Baked coley coated with egg yolk, garlic and paprika, served with sautéed zucchini: a low-carb dinner.
Paprika gives the fillets a golden hue, while the garlic mellows as it cooks with the zucchini. The fish breaks into tender flakes under your fork, beneath a thin, fragrant layer of set egg, and the zucchini becomes meltingly tender, with occasional golden edges. A simple yet thoughtfully prepared weeknight dinner with few ingredients, low in carbs and full of enough character to keep you coming back. This recipe joins my collection of keto main dishes.
What is baked white fish?
A fillet of white-fleshed fish gently cooked in the oven. Here, frozen coley is placed in a buttered baking dish and covered with a mixture of egg yolks, crushed garlic, paprika and a dried herb, served with zucchini sautéed over medium heat until tender.
The distinctive touch is the egg yolk coating: the yolks bind the seasonings together, then set in the oven to form a seasoned layer over the fish. Some of the butter is used to grease the dish, while the rest enriches the surface of the fillets. Paprika adds an amber hue and gentle warmth, garlic adds depth; oregano brings a herbal note, while rosemary offers a more pronounced aroma. Aim for opaque, pearly flesh that flakes easily, with zucchini that is tender rather than crisp.
Origins of the dish
This is an everyday dish for a weeknight dinner, bringing together familiar ingredients: baked white fish, sautéed zucchini and garlic for both. This version stands out for its coating of egg yolk, paprika, garlic and dried herb over frozen coley fillets, straightforward and without breading. In France, frozen coley is available in supermarkets; paprika, oregano and rosemary are pantry staples. Mild olive oil or high-oleic sunflower oil works well for cooking the zucchini over moderate heat.
The main ingredients
The two coley fillets form the base: their delicate flavor pairs well with garlic, paprika and herbs without being overwhelmed. Baked from frozen, they may release a little water, but can still stay moist if you check the thickest part toward the end of cooking. For another way to cook fish just right, air fryer fish fillets follow the same principle. One tablespoon of butter adds a mellow dairy richness, with some used for the dish and the rest spread over the fillets.
Salt is added before the egg yolk mixture to bring out the flavor of the fish. The two yolks, beaten with the crushed garlic, paprika and herb, form the golden coating. Garlic is used in both components, with two cloves for the fish and two for the zucchini, tying the flavors together. A teaspoon of paprika adds color and sweetness. Oregano brings a fresh herbal note, while rosemary adds a woody aroma. The 300 g of zucchini, cut into evenly sized pieces, cook more uniformly and release some of their water; a wide pan helps it evaporate.
Cooking, texture and serving
At 180 °C, frozen coley fillets take around 30 minutes. Check the center of the thickest part: the flesh should be opaque, hot all the way through and flake easily. The paprika-colored surface may look cooked before the fish is done; the coating should be set, but color alone is not a reliable guide to doneness. Cook the zucchini for around 20 minutes over moderate heat, as crushed garlic and dried herbs brown quickly; aim for tender pieces that still hold their shape, with some golden patches.
To serve, arrange the zucchini beside the fillets to keep the egg coating intact. A little liquid in the dish is normal when using frozen fish; serve carefully for a neat presentation. For a keto meal, serve the fish with the zucchini as specified: 5 g of net carbs per serving, with no additional side dish. Rice or Portuguese-style smashed potatoes, batatas a murro, add considerably more carbohydrates and are best reserved for a non-keto meal.
For everyday keto cooking, browse all my low-carb recipes.
Baked White Fish with Sautéed Zucchini
Ingredients
- 2 pollock fillets frozen
- 1 tablespoon butter (from grass-fed cows)
- 2 egg yolks
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon oregano dried, low in histamine, or 1 teaspoon of rosemary (dried), low in histamine and oxalates
- salt
For the zucchini
- 300 g zucchini
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1 teaspoon oregano dried, low in histamine, or 1 teaspoon of rosemary (dried), low in histamine and oxalates
- 1 tablespoon avocado oil, mild olive oil or high-oleic sunflower oil
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 180 degrees. Crush the garlic. Separate the egg white from the yolk and set the yolk aside. Do not use the white. Beat the yolk with the paprika, oregano/rosemary and garlic.2 egg yolks, 2 cloves garlic, 1 teaspoon paprika, 1 teaspoon oregano
- Use half the butter to grease the bottom of the baking dish. Take the fillets out of the freezer and place them in the dish. Spread the remaining butter over them. Sprinkle the fillets with salt. Spread the egg mixture over the fillets. Bake for half an hour.2 pollock fillets, 1 tablespoon butter (from grass-fed cows), salt
- Wash the zucchini and cut it into pieces. Heat the oil in the frying pan and add the zucchini. Do not set the heat too high, as the zucchini can burn quickly. Crush the garlic and add it. Add the herbs. Cook for about 20 minutes.300 g zucchini, 1 tablespoon avocado oil, mild olive oil or high-oleic sunflower oil, 2 cloves garlic, 1 teaspoon oregano
