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Psari spetsiota with potatoes

Psari spetsiota is a Greek baked fish dish, cod topped with a garlicky tomato sauce and finished with a light golden breadcrumb crust, served with roasted potatoes. It serves 4, takes 55 minutes, rates as easy, and costs about €3.80 per person. The key is basting the fish with sauce during baking so the crumbs brown without drying out.

Tonight, we're sailing off to the island of Spetses with baked fish, topped with garlicky tomato sauce and a light breadcrumb crust, served with potatoes.

Psari spetsiota with potatoes
Total time
55 min
Difficulty
Easy
Cost per person
€3.80
Calories per person
540 kcalcalculated by Kiloach, your weight coach
Season
Winter, Fall, Spring, Summer
The kids
They generally like it

Psari spetsiota is fish that bakes gently in a tomato sauce seasoned with garlic and parsley, finished with a thin crust of breadcrumbs that turns lightly crisp on top. The tomato brings a soft tang, the garlic adds character, and the cod stays tender under its golden topping. The potatoes roasting alongside soak up some of that oregano and olive oil aroma.

This dish works just as well for a weeknight dinner as for a more relaxed Sunday meal, since it needs few hands on steps but a bit of oven time. Kids often like it, since the fish turns mild and sweet under the tomato sauce, without a strong fishy taste. Mon Chou shares the trick for keeping that breadcrumb topping crisp without burning it.

The ingredients

4 people

Fish counter

  • Cod fillets 700 g

Fruits and vegetables

  • Tomatoes 600 g
  • Garlic 4 cloves
  • Parsley 1 sprig
  • Lemon 1
  • Potatoes 700 g

Pantry

  • Breadcrumbsoften in the pantry 4 tbsp
  • White wineoften in the pantry 10 cl
  • Olive oiloften in the pantry 5 tbsp
  • Oreganooften in the pantry 1 tsp
  • Saltoften in the pantry 1 pinch
  • Pepperoften in the pantry 1 pinch

Allergens Fish, Gluten

The step by step recipe

  1. Peel the potatoes, cut them into wedges, and bake them at 200°C with a bit of oil, oregano, and salt.

    They need to start before the fish so they turn golden at the right time.

  2. Roughly blend the tomatoes with the garlic, parsley, white wine, olive oil, salt, and pepper.

    Keep small chunks of tomato for texture.

  3. Place the fish fillets in a baking dish, top them with the tomato sauce, and sprinkle with breadcrumbs.

    Pick a dish where the fish fits snugly, so the sauce covers it fully.

  4. Bake at 200°C until the top turns golden. 25 min

    Baste twice with a spoonful of sauce during baking.

  5. Turn the potatoes once, then serve them with the fish and lemon.

    A squeeze of lemon at the end brightens the tomato flavor.

Our tips to get it right

  • Pick thick cod fillets, they'll stay tender through the 25 minutes in the oven.
  • Pulse the tomato sauce lightly rather than fully blending it, small chunks of tomato add texture to every bite.
  • Start the potatoes before the fish, they need more time to turn golden outside and soft inside.

The variations

  • Swap the cod for hake or monkfish, both white fish hold up well to oven baking.
  • For a vegetarian version, replace the fish with grilled eggplant slices before topping them with the sauce and breadcrumbs.
  • To save time, use canned crushed tomatoes instead of fresh ones, skipping the blending step entirely.

What to serve it with

  • A fresh Greek salad
  • Bread to soak up the sauce
  • A glass of dry white wine

Storage

Psari spetsiota keeps for 2 days in the refrigerator in a sealed container. It doesn't freeze well, the texture of the fish and potatoes would suffer. Reheat gently in the oven so the breadcrumb topping regains some crispness.

Questions about this dish

Can you make the tomato sauce ahead of time?

Yes, you can blend the tomato sauce the day before and keep it refrigerated. Top the fish with it just before baking so the breadcrumbs brown properly.

What fish can replace cod?

Hake, monkfish, or haddock all work well, pick a firm white fish. Avoid thin fillets that might fall apart under the sauce.

Why do the breadcrumbs sometimes dry out too fast?

If you skip basting the fish with sauce during baking, the breadcrumbs can dry out before browning. Baste twice with a spoon, as the recipe calls for.

Do kids usually like this dish?

Often yes, since the fish baked under tomato sauce tastes mild and not too fishy. The golden breadcrumb topping is also a hit with younger eaters.

How long does it take to make a psari spetsiota with potatoes?

Count 55 min in total, prep and cooking included. The recipe is rated “easy”.

How many calories are in a psari spetsiota with potatoes?

About 540 kcal per serving, for a recipe meant for 4 people. Calories are calculated by Kiloach, your weight coach, the app that partners with Mon Chou.

How much does a psari spetsiota with potatoes cost?

About €3.80 per serving, or €15.20 for 4 people, based on average supermarket prices.

What allergens does this recipe contain?

This recipe contains fish, gluten. Always check the labels of the products you buy.

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