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The main dish, Mediterranean

Hake en papillote with cherry tomatoes and olives

Hake en papillote with cherry tomatoes and olives is a fish main for 6 people, ready in 45 minutes with only 20 minutes of active work. The parcels get assembled in the morning and wait in the fridge until the oven. It's very easy and costs about €6.20 per person, success comes down to sealing the paper tightly so the steam stays trapped inside.

Everyone opens their own little parcel and gets hit by that Provence aroma, it's quite a show at the table.

Hake en papillote with cherry tomatoes and olives
For
6 people
Work
20 min
Total time
45 min
Prep
Prepared the same day
Difficulty
Very easy
Cost per person
€6.20
Calories per person
320 kcalcalculated by Kiloach, your weight coach

The hake steams gently inside its paper wrapper, surrounded by cherry tomatoes that soften, black olives, and capers that bring just the right amount of salt. Lemon and herbes de Provence add fragrance without overpowering the delicate fish. Everyone opens their own parcel at the table, and the aroma escapes all at once, a moment guests always look forward to.

This is a great dish for a spring or summer dinner with friends, light on the surface but generous with Mediterranean flavor. Serve it with rice or steamed potatoes to soak up the cooking juices, and start with something fresh like a zucchini salad or tomato tartare to stay in the same mood.

The schedule

What happens when, so you can be with your guests instead of in the kitchen.

  1. The day before Nothing to do
  2. The same day 3 steps, 23 min
  3. Before the guests arrive 1 step, 3 min
  4. When it's time to serve 2 steps, 15 min

In the morning, make the filling and seal all six parcels, then keep them in the fridge until your guests arrive. Just before they get there, preheat the oven to 200 degrees and take the parcels out so they can come back to temperature. At serving time, bake for 15 minutes, then bring each parcel to the table and open it in front of your guests.

The ingredients

6 people

Fish counter

  • Hake fillets 1 kg

Fruits and vegetables

  • Cherry tomatoes 400 g
  • Garlic 2 cloves
  • Lemon 1

Pantry

  • Pitted black olives 100 g
  • Capers 2 tbsp
  • Herbes de Provenceoften in the pantry 2 tsp
  • Olive oiloften in the pantry 6 tbsp
  • Saltoften in the pantry 2 pinch
  • Pepperoften in the pantry 2 pinch

Allergens Fish

The recipe, moment by moment

The same dayDuring the day, whenever you get a moment.

  1. Halve the cherry tomatoes, slice the garlic thin, and mix them with the olives, capers, and olive oil. 10 min

    Don't add salt here, the olives and capers are already salty enough.

  2. Cut six large sheets of parchment paper and place a hake fillet with the mixture on each one. 8 min

    Make sure the sheets are big enough to fold closed while leaving some air inside.

  3. Add a squeeze of lemon and a sprinkle of herbes de Provence, then seal each parcel tightly. 5 min

    A lemon slice on top of each fillet adds flavor without drying out the fish.

Before the guests arriveThe last hour, right before the doorbell rings.

  1. Keep the parcels in the fridge and preheat the oven to 200 degrees. 3 min

    Take them out of the fridge 15 minutes before baking.

When it's time to serveThe final touches, right in front of your guests.

  1. Bake the parcels for 15 minutes, they'll puff up as they cook. 15 min

    Set them on a baking sheet, the steam can make them leak a bit.

  2. Place each parcel on a plate and open it at the table with kitchen scissors.

    Keep some bread handy to mop up the juices.

Our tips to get it right

  • Pick hake fillets of even thickness so every parcel cooks at the same rate.
  • If you use aluminum foil instead of parchment, double it up so the juices don't leak out during baking.
  • Check doneness by opening one test parcel, the flesh should flake easily with a fork.

The variations

  • Swap the hake for cod or monkfish, both white fish hold up just as well in a papillote.
  • For a fish-free version, fill the parcels with summer vegetables and bocconcini, the cooking time stays the same.
  • To save time, make the filling the night before and only seal the parcels right before baking.

What to serve it with

  • Steamed rice or potatoes
  • Raw zucchini salad to start
  • A dry, mineral white wine

Storage

Cooked parcels keep for 1 day in the refrigerator in a sealed container, reheat gently in the oven so the fish doesn't dry out. Freezing isn't recommended, it would ruin the texture of the hake and tomatoes.

Questions about this recipe

Can I use aluminum foil instead of parchment paper?

Yes, foil works just as well, as long as you fold the edges tightly so it stays sealed. Double up thin foil to keep the juices from leaking out during baking.

How can I tell the hake is cooked without opening every parcel?

Open just one parcel to check, the fish should look opaque and flake easily with a fork. If it still looks translucent, put all the parcels back in the oven for 2 to 3 more minutes.

Can I use green olives instead of black ones?

Yes, green olives bring a sharper, slightly tangy flavor that changes the dish a bit. If you do, skip one pinch of salt since green olives tend to be quite salty already.

How do I present the parcels for a slightly fancier dinner?

Place each sealed parcel straight onto a shallow plate for each guest and let them open it themselves with scissors. It's a fun shared moment that replaces plating, the aroma that escapes does all the presentation work.

Can a hake en papillote with cherry tomatoes and olives be made ahead?

Yes, during the day. The recipe needs 20 min of work in total, split up like this, the same day, 3 steps, before the guests arrive, 1 step, when it's time to serve, 2 steps.

How long does it take to make a hake en papillote with cherry tomatoes and olives?

Allow 45 min in total, including resting and cooking time, of which 20 min is actual work. The recipe is rated "very easy".

How many calories are in a hake en papillote with cherry tomatoes and olives?

About 320 kcal per person, for a recipe meant for 6 people. The calories are calculated by Kiloach, your kilo coach, the app that partners with Mon Chou.

How much does a hake en papillote with cherry tomatoes and olives cost?

About €6.20 per person, that's €37.20 for 6 people, based on average supermarket prices.

What allergens does this recipe contain?

This recipe contains fish. Remember to ask your guests about their allergies before putting your menu together.

To round out your menu

Build a menu
Fish soup with rouille The starter

Mediterranean

Fish soup with rouille

  • 40 min of work
  • Prepared the day before
  • Medium, €3.80 per person

330 kcalcalculated by Kiloach

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