Polish Fish in the Greek Style (Ryba Po Grecku)

By
Barbara Rolek
Barbara Rolek
Barbara Rolek is a former chef who became a cooking school instructor and award-winning food writer.
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Updated on 11/26/21
Traditional polish "greek style fish"

 Dar1930 / Getty Images

Prep: 15 mins
Cook: 30 mins
Total: 45 mins
Servings: 4 servings
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
403 Calories
18g Fat
28g Carbs
32g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4
Amount per serving
Calories 403
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 18g 23%
Saturated Fat 2g 11%
Cholesterol 116mg 39%
Sodium 445mg 19%
Total Carbohydrate 28g 10%
Dietary Fiber 4g 15%
Total Sugars 6g
Protein 32g
Vitamin C 11mg 57%
Calcium 80mg 6%
Iron 4mg 23%
Potassium 1076mg 23%
*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.)

There really is nothing Greek about this Polish ryba po grecku recipe, yet that's the name it has carried for hundreds of years. This traditional recipe features fried white fish—such as tilapia, perch, pike, walleye, whiting and orange roughy, among others–which is then smothered in a tomato-vegetable sauce. At first blush, we wondered why would anyone want to cover crispy fried fish with a wet sauce? Well, it works and is delicious hot or cold. Ryba po grecku is often one of the courses at the meatless Christmas Eve meal known as wigilia and is a good choice anytime a meatless meal is required.

Ingredients

For the Fish:

  • 1 pound white fish fillets (tilapia, perch, pike, walleye, etc.)

  • 3 dashes salt

  • 3 dashes freshly ground black pepper

  • 1/2 cup all-purpose flour

  • 2 tablespoons oil, for frying

For the Vegetables:

  • 2 tablespoons oil

  • 2 large carrots, peeled and coarsely grated

  • 1 rib celery, coarsely grated

  • 1 parsnip, peeled and coarsely grated

  • 1 large leek, white and part of the green end, rinsed of all grit and sliced

  • 6 whole allspice

  • 1 bay leaf

  • 4 tablespoons tomato paste, or more to taste

  • Salt, to taste

  • Freshly ground pepper, to taste

Steps to Make It

  1. Rinse and pat fish fillet dry. Season with salt and pepper. Dredge in flour and sauté in oil until golden brown and cooked through. Remove from pan and drain on paper towels. Set aside.

  2. Meanwhile, heat a large skillet over medium and add 2 tablespoons oil. Add carrots, celery, parsnip, leek, and sauté until vegetables have collapsed, stirring frequently. Add allspice, bay leaf, and tomato paste. Mix well and simmer until vegetables are tender, stirring occasionally, and most of the liquid has evaporated. Remove the bay leaf and allspice. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

  3. Place 1/3 of the tomato-vegetable mixture on a serving platter. Lay the fried fish on top. Cover completely with the remaining tomato-vegetable mixture. Serve hot or cold.