Here's a recipe for a Mexican flavor-inspired grilled branzino recipe. Branzino, also known as bronzini, is a Mediterranean fish that is small enough to grilled whole on a grill. It's really delicious grilled with a slice of lime or lemon inside and then served with a flavorful salsa, since branzino is a fairly mild white fish. Make this recipe when you're looking for a Mexican fish recipe!
What is branzino?
Branzino is European sea bass. If you're in Europe and order something called 'sea bass' off the menu, it's the same thing as if you're ordering 'branzino' here in the US.
Branzino are ocean dwelling fish, native to the Mediterranean. They can grow to be as big as 3 feet long.
For the purposes of this grilled branzino recipe, you will buy a much smaller fish , more like 1 foot long, so that it can be grilled whole on your grill without trouble.
Fish seller Pierless Fish notes, "Branzino has delicate, white flesh and a mild, almost sweet flavor. Its few small bones make for easy filleting or preparing whole, stuffed with citrus and herbs. Branzino makes for an impressive table presentation and is extremely versatile."
Are branzino endangered?
No, actually. Branzino is listed as Least Concern by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature because it is widespread and there are no known major threats.
How do you grill branzino?
Go to a fish market, buy a branzino, and ask them to scale and gut the fish. To cook branzino, stuff the cleaned fish with sliced lime or lemon + salt and pepper. You can use kitchen twine to tie it closed, but it's not mandatory. Grill the branzino on a hot oiled (extra oil so it doesn’t stick) grill for 8ish min each side.
It is helpful to have a fish spatula and cooking tongs to flip the branzino while it is grilling, so that you do not lose pieces of it.
For this recipe, I also served the grilled branzino with slices of fresh avocado, cilantro, and salsa.
Grilled Branzino
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 pounds branzino whole fish, head on, cleaned and gutted
- 2 whole limes
- Cooking spray
- 1 avocado
- ½ cup salsa verde
- 2 ounces cilantro
Instructions
- Preheat your grill to very hot - about 400F if your grill has a thermometer
- Stuff your cleaned and gutted branzino with slices of fresh lime, salt and pepper. Use kitchen twine to tie it closed.
- Spray your grill with cooking spray or oil. Place your fish on the grill for 8 minutes. Using a fish spatula and tongs, gently flip to the other side and cook for another 8 minutes.
- Serve with avocado, slices of lime, chopped cilantro, and/or salsa. Beware of bones!