a quick and easy way to prepare dorada, one of Spain’s favorite fish!
Print (images optional)
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Rate
Servings: 2 people
Calories: 629.58kcal
Instructions
Baked Fish
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Preheat the oven to bake at 285°F (140°C).
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Mix the wine, olive oil, juice from half the lemon, a pinch of salt, pepper, a bouillon cube, and the dried herbs in a small bowl to make a marinade.
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Make three large cuts diagonally across each fish, then place them on a baking sheet and cover with the marinade. Place one lemon slice in each crevice.
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Put the fish in the oven on the middle rack for 40-45 minutes. Check about halfway through, and if it looks dry, add a little water to the pan.
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Once fully baked, let the fish rest a few minutes before eating. Be careful of bones when you eat the fish!
Picadillo Salad
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Remove the seeds and pulp from the tomato and pepper, then finely dice them and the onion. Season to taste with salt and pepper, and dress with vinegar and olive oil. Enjoy with the bream!
Notes
- Ask your fishmonger to clean the fish and prepare them for baking.
- The fish I buy are usually about 600g (1.3 lbs) each, but the size varies. If they are very large they might need more time in the oven.
Nutrition
Serving: 1fish with salad | Calories: 629.58kcal | Carbohydrates: 22.76g | Protein: 30.47g | Fat: 45.57g | Saturated Fat: 6.63g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 5.89g | Monounsaturated Fat: 31.11g | Cholesterol: 120.26mg | Sodium: 599.61mg | Potassium: 1148.66mg | Fiber: 6.16g | Sugar: 11.68g | Vitamin A: 3553.32IU | Vitamin C: 134.22mg | Calcium: 83.99mg | Iron: 2.95mg
Photography by Giulia Verdinelli
