Branzini, Arctic Char, Red Snapper and Sea Bass all turn out amazing with this simple, rustic approach to Grilled Whole Fish that is a healthy, wonderful dinner option for family or guests!
Our kids love when we Grill Whole Fish!
One of my kids’ favorite things to eat for dinner is a “whole fish”. In fact, this is what my oldest requested for our back-to-school feast this past year, specifically mentioning that she wanted it to have the head and tail on! She’s all about presentation, I guess.
I know that lots of kids aren’t that into seafood but I feel like grilling a whole fish is a great way to get them excited about it.
Whenever I plan to make a whole grilled fish for dinner, I take the girls to the farmer’s market or a store that has a good, fresh selection of seafood to “help” me pick out a fish. They love seeing them displayed on ice along with the octopus and shellfish. It’s almost as good as a trip to the aquarium, lol.
I have posted on here before about how much we love eating grilled fish. Like these Garam Masala Salmon Steaks that take less than 15 minutes and are Whole 30 compliant. And a grilled whole fish is just as easy, healthy, and quick to make, although it has a totally different, subtler flavor.
I always try to cook a whole fish within a day of purchasing it, preferably the day of, because fish really is so much better fresh, not frozen.
Whole Foods and some other grocery stores will even prepare your fish for you, doing the descaling and cleaning while you wait so you don’t have to mess around with that at home. I don’t shop for everything at the higher end, pricier grocery stores like Whole Foods, but quality seafood is something I feel like it is worth it to splurge on once in a while.
Plus, I can usually get a more diverse selection there, too, over what is typically offered at my normal grocers.
Why grill a whole fish?
- The dramatic, rustic presentation makes this a beautiful centerpiece for a special meal.
- It’s simple and easy prep to grill a whole fish without removing the head and tail first.
- I feel like the flavor is even better with moist grilled fish and a wonderful charred taste.
What you’ll need for simple Whole Fish on the Grill
- Fish – You can do this with almost any kind of fish you want! Red snapper, branzino, atlantic char, and sea bass are all favorites of ours for this method of preparation.
- Olive oil – Helps keep the fish from sticking and keeps the fish moist.
- Salt & pepper – Coarse kosher salt and some freshly ground black pepper are really all you need to bring out and highlight the flavor of your fish.
- Lemons & garlic – A little fresh lemon and garlic cloves add a wonderful freshness that is perfect with your grilled fish.
- Thyme – One of my favorite herbs for pairing with fish because of it’s mild taste that doesn’t overpower.
Best fish for Grilling Whole Fish
Some of our favorite options for grilling are Branzini or Arctic Char, although Red Snapper and Sea Bass also work well with the simple flavors of lemon and herbs on the grill.
How to Grill Whole Fish
- Prep work. Start by rinsing and patting your fish dry. Let it sit out at room temperature for about 20 minutes so it will cook evenly. Get your grill going so it is nice and hot for when you are ready to cook the fish. You can use a gas or charcoal grill, but we highly prefer cooking over charcoal for the best smoky flavor.
- Season. Lightly drizzle the fish all over with the olive oil and season generously, inside and out, with a sprinkle of kosher salt & freshly ground pepper. Stuff the cavity of the fish with the lemon discs, garlic cloves, and thyme sprigs.
- Grill. Transfer your whole fish to the cleaned, hot grill and cook for 8-10 minutes over medium-high heat on one side without trying to move or flip the fish. Flip the fish over and and grill until cooked through and the flesh is white throughout, about another 8-10 minutes.
- Serve. Carefully remove the fish from the grill and place on a platter to serve.
Do you flip a whole fish on the grill?
Yes, you will want to flip the whole fish so it can cook evenly on both sides on the grill. I recommend using a really wide spatula with a long handle to make this easy.
How often do you flip fish on the grill?
You should only need to flip the fish once on the grill. It cooks quickly and evenly and you shouldn’t need to flip it over and over, which can cause it to stick more and dry out.
Whole Grilled Fish tips
Here are some tips I think you will find helpful for grilling a whole fish if you have never tried it before.
Don’t put your fish on the grill straight out of the fridge.
A cold fish is more likely to stick to the grill. You want to pull your fish out and let it sit on the counter for 20 minutes or so, just like when cooking a steak, while you are heating the grilled and prepping lemons and garlic.
Clean and oil your grill grate before grilling a whole fish.
While your grill is preheating, brush it well with a grill brush to remove any past stuck-on bits of food so that it is clean. Then take some tongs and a wad of paper towel doused with a bit of oil and wipe down the tops of the grates with the oil-soaked paper towel using the tongs so you don’t singe fingers.
Don’t attempt to flip your fish too early.
Once a whole fish has cooked long enough on one side, it will release from the grill grates and be flipped easily onto the other side, without sticking.
If you go to flip it and find that it is tearing apart because the skin is still stuck to the grill grate, chance are that the grill wasn’t hot enough when you put the fish on, the fish was too cold when you put it on, or that it just hasn’t had long enough to cook yet so the skin is still stuck.
You can see in these pictures that the skin of my Branzini was totally intact and there really was no secret to my method other than the three tips I mentioned above.
Their tails all singed off, which is normal, but if you care about keeping the tail more preserved for presentation, you could wrap it in aluminum foil before cooking.
How to serve Grilled Whole Fish
If you want a beautiful presentation for your whole grilled fish, try charring some halved lemons and placing the grilled fish on a large platter with the charred lemons. Some fresh herbs or roasted or grilled potatoes around it are also a great family-style presentation. Here are some other side dishes that go well with a grilled whole fish.
- Cheesy Corn
- Green Beans with Bacon & Pine Nuts
- Heirloom Tomato Salad with Burrata
- Caprese Salad
- Zucchini Ribbon Salad
- Corn Fritters
- Roasted Beet Salad
- Rice Pilaf
- Grilled Garlic Bread
This is one dish where I serve it whole, as is with the lemon slices and everything still in it, on a platter because it has a rustic, wonderful appearance to it.
This is maybe romanticizing our approach to food and dinner too much, but eating this way gives me a feeling of gratitude and connectedness to the Earth and I feel like there is a sort of hearkening back to centuries upon centuries of our human ancestors who ate much more simply than we do today. That grateful feeling is something I don’t think I think enough about when it comes to the foods we eat and it strikes me every time I prepare and serve a whole fish this way.
This approach to cooking grilled whole fish is so simple that it hardly feels like a recipe.
You can swap out the lemon for lime or even orange slices, and switch up your herbs from thyme to sprigs of marjoram or cilantro or even parsley, if you like.
Also, keep in mind when selecting your fish that a 2-pound fish will feed 2 people. If you can get smaller fish that are around 1 ¼ pound, you could grill one for each person at dinner, which is especially nice if this is something you are serving guests.
Grilled Whole Fish Storage
If you have any leftover fish, store it in an airtight container in the fridge. It’s best eaten within 1-2 days. Reheat in a hot oven covered with foil until warm before serving.
FAQs for How to Cook Whole Fish on Grill
The key to grilling fish without it sticking it to make sure the grill grates are hot before adding the fish, then being patient. When the first side is done, the fish will be lightly charred on the bottom and the skin will release easily from the grate. If you are trying to flip the fish and it is sticking, this means you should wait another minute or two for the fish to finish cooking on that side.
It can be done either way. I typically prefer grilling fish without foil because I like the grill marks, the char, and the smokier flavor that you get from directly exposing the fish to the heat of the grill, but you can also wrap it in foil instead if you prefer and if you are worried about the fish sticking to the grill grates.
Grilling a whole fish helps prevent the fish from drying out because the bones keep it more moist than grilling a filet. Also, rubbing the fish in olive oil helps prevent the fish from drying out as quickly.
Ready to fire up that grill? Let’s get going!
More Fish & Seafood Recipes You’ll Love
- Grilled Soy Brown Sugar Salmon in Foil
- How to Cook Alaskan King Crab Legs
- Oven Baked Rainbow Trout
- Blackened Salmon Tacos
- Baja Fish Tacos Recipe
- Sheet Pan Shrimp Fajitas in 30 Minutes
- San Francisco Cioppino Seafood Stew
Did you make this recipe?
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How to Cook Whole Fish on the Grill
Ingredients
- 1 1/4-2 lb. whole fish
- 1-2 Tablespoons olive oil
- Salt & freshly ground pepper to taste
- 2 garlic cloves
- 1/2 lemon sliced into discs
- 1-2 sprigs thyme
Instructions
- Remove your fish from the fridge and let it stand at room temperature for 20 minutes. Rinse and pat dry with paper towels.
- Lightly drizzle the fish all over with the olive oil and season generously, inside and out, with the salt & freshly ground pepper. To properly season meat, don’t get your hand too close when sprinkling seasoning on – if you pull your hand back a bit and sprinkle salt from a little higher up you will get more even coverage. Stuff the cavity of the fish with the lemon discs, garlic cloves, and thyme sprigs.
- Preheat the grill to medium-high heat and use tongs to brush the cleaned, preheated grill grates with an oil drenched paper towel.
- Carefully transfer the fish to the grill so the aromatics don’t fall out and grill for 8-10 minutes over medium-high heat. Don’t attempt to move the fish. When the first side is done, it will be lightly charred on the bottom and the skin will release easily from the grate. Flip the fish over and and grill until cooked through and the flesh is white throughout, about another 8-10 minutes.
- Carefully remove the fish from the grill and place on a platter to serve.
Oh, I love grilled fish! I’m definitely trying your recipe. For now, I have to use a pan but I’m excited to start grilling again when the weather gets better!
I know! Usually we can grill most of the year in California, but it’s been raining so much lately here that we’ve had to do all our cooking indoors as well.
Me and my husband love grilled fish. Where do you mostly buy your fish from?
I always get our seafood either at the Saturday morning farmers market, which has awesome, fresh selections, or I go to Whole Foods, because their selection is more varied and fresher than what I can get at my local grocery store.
Do you peel the garlic cloves or do you put them whole with skin on?
I peel them first.