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: 10 min | Cook: 30 min | Serves: 4
Jump to: RECIPE | What is in the Veracruz Sauce? | Best Fish for Veracruz | What Makes Veracruz Sauce Different? | Step-by-Step Directions | More Mexican Fish Recipes | 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.
In Mexico it is called pescado a la veracruzana, and you will also see it spelled Vera Cruz.
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.
This post may contain affiliate links, and you can read our disclosure information here–
What Is Veracruz Sauce Made Of?
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.
I added a teaspoon of my own mild smoked ancho and pasilla blend, which I sell at the St. Paul Farmers’ Market. If you don’t live nearby, this smoked chile blend is a good substitute, or you can smoke and dry your own chile peppers at home.
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.
Here are the ingredients used in the recipe below, with ideas for substitutions following the photo:
Best Fish for Veracruz: Cod, Snapper and Other White Fish
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
- Haddock
- Shrimp
For 40+ more tested recipes, from quick weeknight fish dinners to holiday seafood entertaining, browse the full fish and seafood recipe collection.
What Makes This Veracruz Sauce Different
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 deeper, slightly nutty flavor.
- 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.
I break down the heat levels and flavor profiles of each dried pepper in my Mexican chile pepper reference, including the ones I grow and smoke at Heathglen Farm
Fish Veracruz ends up being a delicious blend of Old World and New World ingredients!
More Mexican Fish Recipes
For another classic Mexican fish stew recipe that makes great use of frozen fish, try this Mexican Fish Stew.
A couple of other Mexican-style fish recipes that I would suggest adding to your rotation for easy weeknight fish dinners include this Mexican-spiced salmon recipe or this recipe for Baja Style Fish Tacos.
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.
It isn’t built on dried chiles. The flavor comes from olives, capers, and tomatoes, which reflects the Spanish influence on coastal Veracruz. Any heat comes from a few pickled jalapeños.
Fish Veracruz, or pescado a la veracruzana, is white fish simmered in a sauce of tomatoes, onions, green olives, and capers. It comes from the Gulf Coast state of Veracruz and is traditionally made with whole red snapper.
I make it on the stovetop, but baking works well for a crowd. Make the sauce in a skillet, pour it over the fish in a baking dish, and bake at 400°F for 15 to 20 minutes, until the fish flakes easily.
White rice is traditional, along with warm tortillas to scoop up the sauce. For slow carb, serve it over black beans. Here is the full slow carb food list.
Cod Veracruz (Pescado a la Veracruzana)
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 onion thinly sliced
- 1 cup chopped red bell pepper
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon mild smoky chile spice
- ½ teaspoon Mexican oregano
- 1 cup pitted green olives sliced in half
- 2 tablespoon capers
- ½ cup dry sherry
- 14 ounces diced tomatoes
- 2 pounds cod fillets
- salt & pepper to taste
- 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
- parsley
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 sauté 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 minutes.3 cloves garlic, 1 teaspoon ground 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 ounces 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 5 minutes or until the fish flakes apart easily or until it reaches 145°F.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
Video
Notes
- you can use garlic from a jar
- boost the flavor by toasting the spices
- white wine can substitute for the dry sherry
- other white fish or red snapper can be used interchangeably
- Clean versions: “3 cloves garlic,” “1 teaspoon ground cumin,” “1 cup pitted green olives,” “½ cup dry sherry,” “14 ounces diced tomatoes,” “2 pounds cod fillets.”
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.
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!
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!
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.
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!