Pan-Seared Fish Veracruz Style with Tomato and Olive Sauce
White fish fillets pan-seared and topped with a tangy Veracruz sauce featuring tomatoes, olives, and capers for a regional Mexican flair. This Mexican-inspired seafood recipe, ready in about 30 minutes, pairs white fish fillets (e.g. cod, tilapia), olive oil, garlic cloves for a weeknight-friendly dinner that comes together with one pan and minimal cleanup. Each serving lands at about 280 calories and feeds 4, so it slots cleanly into a weekly meal plan and pairs well with a quick salad or grain on the side. Tap "Plan a meal with the AI" below to drop this recipe into your week and send the ingredients straight to Instacart. Nutrition values are approximate, calculated from USDA FoodData Central (fdc.nal.usda.gov) — verify against ingredient labels for any health-driven dietary plan.
Ingredients
- 4 fillets, 6 oz each white fish fillets (e.g. cod, tilapia)
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 3, minced garlic cloves
- 1 small, diced yellow onion
- 14 oz canned diced tomatoes
- 1/3 cup, sliced green olives
- 2 tbsp, rinsed capers
- 2 tbsp, chopped fresh parsley
- 1, seeded and minced jalapeño pepper
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- for serving lime wedges
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Equipment for this recipe
Tools this recipe's steps call for, with a link to each on Amazon.
Instructions
- Step 1: Pat 4 white fish fillets dry and season both sides with 1 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp black pepper.
- Step 2: Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the fish fillets and cook for 3-4 minutes per side until golden brown and cooked through. Remove fish and keep warm.
- Step 3: In the same skillet, add 1 tbsp olive oil, 3 minced garlic cloves, 1 diced small yellow onion, and 1 minced seeded jalapeño pepper. Sauté for 3-4 minutes until onion softens and garlic is fragrant.
- Step 4: Add 14 oz canned diced tomatoes, 1/3 cup sliced green olives, and 2 tbsp rinsed capers. Simmer the sauce for 8-10 minutes until slightly thickened.
- Step 5: Stir in 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley, adjust seasoning with salt and pepper to taste.
- Step 6: Spoon the tomato-olive sauce over the fish fillets and serve immediately with lime wedges on the side.







