Hake in green sauce, known in Spanish as Merluza en salsa verde or Merluza a la vasca, is a delicious fish dish from the Basque region of Spain.
The hake fillets are cooked in a thick, flavorful sauce made with onion, garlic, lots of parsley, and white wine, among other ingredients.
The green sauce (salsa verde) is very quick and easy to make and can be used with many other proteins such as cod, squid, cuttlefish, clams, mussels, or even vegetables like artichokes.
Sometimes merluza en salsa verde also includes baby clams, and I love this version because it adds another texture and more flavor. But of course, it can be made without them.
Ingredients
Here are the ingredients to make this Spanish fish in green sauce recipe:
- Hake fillets – Alternatively, you can also use large cod or seabass fillets.
- Olive oil – Don’t substitute with another type of oil if possible since olive oil adds flavor to the dish.
- Salt – Enhances the overall flavor of the dish. Adjust to taste.
- Onion – A yellow or white onion.
- Garlic cloves – Use fresh garlic, not pre-minced or powdered garlic.
- Baby clams – Optional, but nice addition. If you’re adding them, be sure to clean them beforehand.
- Fish stock – If you don’t have any fish stock on hand, you can also use water, but fish stock will add more flavor.
- White wine – I recommend choosing a dry or semi-dry white wine with a fruity note. You could make the green sauce without wine, but it would impact the flavor massively. Use alcohol-free white wine as an alternative.
- Flour – To thicken the sauce. Alternatively, you can also use corn starch.
- Fresh parsley – This ingredient is key since it gives the green color, but also the flavor.
Recipe Tips
- You can make this recipe with other fish, seafood, or even vegetables. As mentioned, cod and seabass fillets are good alternatives.
- If using baby clams, clean them before using, otherwise, you’ll have a sandy dish. Dissolve a couple of teaspoons of salt in cold water. Add the baby clams, cover, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour. This will help them open and release any sand they may have inside.
- Some people grate the onion, but I like bits and pieces of onion in the sauce. Grate the onion if you prefer a smoother texture.
- It’s important to cook the flour for a minute or two until slightly browned before adding the wine and stock. Otherwise, the flavor of raw flour will be present and may ruin the sauce.
- Go easy on the salt if the fish stock is quite salty already. Adding the clams will also add a bit of saltiness.
- The sauce is called green sauce, even though it is more of a golden sauce with hints of green. If you want a more evenly green sauce, you can blend it before adding the fish to the pan (not traditional).
How to Make Merluza en salsa verde – Step by Step Instructions
Have a look at the recipe process photos below if you prefer visuals when cooking a dish.
If you’re adding baby clams, clean them beforehand (see recipe tips section above).
Peel and finely dice the onion. Also, peel and mince the garlic cloves, and rinse and finely chop the fresh parsley.
In the pan, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the diced onion and minced garlic and cook for about 5-7 minutes or until golden and fragrant. Stir regularly.
Next, add the flour to the pan and mix well. Cook it for a couple of minutes, stirring regularly, until it turns slightly golden brown.
Now pour in the fish stock and white wine. Mix everything thoroughly.
Next, add the chopped parsley to the pan. Then taste and season with salt as needed.
If using, add the cleaned and drained baby clams to the pan. Also add the hake fillets.
Cover the pan with a lid and cook for 10 minutes over low heat, or until the fish is cooked and the clams have opened.
Serve the hake in green sauce while it’s hot. Enjoy!
Storage Tips
Merluza in salsa verde is a dish that should be eaten fresh right after being made. The sauce can become quite thick when cold.
If you end up with leftovers, you can store them in the fridge in a sealed container for up to 3 days. When reheating, you may want to add a splash of water if the sauce has thickened too much.
Related Recipes
Here are more Spanish recipes made with seafood:
- Spanish Cod and Chickpea Stew (Potaje de vigilia)
- Arroz Negro (Squid Ink and Seafood Paella)
- Atún con tomate (Tuna Stewed in Tomato Sauce)
- Gambas al Ajillo (Spanish Spicy Garlic Shrimp)
- Almejas a la marinera (Spanish Fisherman’s Clams)
Hake in Green Sauce (Merluza en salsa verde)
Ingredients
- 1 cup baby clams, optional
- 1 medium yellow onion
- 2 garlic cloves
- 1 large bunch fresh parsley
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
- 1 cup fish stock
- 1 cup white wine
- 2 large hake fillets, 1 per person
- 1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste
Instructions
- If using baby clams, clean them the night before. Dissolve a couple of teaspoons of salt in a bowl of cold water, add the clams, cover, and store them in the fridge.1 cup baby clams
- Peel and finely dice the onion. Also, peel and mince the garlic cloves and rinse and finely chop the fresh parsley.1 medium yellow onion, 2 garlic cloves, 1 large bunch fresh parsley
- In the pan, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the diced onion and minced garlic and cook for about 5-7 minutes or until golden and fragrant. Stir regularly.2 tablespoons olive oil
- Add the flour to the pan and mix well. Cook it for a couple of minutes until it turns slightly golden brown.1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
- Pour in the fish stock and white wine. Mix everything thoroughly.1 cup fish stock, 1 cup white wine
- Add the chopped parsley to the pan. Then taste and season with salt as needed.1/2 teaspoon salt
- If using, add the cleaned and drained baby clams to the pan. Also add the hake fillets. Cover the pan with a lid and cook for 10 minutes over low heat, or until the fish is cooked and the clams have opened.2 large hake fillets
- Serve and enjoy while hot!
Notes
- This recipe can be made with other fish, seafood, or vegetables. Cod and seabass fillets are good alternatives.
- If using baby clams, clean them before using, otherwise, you’ll have a sandy dish.
- Choose a dry or semi-dry white wine with a fruity note. Use alcohol-free white wine as an alternative.
- Grate the onion if you prefer a smoother texture.
- Cook the flour for a minute or two until slightly browned before adding the wine and stock. Otherwise, the flavor of raw flour will be present and may ruin the sauce.
- Go easy on the salt if the fish stock is quite salty already. Adding the clams will also add a bit of saltiness.
- The sauce is called green sauce, even though it is more of a golden sauce with hints of green. If you want a more evenly green sauce, you can blend it before adding the fish to the pan (not traditional).
Nutrition
This nutritional information has been estimated by an online nutrition calculator. It should only be seen as a rough calculation and not a replacement for professional dietary advice.
