Name: Psari Plaki: Traditional Greek Baked Fish
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 40 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Greek
Ingredients: 4 firm white fish fillets or steaks (about 2 pounds total), such as cod, snapper, halibut, or sea bass; Juice of ½ lemon; Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste; 1 teaspoon dried oregano; ½ cup extra virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling; 1 large yellow onion, thinly sliced; 4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced; 1 (28-ounce) can whole or crushed tomatoes, hand-crushed; 2 tablespoons tomato paste; ½ cup dry white wine (optional); 2 teaspoons dried Greek oregano; ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional); ½ teaspoon sugar (optional, to balance acidity); Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste; ¼ cup fresh parsley, finely chopped; 1 lemon, sliced into thin rounds; Crumbled feta cheese (optional); Crusty bread, for serving

Psari Plaki: Traditional Greek Baked Fish

In Greek, 'psari' simply means fish, and 'plaki' describes a whole family of dishes slow-baked in a shallow pan with tomatoes, onions, garlic, and a generous pour of olive oil. The word is thought to trace back to the idea of cooking on a flat surface, and the technique itself is older than any single recipe — it belongs to the everyday repertoire of Greek yiayiades and fishing families who turned the day's catch into a one-pan supper with whatever vegetables and herbs were on hand. There is no single 'correct' Psari Plaki; it shifts from island to island and from kitchen to kitchen, sometimes built on a bed of sliced potatoes, sometimes brightened with wine or olives, sometimes left rustic and lean. What unites every version is the method: a soft, slow-cooked tomato and onion base that reduces into something sweet, savory, and faintly caramelized, into which firm white fish is nestled and finished in the oven until it turns opaque and pulls apart effortlessly. The olive oil is not an afterthought here — it is a defining ingredient, enriching the sauce and keeping the fish moist as it bakes, in true Mediterranean fashion. Oregano, garlic, and a squeeze of lemon do the rest of the work, giving the dish a bright, herby backbone that cuts through the richness of the oil and the natural sweetness of the tomatoes. Psari Plaki is the kind of dish that rewards patience rather than skill. It asks very little of the cook beyond letting the sauce reduce properly and not overbaking the fish, yet the result feels far more special than the short ingredient list suggests. It is equally at home on a Sunday family table or a weeknight dinner, and it keeps beautifully, tasting just as good — some say better — the next day at room temperature with crusty bread to mop up the sauce.

Instructions

Pat the fish dry and lay it in a shallow dish. Season both sides with salt, pepper, and the teaspoon of dried oregano, then squeeze the lemon juice over it. Set aside to marinate at room temperature while you prepare the sauce, ideally 20 to 30 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C).
Warm the olive oil in a wide, oven-safe skillet or shallow pan over medium heat. Add the sliced onion with a pinch of salt and cook, stirring occasionally, for 8 to 10 minutes, until soft and lightly golden.
Stir in the garlic and cook for about a minute, just until fragrant — do not let it brown.
Add the crushed tomatoes and tomato paste, stirring to combine. Pour in the white wine, if using, along with the dried Greek oregano, red pepper flakes, and sugar. Season with salt and pepper.
Bring the sauce to a gentle simmer and let it cook uncovered for 12 to 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until it thickens and the raw tomato flavor mellows into something deeper and slightly sweet.
Nestle the marinated fish into the sauce, spooning some of it over the top so the fillets are partially covered. Arrange the lemon slices over and around the fish.
Transfer the pan to the oven and bake, uncovered, for 20 to 25 minutes, until the fish is opaque throughout and flakes easily with a fork.
Remove from the oven and let the dish rest for a few minutes. Scatter the fresh parsley over the top, and add crumbled feta if using.
Serve warm or at room temperature, straight from the pan, with plenty of crusty bread to soak up the sauce.

Tips for Success

Choose a firm-fleshed white fish that will hold together in the sauce rather than falling apart — cod, halibut, snapper, and sea bass all work well, as does a whole small fish if you prefer to bake it bone-in.
Resist the urge to rush the sauce. A properly reduced, jammy tomato base is what separates a great Psari Plaki from an average one, so give it the full simmering time before adding the fish.
Watch the fish closely near the end of baking; it goes from perfectly tender to dry very quickly. Start checking a few minutes before the earliest suggested time, and pull it as soon as it flakes easily.
For a heartier, more traditional one-pan version, layer thin slices of potato into the sauce before it goes in the oven and give them a head start baking on their own for about 20 minutes before adding the fish.
Leftovers keep well covered in the refrigerator for up to two days and are genuinely delicious served cold or at room temperature the next day, in the style many Greek families actually prefer it.
A drizzle of good, fruity olive oil just before serving brightens the whole dish and echoes the generous use of oil that gives plaki-style cooking its name.