This stovetop haddock has simple ingredients but a big payoff. Pan-seared haddock finished in a delicious tomato sauce made with ripe cherry/grape tomatoes, lemon, and fresh cilantro. Light on tummy, bright on palate. Get in my belly!
I cook this recipe all the time, not just in summer. Why confine recipes to seasons if their ingredients are available year-round, right?
Haddock is such a versatile fish; it's not strongly fishy-fish, has flaky flesh, and is more delicate than some other white fish, like cod.
I know full well that it’s usually cooked either breaded or battered, but I don’t always play by the book.
I bake it in foil when I need hands-off cooking, have Florentine and Piccata versions for when I am pressed to impress, and I cook it blackened when craving some kick and punch!
If you've bought haddock and are wondering what recipes you can make with it, let this haddock in tomato sauce be the first one you try.
Pair with rice, veggies, or pasta, and even the "ew-fish" crowd at your table will clean their plates.
Pre-cooking notes
- If using frozen haddock, make sure it’s completely thawed. It’s a delicate fish, long fillets can be tricky to handle, so I cut those in half.
- Both white and red onions work fine, use whatever you’ve got.
- I’ve only ever made this recipe with red cherry or grape tomatoes, so not sure of the outcomes with tomatoes that come in other colors. The tomatoes need to be well-ripened, as pale red ones won’t give the same results.
A visual guide for making my stovetop haddock
Here are photos of the key steps to guide you through the recipe. For a printable version with quantities and notes, see the recipe card below.
Pat haddock fillets dry. Mix ½ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon black pepper; season both sides. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a wide non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. Cook the fish 35 to 45 seconds per side for thin fillets, or 1 minute per side if ~1 inch thick. Remove and set aside.
Heat remaining 1.5 tablespoon oil in a wide sauté pan over medium. Add onion and ¼ teaspoon salt; cook 4 to 5 min until soft and translucent. Add garlic, red pepper flakes, oregano, and ¼ teaspoon pepper, stir 1 to 2 min.
Add halved cherry/grape tomatoes. Cook 3 to 4 min, add water, chicken bouillon, ½ teaspoon lemon zest, lemon juice, honey, and 2 tablespoon cilantro. Bring to a gentle simmer. Taste and adjust seasoning.
Place seared haddock in the sauce and spoon sauce with tomatoes over the tops. Reduce heat to very low, cover, and cook 4 to 7 min (depending on thickness) until fish flakes. Turn off heat, keep covered, and rest 1 min. Sprinkle with remaining 1 tablespoon cilantro and ¼ teaspoon lemon zest, and dish out in deep plates.
Top tips
- Frozen haddock fillets come in all kinds of thicknesses and lengths, sometimes kind of awkward-shaped (check out my quirky fillets in the process shots above). None of that matters as long as you are careful with the cooking time. I’ve included time ranges on the recipe card below to help avoid over- or undercooking.
- If you like the sauce a little thicker, let it cook a bit longer before you add the fish, and for a thinner consistency, pour in a few extra tablespoons of water. Oh, and don't reduce it down too much or it’ll end up salty.
- This recipe is easy and simple, but not exactly hands-off. If you want the best results, keep an eye.
Serving ideas
My favorite way to serve this fish is over a bed of buttered basmati rice, or chicken-flavored rice. Make sure the rice is cooked and ready before the fish is done. Always better to reheat the rice vs. reheating the fish.
I also love dunking some crusty bread in the sauce. If using pasta, toss it in a bit of the sauce so it soaks up the flavor. Sautéed veggies, corn on the cob, or potatoes (mashed or air-fried) all pair really well.
This saucy, tomatoey haddock recipe is one you’ll want to save for your fish repertoire. It's healthy, has simple flavors, plus a surprisingly refreshing taste. I hope you give it a try, and if you do, please circle back to leave your rating and review.
Happy cooking – Nelo
Haddock in Tomato Sauce
Ingredients
- 12 ounces (340 g) skinless haddock fillets - cut longer fillets into halves (Note A)
- ¾ teaspoon salt - divided
- ½ teaspoon black pepper - divided, freshly cracked
- 2.5 tablespoons neutral cooking oil - divided
- 1 small (80 g) onion - finely chopped
- 3 cloves garlic - finely minced, I use garlic press
- ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes - adjust quantity to spice preference (Note B)
- 1 pinch dried oregano
- 8 ounces (230 g) red cherry or grape tomatoes - cut into halves
- 1 cup (240 ml) water
- ¼ piece of chicken bouillon cube - or use ¼ teaspoon of chicken base or granulated bouillon
- ¾ teaspoon lemon zest - divided, measure lightly without pressing into the spoon
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice - fresh, not bottled
- ½ teaspoon honey
- 3 tablespoons finely chopped cilantro - divided, parsley also works
Instructions
- Have all ingredients prepped and ready before you start cooking. Tip: Use the checkboxes next to each ingredient to track your prep.
- Pat the haddock fillets dry with a paper towel. Mix ½ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon black pepper, and season both sides of the fillets with it.
- Heat 1 tablespoon of cooking oil in a wide non-stick skillet or pan over medium-high heat. Place the fish in the pan, sear for 35 to 45 seconds per side if the fillets are thin, or 1 minute per side for fillets that are around 1 inch thick. Remove from the skillet and set aside.
- In a wide sauté pan, heat the remaining 1.5 tablespoons oil over medium heat. Add chopped onion and remaining ¼ teaspoon salt. Cook 4 to 5 minutes or until soft and translucent.
- Add minced garlic, crushed red pepper flakes, oregano, and remaining ¼ teaspoon black pepper. Stir 1 to 2 minutes.
- Next, add halved cherry or grape tomatoes, stir and cook 3 to 4 minutes, or until a few of them release some juice.
- Add water, chicken bouillon (cube/base/granules), ½ teaspoon lemon zest, lemon juice, honey, and 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro. Bring to a gentle simmer. Taste the sauce, and if you'd like a bit of kick, add some more red pepper flakes.
- Carefully place the seared haddock fillets into the sauce. Spoon some sauce and tomatoes over the fish tops. Reduce the heat to very low, cover, and cook 4 to 7 minutes (depending on fillet thickness) or until the fish flakes with a fork.
- Turn off the heat, keep the pan covered, let the fish rest for 1 minute.
- Sprinkle the remaining 1 tablespoon of chopped cilantro and ¼ teaspoon lemon zest.
- Dish out the haddock into deep plates, spoon sauce and tomatoes over, and serve immediately with rice, potatoes, crusty bread or pasta. If you try this recipe, I'd love to hear how it turned out in your kitchen. Leave your rating and comment below.
Deb E. says
Maybe a little less water and hot pepper flakes, but otherwise this is a keeper. the fish is so flaky and delicate. I will definitely make it again.
Nelo Samad says
So glad you enjoyed it, Deb, and even happier it earned a repeat!