Simplest Steamed Fish Recipe (2024)

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Cooking Notes

Barbaraben

Line the steamer with spinach leaves - tasty and easier
cleanup.

juleezee

Nice, easy, simple and tasty. Adding a bit of white wine and herbs to the broth/water in the bottom will give you a nice change of taste for your fish.

Give it an Asian twist

Julienne some peeled ginger, and lay them on top of the fish before steaming. Garnish with finely chopped cilantro or spring onions for further Asian flair

Sheila

Delicious, healthy and easy. The addition of a green salsa (parsley, basil, mint, anchovy, capers olive oil in a processor. Keeps for a good while in the fridge) makes for an elegant supper.

Kimberly

On a similar note, for simple fish prep I put brush olive oil on a piece of foil, sprinkle liberally with kosher salt and then place Arctic Char on it and close up foil to make a foil pouch. Either put on grill or in 400 oven until done (very quick).

chef Pace, milano

simple is always best, bravo Mr. Bittman

eezzed

Sprinkle fish with fresh coriander leaves, and chopped fresh ginger & garlic for asian flavors. An alternative is to add these to the water.

Mr. Cedric

Instead of olive oil and salt, you can add some fine julienne scallion and ginger, pour 2 tablespoon of hot oil to sizzle the herbs and finish it with a drizzle of soy sauce mix with water

Lksmith

This is the best way to cook salmon in my tiny kitchen without smelling up the entire house. I spray a round rack with Pam, place it over a wine infused broth in my stovetop All Clad skillet, and any fish that fits on it always steams to perfection, seasonings included.Perfection.

Barbara

Just delicious! My nonna would have added roughly chopped flat-leaf parsley to the final product. Wonderful hot or cold!

Fred

Take some fresh scallions and cut them lengthwise. Add this to the steaming fish.

Lucy O

Perfect. Used flounder and cooked and served exactly as prescribed. Delicious!

Paul Thompson

I was totally surprised how easy the fish was. I used snapper. So easy to do too. Paired with a greek salad it made a superb dish. Definitely a keeper.

leah

I added a couple of tablespoons of cider vinegar in the steam water to reduce the fishiness of the cod. I used parsley sprigs to keep the fish from sticking to the steamer. And I salt and peppered the fish before steaming, not after. It was hard to keep the fish intact. But it was good.

TaiL

Bravo, Mr. Bittman! When was the last time, indeed. This was perfect with a salmon steak and cooked as written. The only thing I did differently is that I steamed the steak on a bed of spinach. Can't wait to try with other cuts of fish!

Cathy

So easy, simple and delicious. I started using this method and I won’t go back. The lemons afterwards are yummy as well. I don’t use any oil. The lemon juice, salt, and pepper and the fish shines through.

Anna

Use cabbage leaf on the steamer basket (after spraying with cooking oil) to keep it from sticking.

erin

1.5 inch cod takes about 8-9 min

Gabrielle

When I saw this recipe, I wondered if I could pull it off with the quality of fish available in my area. The answer is a resounding no. Don't try this at home unless you have access to impeccably fresh fish.

Roberta

I used cod (a thin piece) & it was done in less than 4 minutes. Made a soy sauce based sauce & I dipped the fish in before putting it the steamer. Very easy & delicious.

Hare's Ear

This is how I prepared the wild rainbow trout I caught fly fishing today on a gorgeous, pristine local mountain river. A simple, subtle and delicious way to enjoy the trout and honor the catch. Paired with Tomato Bruschetta by Ali Slagle here on NYT Cooking.

TH

I steam in the bowl or plate I will be serving from. No cleaning up at all. I also use gripper clippers to remove the plate/bowl from the steamer.

Shawna

This is a great recipe as is. I drizzled some with truffle olive oil, some with regular. I preferred just straight olive oil. I used a fine salt grinder for the salt and table salt probably would have been just as good. My partner used some vinegar ie.... like fish and chips but no chips. He loved it. This recipe is hard to screw up. Thank you you sharing it!

Alby

Shockingly delicious!

Kim P

If you’re using a metal steamer basket, be sure to oil it first.

David Davenport

Used half water and half Sake to take it an Asian direction. Plus I added two lemongrass stalks and a couple of makrut leaves. Truly delicious!

Madeline

Finished it with Bitterman's Lemon Flake Sea Salt from The Meadow in Portland OR —perfect!

modification

Zest for topping. Steam about 5 minutes. Water, oil, lemon juice

Ellen

I wouldn’t have thought this could be so delicious. Of course having a beautiful fresh piece of fish is the key.

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Simplest Steamed Fish Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What is the best fish for steaming? ›

You can use any fish in this Chinese-style steamed fish recipe. Wallace recommends Stripe Seabass and Tilapia because they're common and delicious. However, you can also do this with Grouper, Cod, Halibut, or any seafood like Shrimp, Scallops, and Lobsters.

How to cook fish simply? ›

For direct heat method, cook fish 4 to 6 minutes per side (per inch of thickness) over medium to medium-high heat or until done. For indirect heat method, place fish on grate over cool side of grill and cook 15 minutes with lid closed. Or sear fish on grate over heat, then move to cool side of grill to finish cooking.

How long does it take to steam fish in a steamer? ›

Put at least 1 inch of water in the bottom of a steamer, cover and bring to a boil. Lay the fish on the steamer's rack, making sure the rack is elevated above the water, and cover again. Steam 4 to 8 minutes, or until the fish is done. (A good-size halibut steak may take 10 or even 12 minutes.)

What cooking method is a simple but effective way to cook fish? ›

Basic Fish Cooking Techniques
  1. Sautéing. Sautéing is probably the easiest way to prepare fish. ...
  2. Baking or Roasting. Baking is done at a more moderate temperature (350) and roasting at a much higher temperature (400 to 500). ...
  3. Broiling. ...
  4. Poaching. ...
  5. Grilling.

Is frozen fish good for steaming? ›

Baking, poaching or steaming are the best methods for cooking fish if you're skipping the thawing process. Avoid pan-frying as the fish may release too much water or the flesh won't be evenly cooked. If you're following a recipe, you may add a few minutes to make sure the frozen fish is fully cooked.

Can you steam all fish? ›

Whitefish is most suitable for steaming – popular choices include snapper, grouper, halibut, cod and trout. Salmon works for some recipes, too. The most popular style of steaming fish is Chinese style, which is to flavour it with soy sauce, sliced chilli, spring onion and coriander.

What is the best fish that is not too fishy? ›

For those who don't like the taste of fish, a mild white fish is the way to go. Tilapia is one of the most commonly farmed and consumed white fish in the world, so you're likely to find it on your favorite seafood restaurant's menu.

Which fish is the most fishy? ›

Fish that are higher in fat, such as salmon, mackerel, herring, anchovies, and sardines, have much stronger flavors than other fish.

How healthy is steamed fish? ›

Steaming is one of the healthiest ways to cook, because it's one of the only cooking methods that doesn't require added fat. Steaming is the ultimate way to cook fish, as it keeps it moist and it's exceptionally easy, so even novice chefs can feel confident in the kitchen doing it.

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