Martha Stewart Baked Flounder with Roasted Tomatoes

Martha Stewart baked flounder with roasted tomatoes is a crispy, golden dinner with mustard-coated fillets, fresh bread crumbs and tender plum tomatoes that comes together in 30 minutes. It's an easy weeknight fish dinner for busy evenings, summer suppers or quick family meals, and it's all done on two sheet pans.

Spread the Dijon mustard over the fillets before you press on the crumbs, because it holds the coating in place as the fish bakes. Skip it and the crumbs slide off the delicate flounder, leaving you with bare fish and a pan full of crumbs.

Martha makes the crumbs from fresh white sandwich bread pulsed in a food processor with a little oil, instead of using the dry boxed kind. Roasting the tomatoes first with tarragon and a pinch of sugar also gives you a sweet side and a tarragon mayo sauce that ties the plate together.

Martha Stewart Baked Flounder with Roasted Tomatoes

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Course: DinnerCuisine: AmericanDifficulty: Easy

Servings

4

servings

Prep time

20

minutes

Cooking time

10

minutes

Calories

390

kcal

Delicate flounder fillets bake under a thin coat of mustard and golden bread crumbs while plum tomatoes roast until soft and jammy. Everything finishes in a hot oven, so the crust turns crisp and the fish stays tender.

Ingredients

• 6 plum tomatoes, halved lengthwise
  

• 2 tablespoons olive oil, plus more for one of the baking sheets
  

• 3/4 teaspoon dried tarragon
  

• 1 pinch sugar
  

• Coarse salt and ground pepper
  

• 1/3 cup mayonnaise
  

• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
  

• 3 slices white sandwich bread (about 1 ounce each), torn into large pieces
  

• 4 flounder fillets (1 ½ pounds total)
  

• 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
  

Directions

• Roast the tomatoes: Preheat the oven to 450°F with racks in the upper and lower thirds. Toss 6 halved plum tomatoes on a rimmed baking sheet with 1 tablespoon oil, 1/4 teaspoon tarragon, a pinch of sugar, salt and pepper, then arrange them cut side up. Roast on the lower rack for 20 to 25 minutes until tender, and keep the oven on for the fish.
• Make the sauce: While the tomatoes roast, whisk 1/3 cup mayonnaise, the remaining 1/2 teaspoon tarragon and 1 tablespoon lemon juice in a small bowl. Season with salt and pepper, then set it aside.
• Prep the pan: Line a second rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil and brush it with oil. This keeps the fillets from sticking and makes cleanup easy.
• Make the crumbs: Add 3 torn slices of white sandwich bread, a pinch each of salt and pepper and the remaining tablespoon of oil to a food processor. Pulse until fine crumbs form.
• Coat the fillets: Lay the 4 flounder fillets flat on the prepared pan and season them with salt and pepper. Spread the tops with 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard, then sprinkle on the bread crumbs, pressing so they stick.
• Bake the fish: Bake on the upper rack for 6 to 8 minutes. The fish is done when it's cooked through and the crumbs are browned.
• Serve: Plate the crispy fillets with the roasted tomatoes. Spoon the tarragon sauce alongside for dipping.

Tools for this recipe

• Nordic Ware half sheet pan, Cuisinart 14-cup food processor, OXO 11-inch balloon whisk, Hellmann's real mayonnaise, 30 oz. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

FAQs

Can I use a different fish instead of flounder?

Tilapia is the swap the original recipe suggests, since it's just as thin and mild. Keep the baking time at 6 to 8 minutes, and check a fillet early if yours are thicker or thinner than flounder.

What can I use if I don't have dried tarragon?

Dried oregano or dried basil both work in its place, in the same amounts. Use it in both the tomatoes and the mayonnaise sauce so the flavors still match.

Can I make the tomatoes or sauce ahead?

The sauce comes together in a couple of minutes and can sit in the fridge for a day, so make it whenever you like. I'd roast the tomatoes the same night, since they're best warm and juicy, and the fish is best straight from the oven.

Do I have to use a food processor for the bread crumbs?

No, you can tear the bread and chop it fine with a chef's knife, or crush it in a zip-top bag with a rolling pin. Aim for small, even crumbs so the coating bakes crisp and sticks to the mustard.

What's the most common mistake with baked flounder?

Overbaking is the biggest one, because thin fillets dry out fast once they're cooked through. Pull the pan as soon as the crumbs are golden and the fish flakes, which takes 6 to 8 minutes at 450°F.