José Andrés' Salt-Baked Fish. Credit: From Spain My Way: Eat, Drink, and Cook Like a Spaniard by José Andrés. Copyright © 2026. Reprinted by permission of Ecco, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers
Kosher salt: 3 lb
Whole red snapper or sea bass: 1 (2 to 2.5 lbs, gutted but not scaled)
Extra virgin olive oil: 2 tbsp
Sherry vinegar: 1 tbsp
Flaky sea salt
If you've never baked a fish in salt, prepare to change the way you cook. This is such a simple technique to get the moistest, juiciest, and healthiest fish. Think of the fish, cozy inside its salty home, steaming in its own juices as it gently warms up in the oven—this is the happiest fish in the world! Be sure to keep the scales on the fish, though; they protect it from becoming too salty. And you can really use any fish you like—all along the Mediterranean coast you'll find families cooking lubina, Mediterranean sea bass, but you could also do red snapper, or another firm-fleshed white fish.
(From Spain My Way: Eat, Drink, and Cook Like a Spaniard by José Andrés. Copyright © 2026. Reprinted by permission of Ecco, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers)
- Preheat oven to 400°F and set a rack in the center.
- Combine the salt with ½ cup of water in a large bowl and mix, using a spatula or your hands, until the salt is slightly damp.
- Spread half of the salt mixture in the center of a baking sheet to make a bed, pressing down on it to pack the salt, then place the sea bass on top.
- Cover the fish completely with the remaining salt mixture, making sure to pack it firmly around the fish to seal it.
- Bake for 30 minutes (or until a thermometer inserted into the center of the fish reaches 135°F), then remove the fish from the oven and let it rest for 5 minutes.
- Using two spoons, crack open the side of the salt crust and remove the top shell of salt.
- Brush away any remaining salt from the top of the fish. Make a cut just below the head and along the back, then gently peel away the skin from the top of the fish.
- Using a fish spatula, carefully lift off the top fillet and place on a serving platter.
- Turn the fish over and repeat on the other side.
- Discard the salt crust and reserve the fish head and bones for stock.
- To serve, drizzle the fillets with olive oil and a sprinkle of sherry vinegar, and season with flaky sea salt.
