Baked Monkfish: Spanish Fish with Potatoes & Saffron (56) 2026

Baked monkfish with potatoes is a wonderfully simple Spanish main course that shines at an elegant dinner or a special gathering. The fish stays juicy and full of flavor, and the whole dish comes together with just seven ingredients and a handful of easy steps.

What makes this dish so good is its restraint: the key lies in simplicity and the quality of the product. A bed of thinly sliced potatoes roasts underneath the monkfish and soaks up all the savory juices, while a bright garlic and parsley oil spooned over at the end brings everything to life.

It is a light, flavorful plate that looks far more elaborate than the effort it takes. Keep reading to discover all the secrets of this dish that is bound to become one of your favorites.

Ingredients for Baked Monkfish with Potatoes

These quantities make 3 servings.

• 1 monkfish tail, about 500 g (about 1 lb)
• 3 potatoes
• 1 garlic clove
• 2 sprigs of parsley
• 60 ml extra virgin olive oil
• Salt
• 100 ml fish stock or water

How to Make Baked Monkfish with Potatoes Step by Step

1. Heat the oven and prepare the potatoes

For this recipe, ask your fishmonger to prepare a monkfish tail for baking, specifying that it be left whole. When you are ready to cook, preheat the oven to 180 °C (350 °F) with top and bottom heat. Peel and wash the 3 potatoes, cut them into slices about half a centimeter thick, and set them aside.

2. Make the garlic and parsley oil

You will also make a sauce to give the fish flavor and juiciness. Peel and finely chop 1 garlic clove. Then crush 2 sprigs of parsley and mix them with 30 ml of extra virgin olive oil and the chopped garlic. Set this sauce aside to add when serving the fish.

3. Roast the potatoes

Place the potatoes in a baking dish, add a pinch of salt, and drizzle them with 20 ml of extra virgin olive oil. Add 2 tablespoons of the 100 ml of fish stock or water, and bake them for 20 minutes at 180 °C (350 °F).

4. Season the monkfish and set it on the potatoes

While the potatoes bake, pat the monkfish tail dry and salt it on both sides. Once the 20 minutes have passed, remove the dish of potatoes from the oven and place the monkfish on top.

5. Drizzle with oil and stock, then bake

Drizzle the fish with about 10 ml of extra virgin olive oil and add the rest of the fish stock. Return the dish with the potatoes and monkfish to the oven and cook everything together for 20 minutes at 180 °C (350 °F). If you use a larger monkfish tail, it will need more baking time, but it is important not to overcook it so the fish is just right and nicely juicy.

6. Baste the fish halfway through

Halfway through cooking, remove the dish from the oven and spoon the sauce that has formed in the baking tray over the fish.

7. Check doneness and serve

After the baking time, check that the fish is cooked through and, if it is, remove the dish from the oven. On a serving plate, arrange the potatoes and place the monkfish on top. Spoon the sauce formed during baking over everything and add a little of the reserved garlic and parsley oil. Serve.

Tips for the Best Baked Monkfish with Potatoes

Ask for a whole tail

Have the fishmonger prepare the monkfish tail for baking and ask that it be left whole. Keeping it intact helps it stay juicy in the oven and makes a handsome centerpiece for the table.

Watch the cooking time

A larger monkfish tail will need more time in the oven, but avoid overcooking it. Pull it as soon as it is done so the flesh stays tender and moist rather than dry.

Save the garlic and parsley oil for serving

The oil with garlic and parsley is kept aside and added at the very end, not during baking. Spooned over the plated fish, it adds a fresh, aromatic finish that lifts the whole dish.

30 Top Recipes I Keep Coming Back to at Home

Like a lot of home cooks, I like having a go-to rotation that covers cozy comfort plates, well-known dishes from around the world, and sweets that please a crowd.

When a rich, indulgent treat is what I'm after, my picks are usually this La Viña Molten Cheesecake recipe, this refined Original French Crème Brûlée recipe, or a luscious Chocolate Mousse Cake recipe. And on days when I want something fruity and cozy, this timeless French Tarte Tatin recipe is the one I reach for.

Mornings and lighter plates call for these airy Oatmeal and Banana Pancakes recipe, a hearty Stuffed Sweet Potato recipe, or these bright Eggs Stuffed with Avocado and Salmon recipe. And for a gluten-free staple I can keep on hand, this no-fuss Gluten-Free Rice Flour recipe does the job.

Tapas and Mediterranean cooking are a mood I return to often, and I tend to cycle through this punchy Basque Tuna with Tomato recipe, these crackly Patatas Bravas Air Fryer recipe, a velvety Tirokafteri Greek Dip Sauce recipe, and a cool Burrata Salad with Tomato and Pesto recipe. This chilled Italian Vitello Tonnato recipe also makes the table when I feel like something a bit more elevated.

Come lunch or a slow dinner at home, I'm quick to suggest this warming Meatballs in Spanish Sauce recipe, a time-honored Meatballs in Almond Sauce recipe, a deep-flavored Italian Bolognese Sauce recipe, and silky Chicken Croquettes in Thermomix recipe. When hunger runs bigger, I'll bake this Greek Pastitsio Pie recipe, a homey Potatoes and Squid Stew recipe, or the deeply comforting French Boeuf Bourguignon recipe.

Street-food cravings and party spreads usually mean this saucy Homemade Chicken Doner Kebab recipe, golden Salchipapas recipe, a punchy Mexican Pork Carnitas recipe, or these crisp Korean Hobak Jeon recipe. These simple Air Fryer Zucchini Rings recipe also work nicely as a light starter or snack.

And when guests are coming and drinks are part of the plan, dinner often gets paired with a cool Original Cuban Mojito recipe, a strong Long Island Iced Tea recipe, or a jug of this fruity Bleeding Spanish Sangria recipe. To fill out the spread, I like setting out this zesty French Remoulade Sauce recipe alongside, or ending with this eye-catching Mediterranean Black Rice with Squid recipe.

Even More Tasty Recipes the Whole Family Will Enjoy

After years of trying, tweaking, and remaking dishes in my own kitchen, I've come to see that the ones that stick around are built on straightforward steps, methods you can trust, and serious flavor.

What follows is the set of recipes I keep circling back to—whether it's a fast plate just for me or a bigger spread for the people I love.

On the sweet side, the rich, silky Orange Chocolate Mousse Recipe is one I turn to when I want something that feels fancy without much fuss. Another dessert I adore is the caramelized Trdelnik Slavic Pastry Recipe, modeled on the well-known Central European chimney cake. If baking is your thing, knowing how to make syrup for better texture in desserts comes in handy, and my Inverted Sugar Recipe walks through exactly how I do it at home.

For something light and uncomplicated, I'll usually reach for the timeless Italian Caprese Salad Recipe or a flawlessly cooked Simple Poached Egg Recipe. And for heavier comfort plates, my usual picks are the filling Meatball Sandwich Recipe, the velvety Russian Stroganoff Beef Recipe, and the speedy weeknight go-to One Pot Pasta Recipe.

I'm just as happy sharing dishes with roots in other countries, like the genuine Sorropotún de Bonito Fish Stew Recipe, crunchy Chilean Pumpkin Sopaipillas Recipe, and Spain's own Cochifrito Segovian Fried Pig Recipe.

Air fryer cooking is another area I use all the time, since it cuts down on effort while still giving you excellent results. The ones I make most are Air Fryer Pork Ribs Recipe, Air Fryer Chicken Thighs Recipe, Air Fryer Sweet Potatoes Recipe, Air Fryer Baked Potatoes Recipe, Air Fryer Peppers Recipe, Air Fryer Mixed Sandwich Recipe, Air Fryer Toasted Bread Recipe, and Air Fryer Hard-Boiled Eggs Recipe.

And for those steering clear of wheat, my cozy Gluten-Free Lasagna Recipe shows that a baked pasta classic can still be creamy, cheesy, and completely satisfying without any gluten.

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