Baked Sea Bass Recipe: Spanish Back-Baked Fish Delight 2026

This baked sea bass, known in Spain as lubina a la espalda, is one of the most popular fish dishes in Spanish home cooking. The fish is split open along the back like a book and roasted flat over a bed of thinly sliced potatoes and onion, so every drop of its juices soaks into the vegetables below.

It is a genuinely easy recipe that delivers a lot: tender, juicy fish, golden potatoes, and a warm garlic and cayenne sofrito poured over the top at the very end. A pinch of fresh parsley finishes it off.

Sea bass takes well to almost any cooking method, but roasting it this way is one of the most classic. The oven does most of the work while you get on with something else, and the whole thing comes to the table in one dish.

Ingredients for Baked Sea Bass a la Espalda

This makes enough for 2 servings.

• 400 g potatoes
• 100 g onion
• 6 tablespoons olive oil
• Salt
• Ground black pepper
• 1 sea bass, opened a la espalda, 750 g
• 3 garlic cloves
• 1 cayenne chili pepper
• 2 sprigs fresh parsley

How to Make Baked Sea Bass a la Espalda Step by Step

1. Slice the Potatoes and Onion

Start by peeling 400 g of potatoes and cutting them into thin slices, just under half a centimeter thick. Cut 100 g of onion into fine julienne strips as well.

2. Build the Potato and Onion Bed

In a baking dish, spread 1 tablespoon of olive oil over the base and arrange the potatoes so they cover the entire surface. Scatter the onion over the potatoes, then season with salt, a little ground black pepper and another tablespoon of olive oil. With the oven preheated to 190 °C, place the dish on the middle rack and bake at 190 °C for 40 minutes.

3. Add the Sea Bass and Bake

Once the potatoes have roasted for 40 minutes, take the dish out of the oven and lay the 750 g sea bass, opened a la espalda, on top. Season it with salt and drizzle over another tablespoon of olive oil. Return the dish to the middle rack and bake for 15 more minutes at 190 °C.

4. Make the Garlic Sofrito

When the sea bass has about 5 minutes of roasting left, prepare a garlic sofrito that will add a wonderful layer of flavor. Set a frying pan over medium heat with 3 tablespoons of olive oil, 3 garlic cloves cut into thin slices and 1 cayenne chili pepper. Cook until the garlic turns golden, then turn off the heat and stir in 2 sprigs of very finely chopped parsley.

5. Pour the Sofrito Over the Fish

Take the baking dish out of the oven and pour the sofrito over the sea bass.

6. Serve Right Away

And your baked sea bass a la espalda is ready to serve, with its side of roasted potatoes.

Tips for the Best Baked Sea Bass a la Espalda

Why It Is Called a la Espalda

The name of this dish comes from the way the fish is cooked and presented: opened lengthwise along the back, like a book, and laid out flat on its back, skin side down. This lets the oven heat cook the fish evenly, keeping it especially juicy and flavorful, and it makes serving at the table very easy.

How Long to Roast the Fish

The roasting time for the sea bass depends on its weight, but as a rule of thumb, calculate about 20 minutes of oven time per kilo of fish. For this 750 g sea bass, 15 minutes in the oven is perfect.

Get the Timing Right

Start the garlic sofrito when the fish has about 5 minutes left so the garlic is still golden and fragrant, not bitter, when it hits the plate. Pour it over the fish as soon as the dish comes out of the oven.

30 Home-Cooked Recipes I Keep Coming Back To

If you're anything like me, your kitchen rotation probably includes a little bit of everything — cozy comfort plates, tried-and-true dishes from around the globe, and sweets that make a crowd happy.

When a rich, indulgent treat is calling my name, I reach for this La Viña Molten Cheesecake recipe, this refined Original French Crème Brûlée recipe, or a luxurious Chocolate Mousse Cake recipe. And on days when only something fruity and soothing will do, this timeless French Tarte Tatin recipe is my go-to.

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 trick.

Tapas and Mediterranean flavors are a constant craving, so I switch between this punchy Basque Tuna with Tomato recipe, golden Patatas Bravas Air Fryer recipe, silky Tirokafteri Greek Dip Sauce recipe, and a cool Burrata Salad with Tomato and Pesto recipe. And when the occasion begs for something a touch fancier, this elegant Italian Vitello Tonnato recipe is what I serve.

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Street-food cravings and party spreads usually mean this succulent Homemade Chicken Doner Kebab recipe, crispy Salchipapas recipe, boldly seasoned Mexican Pork Carnitas recipe, or these crisp Korean Hobak Jeon recipe. These simple Air Fryer Zucchini Rings recipe also make an effortless appetizer or snack.

And when I'm hosting and mixing drinks alongside a full menu, dinner often gets paired with a cool Original Cuban Mojito recipe, a strong Long Island Iced Tea recipe, or a pitcher of this fruity Bleeding Spanish Sangria recipe. To fill out the spread, I like setting out this zesty French Remoulade Sauce recipe on the side, or finishing the table with this eye-catching Mediterranean Black Rice with Squid recipe.

Even More Tasty Recipes to Cook for the Family

After years of cooking, testing, and tweaking in my own kitchen, I've come to believe the greatest dishes are built on three things: simplicity, techniques you can trust, and flavor that really pops.

Every recipe gathered here is one I genuinely cook over and over — whether it's a fast solo meal or a spread I'm putting together for the people I love.

On the sweet side, the rich, silky Orange Chocolate Mousse Recipe is a favorite of mine when I want something that feels fancy yet comes together without fuss. Another dessert I adore is the caramelized Trdelnik Slavic Pastry Recipe, modeled after the celebrated Central European chimney cake. If baking is your thing, knowing how to make syrup for better dessert texture pays off, and my Inverted Sugar Recipe walks through exactly how I do it at home.

When something light and unfussy sounds right, I tend to go with the timeless Italian Caprese Salad Recipe or a flawlessly cooked Simple Poached Egg Recipe. And for cozier, heartier fare, I'm quick to suggest the filling Meatball Sandwich Recipe, the velvety Russian Stroganoff Beef Recipe, and the fast weeknight winner One Pot Pasta Recipe.

Sharing dishes from across the globe is another joy of mine — among them the genuine Sorropotún de Bonito Fish Stew Recipe, golden Chilean Pumpkin Sopaipillas Recipe, and the traditional Spanish Cochifrito Segovian Fried Pig Recipe.

Air fryer cooking is another category I turn to often, since it delivers great texture while saving time. 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 anyone steering clear of wheat, my cozy Gluten-Free Lasagna Recipe shows that a classic baked pasta can still be rich, cheesy, and completely gratifying without any gluten.

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