Quick Summary: Flaky white fish in a savory sauce of olives, capers, tomatoes, and dry sherry. A classic dish from the coastal Mexican state of Veracruz that bridges Mediterranean and Mexican cuisines. Works with frozen or fresh fish, with red snapper being the traditional choice. Prep: 20 min | Cook: 20 min | Serves: 4
Jump to: RECIPE | Recipe Ingredients | Best Fish for Veracruz | Flavor | Illustrated Step-by-Step | FAQ
This elegant, but extremely simple low-carb fish dinner blends a Mediterranean-style sauce with the abundant seafood found in the coastal Mexican state of Veracruz. The sauce is the star of this dish, made with lightly simmered onions, tomatoes, olives, capers, and a little dry sherry or white wine. I made it with frozen cod, but red snapper is the traditional choice for Seafood Veracruz.
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What Goes into a Veracruz Sauce?
The sauce for Fish Veracruz is one of the few sauces paired with Mexican cuisine that doesn’t call for chile peppers, although pickled jalapeños are frequently seen in a Veracruz sauce.
Tip: I added a little smoked chile spice blend, which complemented the full flavors of the olives, capers, and tomatoes, adding complexity to the dish.
For a Mexican mother sauce that is more chile-forward, try this popular Chile Verde sauce.
Golden raisins are sometimes added to a Veracruz sauce to cut the acidity and add a little sweetness. Raisins are quite high in sugar so I left them out, as I prefer to minimize sugar while following the Pesco Mediterranean lifestyle.
Here are the ingredients used in the recipe below, with ideas for substitutions following the photo:
What Fish Works Best for Seafood Veracruz?
Almost any white fish can be used in this dish. I used frozen cod, as I live in Minnesota which is a landlocked state. Other fish (fresh or frozen) that work well with Veracruz include:
- Tilapia
- Red snapper
- Halibut
- Barramundi
- Flounder
- Catfish
- Wahoo
What Makes Fish Veracruz So Flavorful?
The standout flavor of this dish comes from combining the mild flavor of tender, flaky white fish with the robust flavors of olives and briny capers. I added red peppers to my version because I wanted to add a few more nutrients, but this is not a typical variation.
Here are a few other things that make this dish exceptional:
- It is made with dry sherry rather than white wine for a bit more acidity.
- It is a truly easy dish with very little chopping, no lengthy cooking, and stirring and easy-to-find ingredients. It is one of those recipes that actually does come together in under 30 minutes.
- It’s low-carb and packed with nutrients.
- It can be a casual weeknight dinner or an elegant dinner for entertaining.
- Finally, the Fish Veracruz sauce is versatile and great to pair the next day with another seafood protein like scallops, salmon, or mussels.
I also added a bit of chile spice I had on hand. I chose a mild smoked ancho/pasilla blend and it was perfect.
Fish Veracruz ends up being a delicious blend of Old World and New World ingredients!
For another classic Mexican fish stew recipe that makes great use of frozen fish, try this Mexican Fish Stew. While tuna is not mentioned above as a favored fish for Veracruz, this Tuna with Balsamic Vinegar recipe incorporates similar bold flavors as the Veracruz.
How to Make Fish Veracruz (Step by Step)
Here are the steps lined out with photos. For the details of the recipe itself, see the recipe card below.
FAQ
Any flaky white fish works. Cod, tilapia, snapper, halibut, flounder, and barramundi are all good choices. Red snapper is traditional.
Yes. Thaw completely and pat dry before cooking. Frozen cod works well.
It’s one of the few Mexican sauces that doesn’t use chile peppers. The flavor comes from olives, capers, and tomatoes, reflecting the Mediterranean influence on coastal Veracruz.
Yes. The sauce keeps refrigerated for 2-3 days. Reheat and add fresh fish when ready to serve.
Yes. The dish is naturally low carb and fits slow carb and Pesco Mediterranean eating styles.
If you enjoy all types of Mexican food, check out this category of ALL Mexican recipes, where you will find over 40 Mexican recipes, from casual, to low carb, to fancy.
Fish Veracruz
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 onion thinly sliced
- 1 cup chopped red bell pepper
- 2-3 cloves garlic minced (can use garlic from a jar)
- 1 teaspoon cumin ground (boost the flavor by toasting the seeds first and then grinding)
- 1 teaspoon mild smoky chile spice (I used an ancho/pasilla blend)
- ½ teaspoon Mexican oregano
- 1 cup pitted green olives pitted and sliced in half
- 2 tablespoon capers
- ½ cup dry sherry (alternatively can use white wine)
- 14 ounce diced tomatoes you can use caned diced tomatoes or fresh tomatoes
- 2 pounds cod fillets other white fish or red snapper can be used instead
- salt & pepper to taste
- 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
- parsley optional- for garnish
Instructions
- Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium high. Add the onions and peppers and saute until onions are caramelized (about 7-10 minutes).2 tablespoons olive oil, 1 onion, 1 cup chopped red bell pepper
- Add the garlic and saute with the onion mix for about 30 seconds. Then add the spices, olives, capers, sherry, and tomatoes and simmer over medium to low heat about 15-20 minutes.2-3 cloves garlic, 1 teaspoon cumin, 1 teaspoon mild smoky chile spice, 1/2 teaspoon Mexican oregano, 1 cup pitted green olives, 2 tablespoon capers, 1/2 cup dry sherry, 14 ounce diced tomatoes
- Salt and pepper the cod filets and nestle them into the skillet. Spoon some of the sauce over the filets, cover the skillet and raise the heat a bit to medium-low. Cook for 7-10 minutes or until the fish flakes apart easily.2 pounds cod fillets
- Squeeze lime juice over the fish and serve. Garnish with parsley if desired.salt & pepper, 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice, parsley
This was easy and delicious. Thanks!
Thanks for commenting Beth, and happy to hear it worked out. Now I need to get to work on redoing some of those quick bread recipes!
Is there a by chance a modification to make this in the oven? I’ll be making dinner for 10-12 people, and I think that trying to make this in multiple skillets wouldn’t work so well.
I hesitate to say yes because I haven’t tested it that way. Maybe someone else could chime in if they know.
Easy and delicious! Didn’t have cod so subbed defrosted, raw, peeled + deveined shrimp, and it was wonderful. Looking forward to trying with cod, as that texture is probably optimal for this recipe. Definitely putting this in our dinner recipes rotation!!
Thank you for commenting and letting me know Michelle. It’s one of my favorites for sure!
Outstanding flavor and easy preparation. Would be great for company; prepare sauce ahead of time, add cod just before serving, and I’m sure you will get raves.
I only cooked cod about five minutes until it flaked and garnished with cilantro because I didn’t have parsley. Looking forward to making recipe again soon!
Thank you so much for your comments and noting the substitutions you used. It is really helpful to others (and to me). So glad you found it tasty and easy….two of my favorite things!
Can I make this recipe with haddock?
How can I make it less caloric?
Hi Ginny, Yes you can make this recipe with haddock. Haddock is less firm than cod or red snapper, so it might not hold up quite as well in a stew. I would back off a bit on the cooking time. Haddock is slightly more sweet in flavor, but not enough to change the robust flavor profile of the Veracruz. Re calorie count, the olives are the main ingredient that takes the calorie count up. You could make it without the olives and maybe add more capers. Hope that helps.