Pescado a la Veracruzana (Veracruz Style Fish) 🐟 is a classic Mexican seafood dish made with fish simmered in a tomato sauce with olives, capers, garlic, and chile. It’s bright, savory, and easy to make in one pan.
Once when I lived in Tabasco, Mexico, my friend Esme wanted to take a road trip to Veracruz. We jumped into her old, beat-up truck and started the 5-hour drive. There was no AC, and despite the intense heat and humidity, we rolled the windows down.
After a few hours, we were drenched in sweat and gulping water by the gallon. Then Esme pulled over and said she couldn’t drive anymore. Heat exhaustion had kicked in, and she was about to pass out.
The problem? I didn’t know how to drive stick shift! I got behind the wheel. Clunk… the engine shut off. Clunk… clunk… it turned off again. On the third try, somehow, it started going. I drove us to the nearest village where we could recover.
Whenever I make Pescado a la Veracruzana, I vividly remember that road trip and the day I learned to drive stick shift.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe ❤️
- Bright and flavorful: The tomato sauce gets plenty of flavor from olives, capers, garlic, oregano, and pickled jalapeños.
- Easy to make: Everything cooks in one pan, including the fish.
- Great for busy nights: The fish cooks quickly once the sauce is ready.
- A Mexican classic: Pescado a la Veracruzana is a traditional Veracruz-style dish with a delicious mix of Mexican and Mediterranean influences.
-Maggie
👩🏼🍳 How to Make Pescado a la Veracruzana
Making the sauce
- Heat the olive oil in a large pan.
- Add the onion and garlic.
- Stir for one minute.
- Add the tomatoes.
- Mash the tomatoes using a potato masher. If using canned tomatoes, skip this step.
I’m using fresh tomatoes because they were on sale. Gotta save my pesos whenever I can.
You can also use a can of stewed tomatoes to make Pescado a la Veracruzana (or Fish Veracruz).
The Name Game: You may hear this dish called Pescado a la Veracruzana, Pescado Veracruz, Pescado Veracruzano, or Fish Veracruz. I grew up calling it Pescado a la Veracruzana, so that’s the name I’m using here.
You must understand that we have a lot of different names for things in Spanish. Mexicans like nicknames. Everyone has a nickname. LOL.
- Add pickled jalapeños, oregano, bay leaf, olives, and capers.
- Let everything simmer for 2 minutes.
- If the sauce becomes too thick, add a splash of water to thin it out.
🌶️ Chile Güero vs. Pickled Jalapeño
Chile güero is a milder chile and not very spicy. Chile güero is traditionally used in Fish Veracruz.
I sometimes have a hard time finding it. To substitute chile güero, use pickled jalapeño instead. The dish comes out just as tasty.
🫒 A Note About the Olives
Use pitted olives so you don’t have to worry about olive pits at the table. I like using pimento-stuffed olives, but any pitted green olives will work. Also go easy on the salt because the olives and capers already add plenty of salt to the sauce.
Add the Fish
- Season the fish with salt and pepper.
- Lay the fish on top of the tomato sauce.
- Spoon some of the sauce over the fish.
- Cover and cook on medium-low until the fish is fully cooked.
- About 5 minutes, or until the fish is cooked through.
- Serve and enjoy.
📚 Origins of Pescado a la Veracruzana
Pescado a la Veracruzana comes from Veracruz on Mexico’s Gulf Coast and reflects the mix of Indigenous Mexican and Spanish influences found in Veracruz cuisine.
The Old World brought ingredients like olives and capers, while the New World contributed tomatoes and chiles. Put them together with fish, and you get the bright, savory tomato sauce that makes Veracruz-style fish so distinctive.
When you see a dish described as Veracruz-style, it often refers to this combination of tomatoes, olives, and capers.
🙋🏻♀️ Frequently Asked Questions
A firm white fish works well, including tilapia, cod, red snapper, and sea bass. Red snapper is traditionally used, but tilapia is an easy and affordable option. I do not recommend using an oily fish like salmon.
Yes. Thaw the fish completely and pat it dry before cooking. Frozen tilapia works well in this recipe.
Pescado a la Veracruzana is fish cooked in a tomato-based sauce with olives, capers, garlic, onion, oregano, and chile. The combination of tomatoes, olives, and capers is what gives the dish its distinctive Veracruz-style flavor.
It has a mild to moderate amount of heat. This recipe uses pickled jalapeños, but you can adjust the amount to your taste. Chile güero is another traditional option and is milder than jalapeño.
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3–4 days. Reheat gently on the stove or in the microwave.
🍴 Serve With
The combination of tender fish, tomatoes, olives, and capers makes this one of my favorite Mexican seafood dishes.
It is a favorite during Lent with just the right amount of spice. It’s also my husband’s favorite Mexican seafood dish, so this is one we make often in our house.
Serve with a side of rice, veggies, and lime wedges. Enjoy!
Pescado a la Veracruzana (Veracruz-Style Fish)
Ingredients
- 2 tbsps olive oil
- ¼ onion finely diced
- 2 garlic clove finely diced
- 4 Roma tomatoes diced (or 1 can stewed tomatoes)
- 4 pickled jalapeño finely diced
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 bay leaf
- ½ cup olives sliced
- 2 tbsps capers drained
- 4 tilapia fillets
- salt and pepper
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil in a large pan.
- Add the onion and garlic.
- Stir for one minute.
- Add the tomatoes.
- Mash the tomatoes using a potato masher. If using canned tomatoes, skip this step.
- Add pickled jalapeños, oregano, bay leaf, olives, and capers.
- Let everything simmer for 2 minutes.
- If the sauce becomes too thick, add a splash of water to thin it out.
- Season the fish with salt and pepper.
- Lay the fish on top of the tomato sauce.
- Spoon some of the sauce over the fish.
- Cover and cook over medium-low heat for about 5 minutes, or until the fish is cooked through.
- Serve and enjoy.
Delicious ! And so easy !
That’s the best combo! Thank you.
Simple easy and very delicious.
Glad you liked it! Thanks for your comment.
OH goodness you didn’t use that awful farmed tilapia junk…oh you did. Do yourself a favor, buy some mahi mahi and do it again.
I think it depends on budget. If you can’t afford mahi mahi or an expensive cut of fish, try it with tilapia. It will taste just fine.
This recipe sounds amazingly delicious and healthy. Cannot wait to try it out
It really is. Hope you try it!
Oh my yum! What a flavor bomb of light flaky fish with that spicy special sauce!
This recipe is do yummy. Hope you try it!
You never failed to make my tummy growl, Maggie! This Pescado a la Veracruzana is delicious!
Thank you very much hope you try this recipe!
Wonderful combination of flavors!
Really flavorful! Hope you try this recipe.