One Pan Rice and Fish! Talk about an easy dinner idea that checks off all the boxes: flavor, texture, presentation, economical, and last but not least, absolutely delicious!
Song of the day: "People Gotta Move" by Gino Vanelli.
One Pan Rice and Fish! If you love having a fish dish on your weekday menu plan, then this is the dish for you. It has incredible flavor and is full of fresh delicious components!
Inspiration
I am sure that I am not the only one being inspired by the Food Network Stars. One of my favorites is Jamie Oliver. His passion is infectious, and the food he prepares always intrigues me because he uses great ingredients and more so, also makes it so easy!
As usual, Jamie made a dish that I just fell in love with. A dish that had all the components of a meal done in one pan, furthermore, made in very little time! One we call One Pan Rice and Fish!
Let me take you into our kitchen and show you how this wonderful recipe is done!
Fresh ingredients!
Finding great ingredients is half the battle of making a wonderful dish. We are advocates for fresh, good quality food. This recipe highlights that fact and as a result, it delivers in so many ways! Let's see what we have:
- Icelandic cod
- E.v.o oil
- Basmati rice
- Cherry or grape tomatoes
- Capers
- Olives
- Fresh basil
Toasting the rice!
To maximize flavor, firstly, I like to toast the rice with olive oil and the Kalamata olives. This will give the rice a wonderful nuttiness accompanied by that salty acidity of the olives. Furthermore, I hold off on the seasoning to see just how much the olives do. Secondly, I add the water and let it come to a boil!
Dressing the tomatoes!
While the rice is coming to a boil, time to wash the tomatoes, half them, and season with a splash of e.v.o. oil, salt and pepper, and some torn basil. As a result, we are elevating the flavors again because this is all going into the same pan!
Nestle the cod!
Fish is one of those ingredients that so many are afraid of. It is easily overcooked and in the same respect, because of fear, it can be undercooked. Well, this recipe takes care of that because we nestle that cod into the rice. This will create a wonderful envelope for the fish to steam, more so, this means moist flaky fish and to me this means success!
The last toppers!
The only thing left to do for this dish is to place the tomatoes, capers, and basil on top, then put the lid on, and let it cook! After a bit, we do take the lid off and let the rest of the water dissipate leaving us with fluffy rice!
Let's talk flavor and texture!
When you lift that lid just to let some of the leftover liquid dissipate, you are greeted with a wonderful aroma of basil, tomato, nuttiness from the rice, and that familiar scent of the sea! I was anxious to see how the fish did, so carefully I moved the rice, and there it was, plump, flaky, oozing with juices all bathed in the intricacies of this One Pan Rice and Fish.
More flavor and texture!
The rice perfect, with a little bite, and that acidity from the olives and capers really enhance the flavor beautifully. Those tomatoes added some sweetness to the pot. However, when you get a nice fork full of all the ingredients, it is a symphony of flavor and texture. The cod melts while the rice adds a nice bite, and more so, the basil brings in a fragrance that, partnered with the tomato, is the icing on the cake!
What I hear from people most often is that time is the factor why they don't do more home cooking. Today with the ease of ordering meals online it can be so convenient, however, there is nothing like getting into the kitchen and literally preparing a lovely dish in less than half an hour.
The end result, sitting down to a meal where you know the ingredients, have put in your own energy, and finally, the feeling of satisfaction that you made it and it tastes so dam good!
I hope you give this One Pan Rice and Fish a try. It is so worth it!
Enjoy!
P.S. Once again, thank you Jamie for your very infectious foodie enthusiasm and wonderfully easy recipes!
One Pan Rice and Fish
One Pan Rice and Fish. If you love having a fish dish on your weekday menu plan, then this is the dish for you. It has amazing flavor and is full of fresh incredible components! From the light, moist flaky Icelandic cod, to the incredibly aromatic fully infused rice, with hints of Kalamata olives, capers, cherry tomato, and basil, this is a perfect weekday dish!
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 2-3 servings 1x
Ingredients
Fish:
- 650 g fish (we used Icelandic cod or any meaty fish like halibut)
- 2 Tbsp e.v.o. oil
- salt and pepper
Rice:
- 150 g (¾ cup) basmati rice
- 2 Tbsp e.v.o. oil
- ¼ cup Kalamata olives pitted and halved
- 325 ml water
- salt and pepper
Tomatoes:
- 170 g (1 cup) cherry or grape tomatoes
- 1 Tbsp capers
- A few basil leaves, torn
- salt and pepper
Garnish:
- Fresh basil leaves
- Extra virgin olive oil
Instructions
Fish:
- Brush both sides of the fish with olive oil.
- Season both sides with salt and pepper.
Rice:
- In a medium deep saute pan drizzle in oil. Bring to medium heat and add rice and Kalamata olives. Stir until the rice is toasted, and coated. About 1 minute.
- Pour water into rice, stir, and season to taste with salt and pepper. Then cover and bring to a boil.
Tomatoes:
- While the rice is coming to a boil, take the washed tomatoes and halve. Place into a bowl and dress with olive oil, salt and pepper, and some basil.
Adding the fish and tomatoes:
- Now that the rice is boiling, time to add in the cod. Nestle it into the rice making sure it is enveloped.
- Place the tomato mixture over top, sprinkle in capers, and some more torn basil.
- Cover and cook for 10 minutes, then take the lid off and cook for an additional 2 minutes to allow excess water to dissipate.
Garnish:
- Sprinkle some basil leaves on and finish with a drizzle of olive oil.
- Ready to serve! Enjoy!
Notes
You can use green olives or even an olive tapenade, instead of the Kalamata olives.
You also could use other types of fish like haddock or halibut. A meatier plump fish works best.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Main, Fish
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Mediterranean
Keywords: Icelandic cod, capers, basil, basmati rice, Kalamata olives, e.v.o. oil, cherry tomatoes, Mediterranean cuisine, one pot meals, 30 minute meals,
When I am not cooking, I enjoy playing musical instruments, singing, writing. I have learned over the years to live in gratitude and enjoy the moment.
Gloria says
Love this easy dish....definitely healthy eating for sure. Love the Mediterranean flair in this recipe. I know hubby would love this....and a glass of wine to go with it too.
★★★★★
Hi Gloria, you are definitely on the right track, a nice wine would be perfect and your so on track because it is a healthy dish all around!
Enjoy!
Tracy says
I LOVE a one pan dinner, especially one that has so many fresh flavors. Love rice and fish meals, too. So healthy and delicious!
★★★★★
Thanks Tracy!
Yes one pan dinners are convenient and can be so delicious as this was. I love the colors and the aroma just heavenly!
Cheers!
Chef Dennis says
We are actually thinking of having fish tomorrow and this One Pan Rice and Fish recipe is the perfect candidate! Looks soooo delicious!
★★★★★
Thank you Chef Dennis, How did you make out. Did you have a chance to make this. I hope you liked it!
Have a wonderful cooking week!
Amy Liu Dong says
My mom loves eating fish so much and I am sure that she will love this dish. YUM!
★★★★★
Your Mom is a very wise woman and I am sure she will love this.
Happy cooking Amy!
Denise says
One pan rice and Fish is my kind of recipe, easy and full of flavor! Thanks for sharing, I will make this often.
★★★★★
You are so welcome Denise! Sure inspired by Jamie Oliver. He is so talented! I am so happy that I tried this recipe!
Erin says
I love how few ingredients this dish has! Makes it totally doable for a weeknight. We need to eat more fish so it's on my list!
Hi Erin, I think fish is one of those forgotten ingredients. We truly should eat more of it. So good for us!
Alex says
I like Jamie Oliver, too! He makes cooking so fun. Time is a huge issue for us, like you mentioned, so I love quick meals like this.
Hi Alex, yes time seems to run so fast so when you see a recipe like this that takes literally no time at all and is done in one pan which means less dish washing, it makes it so appealing!
Cheers!
Moop Brown says
This dish looks super healthy & balanced and easy to make as well. Perfect for weeknights!
★★★★★
Thank you, yes it is a great dish for busy weeknights and so easy and delicious!
Cheers!
Jamie says
I love how easy and simple this dish is to make! Definitely a great choice for busy nights with easy clean up too!
★★★★★
A total win win, delicious, easy and virtually no clean up!
Perfect!
Jo says
I love rice any day and this one pan dish is just perfect for my busy night dinner. So easy to make, simple flavors and looks absolutely yummy!
★★★★★
Us too we like our rice dishes, but when I saw this on Jamie Oliver's show, I just knew I had to try it. And that is exactly what I did! Thanks for checking it out!