Whole Roasted Branzino with Pesto Potatoes & Herb Fennel Salad

Whole branzino stuffed with a rustic herb pesto and par-cooked fingerling potatoes, grilled over live fire, and served over a bright herb and fennel salad. A live-fire dinner built for the table.

Why You'll Love Whole Roasted Branzino with Pesto Potatoes & Herb Fennel Salad

The pesto and potatoes inside the fish aren't just stuffing, they're the payoff. As the branzino cooks, everything inside soaks up the juices and smoke, and the potatoes come out crisp-edged and fragrant. The herb and fennel salad underneath cuts the richness with bright acid and anise. It looks dramatic, tastes better than it looks, and is genuinely simpler than it seems.

Tips and Tricks

• Ask your fishmonger to clean and scale the branzino: it saves real time at home.
• Keep the pesto chunky. A smooth pesto won't hold texture inside the fish.
• Par-cook the potatoes just until tender - they'll finish inside the fish on the grill.
• Oil the grates well before grilling; branzino skin is delicate and can stick.
• Let the fish rest for 2 - 3 minutes after coming off the grill before serving.

Variations

• Add thin lemon slices inside the cavity alongside the pesto and potatoes.
• Swap fingerlings for baby potatoes or Yukon gold halves.
• Stir anchovies into the pesto for a deeper savory note.

Substitutions

• Branzino → whole trout, red snapper, or black bass
• Pine nuts → toasted walnuts or almonds
• Champagne vinegar → white wine vinegar or a splash of lemon juice

Best served with

• A chilled white wine - Vermentino or Chablis pairs beautifully
• Crusty bread for the juices
• A light lemony Caesar or simple green salad

How to Store Leftovers

Best enjoyed immediately. If storing, pick the meat from the bones and store with the potatoes in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days. Gently reheat or flake into pasta, salads, or rice bowls. Not recommended for freezing.

Common Questions

Whole Roasted Branzino with Pesto Potatoes & Herb Fennel Salad

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Whole branzino stuffed with a rustic herb pesto and par-cooked fingerling potatoes, grilled over live fire, and served over a bright herb and fennel salad.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 25 minutes mins

Cook Time 20 minutes mins

Total Time 45 minutes mins

Servings: 4

Course: Dinner, Grilling, Seafood

Cuisine: Italian Inspired, Mediterranean

Calories: 1056

Ingredients Equipment Method Nutrition Notes

Ingredients

  

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• 2 cups fresh basil and parsley
• 2 cloves garlic
• ¼ cup pine nuts
• ½ cup olive oil
• 1 lemon zested
• ½ teaspoon sea salt flaky sea salt
• ¾ lb potatoes fingerling potatoes
• 2 tablespoon olive oil
• ½ teaspoon kosher salt
• 2 branzino whole branzino 1.5 - 2 lbs each, cleaned
• kosher salt
• black pepper
• 2 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 fennel bulb large fennel bulb
• ½ cup fresh parsley leaves
• ¼ cup fresh tarragon leaves
• ¼ cup dill fresh dill fronds
• ¼ cup fresh mint leaves
• 1 shallot
• 2 tablespoon champagne vinegar
• 3 tablespoon olive oil
• sea salt flaky sea salt

Equipment

• Food processor
• Grill or grill pan
• Medium Pot
• Mixing Bowls
• Microplane
• toothpicks or butcher's twine
• Instant-read thermometer

Method

 

1. Add basil, parsley, garlic, pine nuts, olive oil, lemon zest, and flaky salt to a food processor. Pulse until chunky, not smooth.
2. Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Par-cook fingerling potatoes for 8 - 10 minutes until just tender. Drain and toss with olive oil and salt.
3. Pat the branzino dry. Season the cavity generously with salt and pepper.
4. Stuff each fish with half the pesto and half the potatoes. Pin closed with toothpicks or tie with twine.
5. Score the skin lightly on each side. Rub exterior with olive oil and salt.
6. Grill over medium-high heat for 6 - 8 minutes per side, until skin is charred and crisp and internal temp reads 130°F at the spine.
7. Combine shaved fennel, parsley, tarragon, dill, mint, and shallot in a bowl.
8. Dress with champagne vinegar, olive oil, flaky salt, and black pepper just before serving.
9. Lay salad as a base, place whole branzino over top, finish with a squeeze of lemon and drizzle of olive oil.

Nutrition

Calories: 1056kcalCarbohydrates: 25gProtein: 85gFat: 68gSaturated Fat: 10gPolyunsaturated Fat: 12gMonounsaturated Fat: 42gCholesterol: 360mgSodium: 1009mgPotassium: 1997mgFiber: 5gSugar: 4gVitamin A: 1389IUVitamin C: 38mgCalcium: 172mgIron: 7mg

Notes

Storage: cover and refrigerate leftover fish and potatoes for up to 2 days. The fennel salad is best dressed fresh; keep undressed components separate if making ahead.

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