Tomato Poached Fish with Crispy Shallots + Chili

This tomato poached fish recipe with crispy shallots will quickly become your favorite fish recipe! Served on a bed of brothy couscous.

I recently discovered Alison Roman and have become obsessed with her recipes. First I made her famous Stew recipe. And then I made it again that same week because it was so good.

Next I tried out a delicious salmon recipe with soy sauce & scallions from her new cookbook, Nothing Fancy. Then, her “Stew Two” recipe featuring spicy white beans and broccoli rabe. Which, once again was amazing.

And then, when I didn’t think her recipes could get any better, I tried this one – Tomato Poached Fish with Chile Oil & Herbs.

O.M.G.

I made this recipe three times in one week. 

And today, I’m sharing this amazing, easy poached fish recipe with you, with a few tweaks that I made along the way.

Changes I made to her original recipe:

• Used additional oil while crisping up the shallots and garlic so that there was extra to drizzle over the cooked fish at the end. I also found that it took longer to brown the shallots and garlic than the original recipe stated.
• Swapped in aleppo pepper for the red pepper flakes to add a bit more sweetness and extra level of flavor.
• Omitted the mint and cut back on the amount of cilantro used for topping the cooked fish.
• Used chicken stock in place of water when making the sauce to add in some extra flavor.
• Served it all up on a bed of couscous. I found it to be the perfect serving vehicle that soaks up all that yummy tomato broth.

Ingredients needed

• Fish – I used cod. However, you can also use salmon, flounder, tilapia or halibut.
• Olive Oil
• Garlic + Shallot
• Aleppo Pepper Flakes – Or, red pepper flakes. This is opitonal
• Cherry Tomatoes
• Chicken Broth – Or, bone broth.
• Fish Sauce
• Cilantro
• Limes
• Salt + Pepper

How to make tomato poached fish

• Heat olive oil in a large skillet.
• Add garlic and shallots and cook until golden, 10-12 minutes.
• Add red-pepper flakes and cook for a few seconds. Remove the garlic-chili oil to a small bowl.

• Add a bit of the chili oil to a skillet and cook the tomatoes until saucy, 5-6 minutes.
• Add fish sauce and chicken broth. Cook 3-5 minutes, until thickened.

• Season the fish with salt and pepper and place in the sauce. Cover and cook until the fish is cooked through, about 6 minutes.

• Serve over couscous and drizzle with the chili oil and crispy shallots. Squeeze lime over the top and sprinkle with cilantro. Enjoy!

Poaching Fish FAQs

Wine pairings

• Sauvignon Blanc has a good acidity to it that will stand up to the tomatoes. Pinot Gris is a another white wine option.
• Rosé
• Good red wine options are Pinot Noir and Zinfandel.
• More → 8 BEST wine pairings with fish.

More healthy seafood recipes

• Sheet Pan Miso Salmon and Vegetables
• Seafood Paella Recipe with Saffron Aioli
• Mussels Marinara Recipe {Quick + Easy}
• Shrimp Fra Diavolo
• Squid Ink Pasta with Shrimp & Cherry Tomatoes
• Salmon with Ginger Sauce (Sheet Pan Dinner)
• 5-Ingredient Sheet Pan Salmon
• Grilled Swordfish with Tangy Rosé Wine Mayonnaise
• Fish Taco Bowls with Avocado Crema

Did you try this poached fish in tomato sauce?

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Tomato Poached Fish

Poached Fish in Tomato Sauce with crispy shallots & chili will quickly become your favorite fish recipe! Served on a bed of brothy couscous.

5 from 7 votes

Print Pin

Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 25 minutes minutes

0 minutes minutes

Total Time: 35 minutes minutes

Servings: 4 people

Created by Platings and Pairings

1x2x3x

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 4 garlic cloves (thinly sliced)
• 1 large shallot (thinly sliced into rings)
• 1/2 teaspoon Aleppo pepper or red pepper flakes (optional)
• 1 pound cherry tomatoes (halved)
• Salt and pepper (to taste)
• 1 ½ cups chicken broth
• 1 ½ teaspoons fish sauce
• 1 ¼ pounds cod (cut into 4 equal pieces (salmon, flounder, tilapia and halibut also work))
• ½ cup cilantro leaves
• 2 limes (halved)

Couscous:

• 2 cups israeli couscous
• 2 Tablespoons olive oil
• 2 ¼ cups chicken broth

Instructions

• Heat ⅓ cup olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add garlic and shallots and cook, stirring occasionally until they become golden, 10-12 minutes. Add red-pepper flakes and cook for a few seconds. Remove the oil to a small bowl.
• Meanwhile, heat 2 Tablespoons olive oil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the couscous and cook, stirring, until toasted and light golden brown, about 7 minutes. Add the broth, season with salt and pepper, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer, cover, and cook until the liquid is absorbed, about 10 minutes. Set aside until ready to serve.
• Using the same skillet that you made the shallot oil in, add 1 TBSP of the reserved shallot oil and the tomatoes to the skillet and season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until they become saucy, 5-6 minutes.
• Add fish sauce and chicken broth. Cook 3 – 5 minutes, until the sauce thickens slightly. Season with salt and pepper.
• Season the fish with salt and pepper and place the pieces in the sauce. Cover the skillet, reduce heat to medium-low, and cook until the fish is opaque and just cooked through, about 6 minutes, flipping halfway through. Note: Thinner pieces of fish like tilapia or flounder will take less time.
• To serve, divide couscous between four bowls. Place a piece of fish on each and spoon over the tomato broth mixture. Sprinkle on the crispy shallots and garlic and drizzle with the chile oil. Squeeze half a lime over each bowl and sprinkle with cilantro. Enjoy!

Did you make this recipe?Mention @platingsandpairings or tag #platingsandpairings!

Equipment

Skillet

Large Saucepan

Nutrition

Calories: 791kcal | Carbohydrates: 78g | Protein: 39g | Fat: 36g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Cholesterol: 61mg | Sodium: 1088mg | Potassium: 1228mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 837IU | Vitamin C: 54mg | Calcium: 85mg | Iron: 3mg

This recipe was originally published in 2020. It was updated in 2024 to add new photographs. The tomato poached fish recipe remains the same. Enjoy!