These grilled Mediterranean Fish Foil Packets, made with white fish, tomatoes, olives, and sweet peppers, are fresh, flavorful, and perfect for summer grilling. No cleanup required!
Mediterranean Fish Foil Packets
I love a no-fuss dinner, especially in the summer when I’m grilling as much as possible. These Mediterranean-style fish foil packets are one of my go-to quick easy dinner ideas: flaky white fish—like flounder, cod, or sea bass—nestled with juicy tomatoes, briny olives, capers, and fresh herbs. Wrapped up in foil and tossed on the grill, everything steams together to perfection in under 30 minutes. It’s healthy, quick, and mess-free—just toss the foil! Serve it with crusty bread, pita, or over couscous for a more filling meal. If you want a more classic version, check out my grilled Fish Foil Packets recipe—it’s a reader favorite.
Why This Recipe Works
I love foil packet meals and have plenty on my site, like these Shrimp Scampi Foil Packs, Meatloaf Dinner Foil Packs, and Lemon Potatoes in Foil. I’ve had a few requests for fresh new ideas, and I think you’ll love this Mediterranean- inspired version. It’s light, delicious, and excellent for summer.
- Mediterranean Diet-Friendly: Packed with heart-healthy ingredients like olive oil, fish, tomatoes, and olives.
- Anti-Inflammatory Benefits: Rich in omega-3s and antioxidants.
- Easy Cleanup: Everything cooks in a foil packet, so there’s no mess after dinner.
- Quick & Customizable: Ready in under 30 minutes and simple to swap with your favorite fish or veggies.
- Light but Satisfying: A balanced, high-protein meal that doesn’t feel heavy—perfect for warm nights.
- Dietary Restrictions: Weight Watchers-friendly, gluten-free, high-protein, paleo (if omitting olives), Mediterranean diet-friendly, dairy-free, keto, low- carb, and anti-inflammatory
If you want to try cooking fish in parchment, try my Fish en Papillote with a Mediterranean white bean salad.
Ingredients You’ll Need
This grilled fish features Mediterranean pantry staples. See exact measurements below.
- White Fish Fillets: Use fresh or frozen white fish. Flounder, porgy, cod, branzino, or bass would all be good. I always choose what’s freshest at my local seafood market. If frozen, thaw first.
- Castelvetrano Olives, a green Italian olive, are rich and buttery.
- Cherry Tomatoes soften and get sweeter as they cook.
- Mini Sweet Peppers are the mini bell peppers sold in a bag—any color works.
- Capers, commonly found in Mediterranean cuisine, offer a briny, tangy flavor.
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil is a staple in the Mediterranean diet and is rich in monounsaturated fats.
- Lemon: Use the zest and juice for maximum lemon flavor.
- Crushed Red Pepper Flakes for heat
- Fresh Herbs: Chopped parsley and dill
- Salt and Black Pepper for seasoning
- Foil: Use heavy-duty foil to ensure the packets don’t rip.
What does wrapping fish in foil do?
Wrapping fish tightly in foil gently steams it while grilling it, resulting in tender fish. It also prevents the fillets from sticking to the grill, making cleanup easier.
How to Grill Mediterranean Fish in Foil Packets
Grilling these foil packets couldn’t be easier. Simply layer the fish, vegetables, and capers onto a large piece of foil, drizzle with olive oil and lemon, seal, and grill over medium-high heat for 10–12 minutes, depending on the thickness of your fish. Garnish with fresh herbs and enjoy!
No grill? No problem!
Bake the fish packets on a baking sheet at 375°F for about 10 to 15 minutes.
Variations
- Olives: Swap Castelvetrano with kalamata or Manzanilla. If you don’t like olives, omit them.
- Other Veggies: Add sliced zucchini, artichokes, thinly sliced fennel, or roasted peppers.
- Herbs: Use basil or chives.
Serving Suggestions
This Mediterranean grilled fish works as a light, low-carb dinner, but if you want to make it more filling, here are some side dish ideas to pair with it.
Mediterranean Fish Foil Packets
Ingredients
- 2 6 ounce skinless white fish fillets, such as flounder, porgy, cod, bass, etc
- 10 castelvetrano olives, pitted and halved
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
- 4 mini sweet peppers, halved lengthwise
- 2 tablespoons capers, drained
- 2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 lemon
- ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- 2 tablespoons parsley, and fresh dill, chopped
- ¼ teaspoon Kosher salt
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Add the olives, tomatoes, peppers, capers and olive oil to a mixing bowl. Slice the lemon in half and zest it then squeeze the juice of the half into the bowl along with the zest. Slice the other half into 4 rounds and set aside. To the bowl add the red pepper flakes and toss everything to combine.
- Season the fish with ¼ teaspoon kosher salt and black pepper, to taste and top each piece with 2 slices of lemon.
- Preheat an outdoor grill turning all the burners over high heat until it’s 350°F. Reduce the flame to medium heat, keeping one side on low.
- Tear off 2, 12-inch pieces of heavy duty foil. Spoon half of the veggies onto the center of each piece of foil. Place a piece of fish on top of the veggies. Top with remaining vegetables and any leftover liquid from the bowl over the vegetables then the lemon slices. Bring two ends up and over the fish and crimp to close. Crimp sides so everything is completely enclosed and no steam escapes. Transfer the foil packets to a rimmed baking sheet to easily transport to the grill.
- Carefully place the foil packets on the low heat side of the grill and quickly close the lid. Cook for 10 to 12 minutes, depending on thickness of the fish. Remove the foil packets to the rimmed baking sheet and let sit for 5 minutes before opening.
- Open the foil packets, there will be hot steam trapped inside so use caution while opening. Top with parsley and dill and serve immediately.
Last Step:
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No grill? No problem!
Nutrition
Storage
- Refrigerate the leftovers for up to 3 days.
- How to Reheat: You can reheat the fish in the microwave, heat it in the oven at 300°F, or warm it in a skillet on the stove. You can also eat it cold.
More Grilled Foil Packet Recipes You’ll Love
For more dinner ideas using foil packets, check out these five delicious grilled foil packet recipes to inspire your next meal!
- Lemon-Parsley Foil Packet Potatoes
- Cajun Shrimp in Foil
- BBQ Chicken Foil Packets
- Grilled Clams in Foil
- Meatloaf Foil Packets
If you make this healthy grilled Mediterranean fish recipe, I would love to see it. Tag me in your photos or videos on Instagram, TikTok, or Facebook! And be sure to join the Skinnytaste Community to see what everyone’s cooking!
Fantastic. Will make again.
I made this dish last night and I’m sad to say the ratings only go up to 5 stars. I made it with halibut and what a multitude of flavor infusions. the olives were almost buttery and the tomatoes lost any acidic value while the fish fairly melted in your mouth. This was certainly a keeper recipe.
Thanks Dave!
This is an incredible recipe. So many flavors, easy to make (I baked my foil packets) and absolutely delicious. On top of everything else it’s healthy.
I made this tonight I only had tilapia baked @350 degrees. Delicious!
Ohmygoodness this is soooo good! I used sea bass. It’s so easy to make and has so much flavor! It was raining so I wound up making it in the oven. This will definitely go into my regular rotation.
Delicious and easy!!
Glad you enjoyed it!
It was 97°, so I cooked it in the oven as per your instructions. At 375° after 20 minutes it was no where near done. Raised it to 400° and it took 10 more minutes. Yes the fish was defrosted and yes my oven temp is correct.
After double the suggested cook time, it was delicious.
This is my experience as well. Two pieces of fish, each about 8 oz. At 375 after 12 minutes it was basically still raw.
Turning it up to 400 and planning to wait another 20 minutes.
This happened to me too -tried it with Mahi Mahi and had to keep baking and baking! Next time I will set oven to 400 degrees and bake for at least 25 minutes.
Delicious! Especially loved the hint of lemon. Had to do in oven and took about 25 mins – fish was thick. A keeper!
Delicious!!!! Followed recipe exactly and it was perfect. BTW I made it with flounder.
This looks amazing. Perfect timing for my camping trip menu. Do you think I can prep the fish and veggies per recipe(raw) and freeze, then thaw add oil and grill?
Very delicious.
I made this tonight using fresh Chilean Sea Bass. I cooked it in the oven and served it over jasmati rice. It was delicious! Definitely a keeper.
Being from the east coast and loving fish, (now living in the Midwest) I’m always looking for easy, delicious fish recipes. This was so outstanding, highly recommend! I baked mine in the oven (weather was iffy for the grill) and it was awesome and no clean up. Made it exactly as it was written, you won’t be disappointed!
Glad you enjoyed it!
I presume the zest goes in the vegetables along with the juice, right?
Yes 🙂
I made this last night and it was delicious. I served it with crusty sourdough bread to soak up the juices at the bottom of the foil pouch. I will definitely make this again!
Made this last night on the grill and it was fantastic!! ….and I’m not really into fish but my husband is and has been asking for more of it. I used cod, did not have capers and only Spanish olives on hand. The cherry tomatoes and red bell peppers were very refreshing and the dill finished it off perfectly.
So happy you took a chance!
Made this last night on the grill and I thought it was fantastic! ….and I’m not really into fish but the husband is and has been asking for some. I used cod and did not have capers on hand but I found the cherry tomatoes and red bell peppers refreshing and the dill finished it off perfectly. I’ll be making this again.
If you were to cook on oven same temperature and time?
Bake the fish packets on a baking sheet at 375°F for about 10 to 15 minutes.
Looks really good! I do not grill. Can this be made in the instant pot with frozen cod? If so, how would you make it?
Not sure about the instant pot but you can bake the fish packets on a baking sheet at 375°F for about 10 to 15 minutes.
Can I make this with frozen Cod?
Yes but I would thaw it first.
Would tilapia work?