Baked Whole Fish in Garlic-Chile Sauce

By
Darlene Schmidt
Darlene Schmidt
Darlene Schmidt is a cookbook author and culinary teacher who specializes in Thai cuisine.
Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process
Updated on 03/26/21
Baked whole fish in garlic-chili sauce recipe

​The Spruce / Victoria Heydt
Prep: 20 mins
Cook: 35 mins
Total: 55 mins
Servings: 4 servings
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
294 Calories
16g Fat
13g Carbs
25g Protein
Show Full Nutrition Label Hide Full Nutrition Label
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4
Amount per serving
Calories 294
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 16g 20%
Saturated Fat 1g 6%
Cholesterol 40mg 13%
Sodium 1773mg 77%
Total Carbohydrate 13g 5%
Dietary Fiber 1g 4%
Total Sugars 6g
Protein 25g
Vitamin C 32mg 160%
Calcium 77mg 6%
Iron 1mg 6%
Potassium 640mg 14%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

While fresh whole fish is usually grilled outdoors in Thailand, in certain parts of North America we often have to come up with alternate cooking methods due to weather conditions. This whole fish recipe can either be baked indoors or on an outdoor grill. Deliciously prepared with a sauce made of oyster sauce, soy sauce, garlic, fish sauce, brown sugar, and chiles; the fish is scored, and seasoned, then wrapped in foil.

A variety of white-fleshed fish can be used, including red snapper, gray mullet, rainbow trout, or whatever you have that's fresh and good. If you prefer a more authentic approach, bake your fish in banana leaves instead of aluminum foil.

Serve it with steamed rice and your favorite veggies to round out the meal.

Ingredients

For the Sauce

  • 1/4 cup oyster sauce

  • 1/4 cup soy sauce

  • 8 to 10 cloves garlic, minced or pressed

  • 1 tablespoon fish sauce

  • 2 tablespoons brown sugar

  • 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

  • 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lime (or lemon juice)

  • 1 to 3 chile peppers, thinly sliced

For the Fish

  • 1 to 2 whole red snapper (gray mullet, or rainbow trout)

  • 4 tablespoon oil, if grilling

  • 1/2 cup fresh coriander leaves, garnish

  • 1/2 cup small fresh basil leaves, garnish

  • Lemon (or lime) slices (or wedges), garnish

Steps to Make It

Prep the Sauce and Fish

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    Ingredients for baked whole fish in garlic-chili sauce

    ​The Spruce / Victoria Heydt

  2. Preheat oven to 375 F or heat grill to medium. Stir all sauce ingredients together in a bowl. Set aside.

    Mix sauce ingredients together

    ​The Spruce / Victoria Heydt

  3. Place fish on a cutting board and score it by making vertical cuts an inch or more apart along the length of fish from head to tail. Turn fish over and do the same on the other side.

    Scored fish on cutting board

    ​The Spruce / Victoria Heydt

If Baking the Fish

  1. Place fish on a large piece of aluminum foil or banana leaf. Make sure the foil or leaf is big enough to cover and wrap the fish. 

    Fish on foil

    ​The Spruce / Victoria Heydt

  2. Drizzle 3 tablespoons (or more) of the sauce over the fish, covering both sides. Be sure to spoon some into the cuts you've made, as well as into the underside cavity. Reserve the rest for later.

    Whole fish and sauce on foil

    ​The Spruce / Victoria Heydt

  3. Bring the long sides of the foil up and over the fish, scrunching it together. Try to keep the foil off the surface of the fish, making a kind of shallow tent over it. Fold up each end and scrunch to secure. If using a banana leaf, fold the sides and ends of the leaf over fish to cover it. With the banana leaf, you want the leaf to come into contact with the fish, as this adds to the flavor.

    Whole fish wrapped in foil

    ​The Spruce / Victoria Heydt

  4. Bake the fish in the foil directly on your oven rack. If you're worried about spillage, you can place wrapped fish on a baking sheet or tray and place it in the oven. Fish wrapped in banana leaf will require a dish or tray, as a banana leaf is porous.

    Bake for 20 minutes or longer, depending on the size and thickness of your fish.

    Foil-wrapped whole fish on baking sheet

    ​The Spruce / Victoria Heydt

  5. Remove fish from oven and check some of the deeper cuts to see if the inner flesh is cooked. If fish still needs more time, return it to the oven for another 8 to 10 minutes, or until cooked.

    Cooked whole fish on baking sheet
    ​The Spruce Eats / Victoria Heydt

  6. To finish the fish, remove from oven and open up the foil, scrunching it around the fish to create a kind of bowl. If using banana leaf, simply open up the leaf, which will have become drier and slightly crispy. Pour remaining sauce over fish and return to the oven.

    Cooked whole fish on baking sheet
    ​The Spruce Eats / Victoria Heydt

  7. Turn oven to broil setting, and broil for 5 to 8 minutes, or until the fish is nicely browned and crisp-looking. Banana leaves will become quite brown and fragrant.

    Cooked whole fish on baking sheet

    ​The Spruce / Victoria Heydt

  8. Remove from the oven and sprinkle the fish with fresh coriander and basil. Add lemon or lime slices or wedges.

    Cooked whole fish with lemon slices and coriander

    ​The Spruce / Victoria Heydt

If Grilling the Fish

  1. Brush your grill with a little oil to keep fish from sticking (if using a fish cage, it also helps to brush it with oil).

    Tongs brushing oil on grill with paper towel

    ​The Spruce / Victoria Heydt

  2. Drizzle 3 tablespoons (or more) of the sauce over the fish, covering both sides. Be sure to spoon some into the cuts you've made, as well as into the underside cavity.

    Scored whole fish and sauce on foil

    ​The Spruce / Victoria Heydt

  3. Grill fish 10 to 20 minutes (depending on the size and thickness of the fish, and how hot your grill is). Allow fish to cook for at least 5 minutes before turning it the first time—otherwise, the skin may stick to the grill and tear. Fish is done when inner flesh is opaque and no longer pink or translucent.

    Fish on grill

    ​The Spruce / Victoria Heydt

  4. Use remaining sauce to baste as your barbecue, or pour over fish right before serving.

    Cooked whole fish on baking sheet

    ​The Spruce / Victoria Heydt

  5. To serve, top with fresh coriander and basil, plus slices or wedges of lemon or lime.

    Cooked whole fish topped with lemon slices and coriander

    ​The Spruce / Victoria Heydt

Glass Bakeware Warning

Do not use glass bakeware when broiling or when a recipe calls to add liquid to a hot pan, as glass may explode. Even if it states oven-safe or heat resistant, tempered glass products can, and do, break occasionally.

Tip

  • If using frozen fish, be sure to thaw it thoroughly before cooking. This can be done quickly by soaking fish in a bowl or sink of cool water.


Recipe Variation

  • Use 2 teaspoons Thai chile sauce, plus more to taste, in place of red chiles.

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