Pistachio-Za’atar Crusted Sea Bass with Feta Potatoes and Orange Slaw

This Mediterranean-inspired sheet pan dinner brings together flaky sea bass, a crunchy pistachio-za’atar crust and roasted fingerling potatoes tossed with feta and fresh herbs. A bright orange-dill slaw and tangy sumac sauce complete the dish, making it perfect for a special weeknight meal or entertaining guests.

The secret to the crispy crust is a mixture of melted butter, chopped pistachios, panko and za’atar, pressed onto sour cream-coated fillets. As the fish roasts, the crust turns golden while the potatoes become tender and browned. Toss the potatoes with feta, parsley and dill, then serve alongside the slaw and a drizzle of creamy sumac sauce for a balanced, flavorful plate.

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Ingredients

4.5 tablespoon Sour CreamView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

0.5 cup Feta CheeseView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

0.5 ounce PistachiosView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

0.5 unit LemonView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 teaspoon SumacView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

12 ounce Fingerling PotatoesView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

0.25 cup Panko BreadcrumbsView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

20 ounce Chilean Sea BassView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 unit OrangeView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

0.25 ounce ParsleyView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

4 ounce Coleslaw MixView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

2 teaspoon Garlic PowderView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

0.25 ounce DillView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 tablespoon Za'atar SpiceView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

2 tablespoon (tbsp) ButterView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

5 teaspoon (tsp) Olive OilView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

teaspoon (tsp) Black PepperView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

0.5 teaspoon (tsp) SugarView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

2 teaspoon (tsp) Cooking OilView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

teaspoon (tsp) SaltView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

Instructions

1. Adjust rack to top position and preheat oven to 425°F. Wash and dry produce. Halve potatoes lengthwise. Roughly chop pistachios. Zest and quarter lemon. Zest orange, then remove peel from flesh; dice flesh into ½-inch pieces. Roughly chop parsley. Pick and roughly chop fronds from dill.
2. Toss potatoes on one side of a baking sheet with a large drizzle of oil, half the garlic powder, half the Za’atar Spice, salt and pepper. Roast on top rack for 12 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, place 2 TBSP butter in a medium microwave-safe bowl. Microwave until melted, 30 seconds. Let cool slightly; stir in pistachios, panko, remaining Za’atar Spice, salt and pepper.
4. Pat sea bass dry with paper towels; season with salt and pepper. Evenly spread tops with a thin layer of sour cream; mound with pistachio mixture, pressing firmly to adhere.
5. Once potatoes have roasted 12 minutes, remove sheet from oven; lightly oil opposite side of sheet and carefully add fish, skin sides down. Return to top rack and roast until crust is golden brown and fish is cooked through, 10-14 minutes. (If fish pieces are different sizes, remove smaller piece earlier.)
6. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine lemon zest, half the sumac and remaining sour cream. Add water 1 tsp at a time until mixture reaches a drizzling consistency. Season with salt and pepper.
7. In a second medium bowl, whisk together juice from half the lemon, remaining garlic powder, remaining sumac, 1 TBSP olive oil, ½ tsp sugar, salt and pepper. Add coleslaw mix, diced orange, half the parsley and half the dill. Toss to evenly coat; refrigerate until ready to serve.
8. Once potatoes are done, carefully transfer to a third medium bowl. Add a large drizzle of olive oil, feta, remaining parsley and remaining dill; stir to combine.
9. Top sea bass with orange zest. Divide sea bass, slaw (draining first) and feta potatoes between plates. Drizzle sumac sauce over fish. Serve with any remaining lemon wedges on the side.

Recipe Tips

FAQ

Can I use a different type of fish?

Yes, you can substitute another firm white fish like cod or halibut. Adjust cooking time as needed.

Can I make this recipe dairy-free?

You can use dairy-free sour cream and omit the feta or use a vegan feta alternative. The butter can be replaced with a plant-based butter or oil.

How do I store leftovers?

Store components separately in airtight containers in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. Reheat the fish and potatoes gently in the oven or toaster oven to preserve the crust.