You either have it or you don’t.
With the holidays on the horizon, time is of the essence. Things will get hectic. Possibly stressful. And I refuse to freak out over dinner (Who me? Never). I’ve been on the hunt for quick and healthy meals that won’t break the bank.
Because really, Christmas is in 30 days.
So, remember that Dover Sole from last week? I’m going to show you how to make it.
The Fish
1.) It defrosts in about 30 minutes (plunged in cold water- still packaged).
2.) It only needs 10+ minutes in the oven.
To begin, pat the fish dry with paper towels. Since my fillets are quite lengthy, I like to use a rimmed baking sheet for cooking. They won’t fit properly in a traditional baking dish (been there) unless you want them dangling over the sides. Season generously with lemon pepper and drizzle with olive oil.
The Couscous
I adore couscous. It’s fast. Fun. And effortless. I’m using a whole grain version that cooks in 5 minutes. So, while your fish is in the oven prepare your side dish. Roughly chop Kalamata olives, sun-dried tomatoes, feta and parsley. Lots of parsley. I use the oil from the sun-dried tomato jar to flavor the couscous. It’s got seasoning built right in! Work the ingredients together until it tastes balanced, making adjustments as you go.
At this point your fish should be done.
The rhythm of this recipe is my preferred way to eat; quick, healthy and flavorful. The clean up isn’t half bad either!
What have you been cooking lately?
Tips:
- You can substitute with tilapia, flounder, snapper or even salmon. This is also very good with shrimp. Keep in mind that your cooking time will increase due the the greater thickness of the fish.
- If seafood is not your thing, the couscous is delicious on it’s own. I’ve been eating it for the last two days.
- Although this is a 15 minute meal, it’s not a race. It simply highlights the quick cooking time of the main ingredients. Make it your own!
15 minute meals: baked dover sole + wholegrain mediterranean couscous
- Prep Time: 5 mins
- Cook Time: 10 mins
- Total Time: 15 mins
- Yield: 4
Ingredients
Fish
- 1 lb. dover sole
- 1 tbsp. olive oil, for brushing
- lemon pepper seasoning
- 1 lemon, sliced
Couscous
- 1 c. uncooked whole grain couscous
- 1/2 c. sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil, chopped
- 2 tbsp. reserved oil from sun-dried tomato jar
- 1/2. c. Kalamata olives, chopped
- 1/2 c. parsley, chopped
- 1/2. feta, crumbled
- 1 lemon
- salt + pepper
Garnish
- parsley sprigs
- lemon slices
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 425 F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Prepare the couscous according to the package instructions. Transfer to a large bowl. Add the sun-dried tomatoes, olives and parsley. Toss with the reserved tomato oil and juice of 1/2 a lemon. Season with salt and pepper. Toss well to combine and add more oil, lemon juice and seasoning as needed. Top with feta.
- To prepare the fish, pat dry with paper towels. Place onto the lined tray. Brush with olive oil and season with lemon pepper. Top with lemon slices. Bake for 10 minutes or until cooked through.
- Serve warm with parsley sprigs and extra lemon slices.
Comments
Elissa Freeman says
I just stumbled across your site when searching for “best healthy dover sole recipe.” What a find! The meal was simple and simply delicious! You’re now one of my new ‘go-to’ sites for quick meal prep.
Emilie says
Hi Elissa! Thank you! Dover sole is one of my favorite types of fish to prepare during the week- it’s so quick to cook and healthy to eat! Glad you enjoyed the recipe :)
Buying Seafood says
That looks really good, I make couscous often but have never paired it with fish.
Ambreen says
Oh Oh Oh! I am making this just about…now!!!! I just stumbled across your website and I will be coming back again and again. Everything looks so simply elegant. Love it!
Marina says
Hi Emilie! Thank you for your recipe! Your pictures are fantastic! I love cooking fish and this seems the simplest recipe of all times.
Marina
★★★★★
Emilie says
Hi Marina! You are quite welcome! I hope you enjoy the recipe, it’s super quick and healthy :)
Bec says
This looks amazing! I love how quickly a cous cous meal can coem together yet I still feel fancy when eating it! Lovely photos too.
Emilie says
Thank you Bec! I love couscous. The whole grain version I use in this recipe tastes great, and not like cardboard which is what I originally anticipated. It’s so versatile too. You can add whatever you’d like. Plus it cooks in 5 minutes! That’s the best part. Sometimes it’s the simple things that make you happy :)
kristie {birch and wild} says
My husband is the fish cook in our house, and I know he would love this recipe. Your photos are so stunning!
Emilie says
Oh that’s great! I hope he gives this recipe a try! It’s super easy to prepare, Kristie and you can make it your own according to taste. Oftentimes, I sprinkle seasoned breadcrumbs over the top before baking, with an extra drizzle of olive oil. It’s lovely. Thank you for stopping by! :)
Laura (Tutti Dolci) says
Gorgeous, what an effortless quick meal! :)
Emilie says
Thank you darling! Just how I like it! There’s nothing worse than hungry, cranky people at dinnertime. Fast and furious ;)
Christine // my natural kitchen says
Hm, I actually have some fish defrosting at the moment without any real plan for what to make, but now: dinner, sorted. I think quinoa would be an easy gf sub for the couscous. The colours in these photos are just beautiful, leave it to you to make dinner look stunning! :)
I find that I’m already thinking about decorating our house, and menu-planning Christmas brunch which we’re hosting this year. I am super excited for the holidays but ohmygosh30days?!
Emilie says
Oh yay! I love when that happens. Even if it’s not this recipe you end up making, perhaps it will provide inspiration to create something else. That’s what it’s all about! Quinoa would be the perfect GF sub for this. It will taste delicious! I’ve been eating the leftovers straight from the bowl for lunch :) Enjoy Christine! xx
PS- Christmas brunch sounds delicious! I know you will have a delightful menu planned!
Paulina says
Super idea after a long day at work, when I come back home madly hungry and want something quick but delicious :)
Emilie says
Welcome Paulina! That’s exactly it! The best part is that this fish defrosts very quickly because it’s so thin. So if you didn’t take it out of the freezer before work it should come to temperature in no time at all. The couscous is very flexible too. Enjoy!
Emilie says
Thank you Adri! Sweet of you to comment even though you don”t like fish. Perhaps, some for Bart? xx
Adri says
What an absolutely lovely dish, and I love that it is so quick. I knew you’d find a terrific way to use that fish!
catherine@farmhousehome says
It’s scary how close Christmas is and at this or anytime of the year this is my kind of meal. So fast, fresh, healthy & yum!
Emilie says
Hi Catherine! It is scary how close Christmas is, but I’m loving it so far! Every year I promise to get ahead with all the shopping and wrapping but we all know that’s going out the window. That’s why we have mulled wine ;) And lucky you to spend the holidays in your new home! Congratulations :)
Traci | Vanilla And Bean says
Love love love the flavors here, especially the couscous, Emilie! Parsley is such a fragrant, delicious herb and one that doesn’t seem to get the attention it deserves.. Bring on the parsley (and it’s still one of the few green things left in the herb patch!).
I had to do a double take on the 30 days till Christmas.. it seems to come faster with each passing year!? And how? Thank you for this quick dinner ideas! Lovely!
Emilie says
Anything Mediterranean is so up my alley Traci. If I could bathe in lemon and olive oil I totally would. And then eat feta afterwards ;)
Parsley is very under utilized. It’s so flavorful, yet subtle and really brightens any dish. I like tons of it in my food. I still have some mint hanging on in the garden as well. But the snow is coming tomorrow! So we’ll see… T’is the season!
Pamela Green says
This is a great weeknight recipe and can serve a lot of people for a dinner party. The couscous looks delicious too!
Emilie says
Oh, I didn’t even think of that! This would be great for dinner parties, granted you got the fish at a good price. You could always improvise. The couscous is delicious and I’ve been eating it straight from the bowl. I was surprised at how much I like the whole grain version.
celia says
Perfect! Love a quick meal that looks and sounds so healthy and delicious! Time is fast running out for 2014 isn’t it! :)
Nicola Tonson says
This looks fab! I really need to get to the fish markets more often!
Emilie says
Hello Nicola! Thank you! You can use any type of quick cooking fillet for this, but Dover Sole is fantastic. It’s such a light and flaky fish. Plaice would work really well too :)
Emilie says
It certainly is! I always say that every year but it’s true. This is my favorite time of year :)