Poaching fish in tomato sauce is:
- A fail-proof way to cook flaky, delicious fish
- Simple, quick, and easy for home cooks
- Healthy, nutritious, and full of flavor. Want to make restaurant-quality fish at home with minimal effort? Keep reading to learn how!
What is Poached Fish?
Poaching means gently cooking food in liquid. You can poach fish in:
- Plain water
- Lemon butter sauce
- Broth or stock
- Tomato sauce (like we’re doing today)
Poaching is healthy because you don’t need much oil or butter. The liquid keeps the fish moist and flaky.
Ingredients You’ll Need
To make poached fish in tomato sauce, you’ll need:
- White fish fillets (like cod)
- Canned diced or crushed tomatoes
- Onion, garlic, olives, capers
- Oregano, red pepper, salt and pepper
It’s best to use crushed tomatoes for a smooth sauce, but diced tomatoes work too. You can crush them more with a spoon while cooking.
Step-by-Step Poached Fish Recipe
Photo Credit – Pexels
- Heat olive oil in a pan. Cook chopped onion until soft.
- Add the garlic and sautรฉ for one more minute.
- Pour in tomatoes. Crush them with a spoon. Season with oregano, red pepper, salt and pepper.
- Simmer sauce for 10 minutes until thickened.
- Season fish with salt and pepper. Nestle into the sauce.
- Add olives and capers on top. Cover and cook for 8-10 minutes.
- Serve fish and sauce over pasta. Top with fresh basil.
The tomato sauce steams and poaches the fish so it cooks evenly. There’s no need to flip or check on it!
Poached Fish Variations
This basic recipe is easy to customize. Here are some ideas:
- Use your favorite marinara sauce instead of canned tomatoes
- Swap cod for salmon or another fish
- Try poaching in lemon butter, broth, or other sauces
- Add veggies like zucchini or bell peppers to the pan
Poaching works with almost any kind of fish, sauce, and flavoring. Feel free to get creative and experiment.
Why Poach Fish at Home?
Cooking fish at home has many benefits:
- Fresh, high-quality ingredients
- Control over flavors and healthiness
- Costs less than eating at restaurants
- It helps to include more seafood in your diet
Fish is full of omega-3s and nutrients that help your body feel good. Poaching is one of the easiest, healthiest ways to prepare it with tons of flavor.
Final Thoughts
Now you know the foolproof method for poaching flaky, delicious fish at home. It’s a simple, hands-off way to make a nutritious dinner without much work.
Will you give this easy poached fish in tomato sauce recipe a try? What other sauces or seasonings would you use? Leave a comment and let me know!