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Overview

Argentine Baked Hake

Merluza al Horno, Baked Hake with Potatoes and Tomato

This argentine baked hake recipe (merluza al horno) bakes hake fillets on a bed of potatoes, tomato, onion and red pepper with white wine and paprika. One serving is about 440 g.

Merluza — hake — is Argentina's most-eaten fish, caught in the cold South Atlantic and sold in every fishmonger from Buenos Aires to Mar del Plata. Baked on a tray of potatoes, tomato, onion and peppers with white wine, merluza al horno is the weeknight fish dinner of Argentine homes: one tray, little fuss, and the pan juices do the saucing. It is a different dish from Spain's merluza en salsa verde, where the hake is poached in a parsley sauce with clams — here the oven does the work.

Pairs well with: Crusty bread and a simple green salad

Provenance

Argentina flag Argentina

Argentine Heritage

Latin America & Caribbean

Time Dedication

1h 5m

20m prep • 45m cook

Batch Yield

4 Servings

379 kcal per serving

1 serving ≈ 440 g

Technical Skill

Easy

Easy (One Tray)

Meal Timing & Digestive Fit

Breakfast

Not Advised

Lunch

Hearty Midday Main

Dinner

Ideal Hearty Main

Snack & Tea

Inappropriate

High Protein Occasions: Family dinners, weeknight fish suppers, Lenten meals, coastal dinners Cost: Moderate — about $4–5 per serving at home
Tags: Fish Savory High-protein Baked
Baked hake fillet with flaky white flesh on a bed of diced tomato, with potato slices on a white plate

Argentine Heritage

Photo: juantiagues, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Flickr

The Heritage Formulary

Measured Ingredients

Estimated cost: Moderate — about $4–5 per serving at home (USD)

Made the Argentine way: hake baked in one tray over potatoes, tomato, onion and peppers with white wine.

Execution Methodology & Culinary Technique

Step-by-Step Cooking Guide

Active 1h 5m
P

Prep Stage: Slice the Vegetables and Season the Fish

20 Mins • Slicing & Seasoning

Slice the potatoes thin so they cook through in the tray, and slice the onion, pepper and garlic. Dice the tomatoes, squeeze the lemon, and season the hake fillets with salt, pepper and half the paprika. Heat the oven to 200°C (400°F) and oil a large baking dish.

Maestro Tip: Thin potato slices are the whole trick — thick ones stay hard while the fish overcooks.

  1. 1

    Heat the Oven and Slice the Vegetables

    10 Mins 200°C (400°F)

    Heat the oven to 200°C (400°F). Peel the potatoes and slice them into 5 mm rounds. Slice the onion and pepper, dice the tomatoes and slice the garlic.

    A mandoline makes quick, even potato slices — watch your fingers.

    Done when: Even slices, ready in neat piles.

  2. 2

    Build the Vegetable Bed

    5 Mins Room temperature, ~22°C (72°F)

    Oil the baking dish with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil. Layer the potato rounds on the bottom, then scatter the onion, pepper, tomato and garlic over them. Season with half the salt and drizzle with 1 more tablespoon of oil.

    Overlapping the potatoes slightly keeps the bed even so the fish sits level.

    Done when: A colourful, even vegetable bed covering the dish.

  3. 3

    Roast the Vegetables

    20 Mins 200°C (400°F)

    Pour the white wine over the vegetables, cover the dish loosely with foil, and roast for 20 minutes until the potatoes are nearly tender when pierced with a knife.

    The foil traps steam so the potatoes cook through instead of drying out.

    Done when: Potatoes nearly tender, vegetables softened and juicy.

  4. 4

    Season and Add the Hake

    5 Mins 200°C (400°F)

    Take the dish out, remove the foil, and lay the hake fillets on top of the vegetables. Brush with the remaining oil, sprinkle with the remaining paprika and salt, and squeeze half the lemon juice over the fish.

    Nestle the fillets into the vegetables so their undersides stay moist.

    Done when: Fillets sitting on the vegetables, glistening with oil and paprika.

  5. 5

    Bake Until Flaky

    15 Mins 200°C (400°F)

    Return the dish to the oven, uncovered, and bake for 12–15 minutes until the hake flakes easily with a fork and the thickest part reaches 63°C (145°F). The potatoes should be golden at the edges.

    Check at 12 minutes — hake dries out fast once it passes flaky.

    Done when: Flesh opaque white and flaking, potatoes golden at the edges.

  6. 6

    Rest and Serve

    5 Mins Hot, ~70°C (158°F)

    Rest for 3 minutes, scatter with parsley and the remaining lemon juice, and serve straight from the dish with lemon wedges.

    A short rest lets the pan juices settle back over the fish.

    Done when: Flaky fish, glossy vegetables, ready to serve.

Finishing Touches & Plating

Spoon the pan juices over the fish and serve straight from the dish, with lemon wedges and crusty bread to mop up the tray.

Nutritional Physiology & Benefits

Nutrition

Energy

379

kcal / serving

Protein

33g

Complete AA

Carbs

29g

Complex

Fats

12g

Healthy

Per serving (4 servings · 1 serving ≈ 440 g)
Energy379 kcal
Protein33 g
Carbohydrates29 g
Fat12 g
Fibre5.0 g
Sugar6.5 g
Sodium542 mg
Per 100g
Energy86 kcal
Protein7.6 g
Carbohydrates6.6 g
Fat2.8 g
Fibre1.1 g
Sugar1.5 g
Sodium123 mg

Nutrition values are estimated — calculated from USDA FoodData Central values for the listed ingredients.

Vitamins & minerals: Vitamin B12 and selenium (hake), vitamin C (peppers, tomato, lemon), potassium (potatoes), vitamin A (tomato, pepper).

Lean Protein, Big Portion

One serving gives about 33 g of protein for 379 kcal — a full, satisfying fish dinner that stays light.

One Tray, Little Washing Up

Potatoes, vegetables and fish all cook in a single dish, and the wine and tomato make their own sauce.

Mediterranean-Style Vegetables

Potato, tomato, pepper and onion bring fibre, potassium and vitamin C to the plate with no extra effort.

Food Pairings

What to Eat With

To optimize nutrient absorption and elevate the sensory depth, pair with these authentic accompaniments:

Sides

Crusty Bread

Bread is made for this tray: it mops up the wine-tomato pan juices that the fish leaves behind.

Vegetables

Simple Green Salad

A lemon-dressed green salad adds crunch and freshness against the soft, roasted vegetables.

Steamed Green Beans

Green beans add a bright, snappy vegetable that the soft tray bake does not have.

Drinks

Dry White Wine

A cold glass of the same dry white wine used in the tray echoes the cooking flavours and suits white fish.

Complete menu

Serve the hake straight from the tray with crusty bread, a green salad and a glass of dry white wine.

Digestive Guardrails

What NOT to Combine

To prevent digestive distress, sluggishness, or palate clash, avoid pairing the dish with these elements:

Do Not Overcook the Hake

Hake dries out quickly past 63°C (145°F) — flaky and just opaque is done, and five extra minutes turns it dry and tough. This is general information, not medical advice.

Watch the Wine if You Avoid Alcohol

Most of the wine's alcohol cooks off in the oven, but not all of it — use fish stock instead if you avoid alcohol entirely. This is general information, not medical advice.

General information only, not medical advice — consult a doctor for personal dietary decisions.

Who Should Eat It

Who Should Eat

  • General adultsA light, complete fish dinner — lean protein, vegetables and potatoes in one tray.
  • ChildrenMild white fish with soft potatoes; check carefully for bones and serve a smaller fillet.
  • ElderlySoft, flaky fish that is easy to chew, with potassium-rich potatoes — a good choice.
  • Pregnant womenHake is a low-mercury fish and safe when cooked through to 63°C (145°F); skip the wine in the dish if you prefer. Ask your clinician for personal advice.
  • Breastfeeding womenA good source of lean protein and B12; the wine mostly cooks off, but stock is an easy swap. Ask your clinician for personal advice.
  • AthletesAbout 33 g of protein with slow carbohydrate from the potatoes — a solid recovery dinner.
  • Weight gainEasy to add calories: a bigger potato portion and more bread with the pan juices.
  • Weight lossFilling for 379 kcal — keep the bread to one slice and fill the plate with the vegetables.

Health Conditions — Adjust or Avoid

Conditions

  • DiabetesCarbohydrate is about 29 g per serving, mostly from the potatoes — count it as the starch portion and keep the potato share as written. Ask your clinician for personal advice.
  • High blood pressureSodium is moderate; skip extra salt and serve with unsalted bread. Ask your clinician for personal advice.
  • Kidney diseaseFish and potatoes are both moderate in potassium and phosphorus — keep to one serving and check your plan. Ask your clinician for personal advice.
  • GoutWhite fish is lower in purines than oily fish or meat, but keep to one serving. Ask your clinician for personal advice.
  • Stomach issuesBaked white fish with soft vegetables is usually gentle; skip the wine and pepper if they bother you. Ask your clinician for personal advice.
  • Cardiovascular diseaseLean fish with olive oil and vegetables fits a heart-friendly pattern well. Ask your clinician for personal advice.
  • Fatty liverLow in saturated fat and rich in lean protein — a good choice, with the oil kept as written. Ask your clinician for personal advice.
  • Food allergiesContains fish (hake); the wine is an ingredient — check for sulphite sensitivity. Ask your clinician for personal advice.
  • Special therapeutic dietsFits low-fat, high-protein and gluten-free diets; not suitable for vegetarian diets. Ask your clinician for personal advice.

If you have a medical condition, consult your doctor before changing your diet.

Storage & Use

Storage & Use

How to store
Cool quickly and store fish and vegetables together in a covered container in the fridge.
In the fridge
2 days in the fridge.
In the freezer
1 month (the potatoes soften on thawing).
How to reheat
Reheat gently in a covered dish at 180°C (350°F) until steaming hot, at least 74°C (165°F) — do not overcook the fish.
Freezing recommended
Yes, but best eaten fresh — the potatoes turn soft after freezing.
Signs it has spoiled
Sour or fishy smell, slimy fish, or grey vegetables.

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