Levrek is the Turkish name for European sea bass, also sold as branzino. It is part of Türkiye’s coastal fish cooking, with both grilled and oven-cooked preparations. Fırında means “in the oven”; it describes a cooking method rather than one fixed regional formula. This home-style version uses fillets and a tomato base, without potatoes or a flour coating.
Fırında Levrek — Recipe Card
Turkish baked sea bass with tomatoes, onion and lemon
Makes 4 servings · Four fillets, about 150 g (5.3 oz) each, make four portions with a side dish. Preparation time assumes thawed fish.US cup = 240 ml · tablespoon = 15 ml · teaspoon = 5 ml. Cup and weight conversions are approximate. Australian cooks: use a 15 ml measuring tablespoon.
Ingredient quantities and servings are scaled. Cooking times, pan sizes, frying oil depth, and temperatures stay the same; cook larger batches as needed.
Ingredients
How to make Fırında Levrek
Prepare the oven and fish
Heat the oven to 200°C (400°F), or 180°C fan. Set out a baking dish about 30 × 20 cm (12 × 8 inches). Pat the four thawed fillets dry and season with half the salt and pepper. Keep raw fish separate from the vegetables and wash your hands and utensils after handling it.
Soften the vegetables
Heat 30 ml (2 tbsp) of the olive oil in a frying pan over medium heat. Cook the onion for 5 minutes, stirring, until softened. Add the garlic for 30 seconds, then the tomatoes for 4 minutes, until juicy. Stir in the water, juice from one lemon half, and the remaining salt and pepper.
Arrange in the baking dish
Spread the hot tomato mixture in the dish. Lay the fish on top in a single layer, skin side up. Drizzle over the remaining 15 ml (1 tbsp) olive oil. Cover the dish snugly with a lid or foil, leaving space above the fish.
Bake gently
Bake for 12–18 minutes, beginning to check at 12 minutes. Use a food thermometer in the thickest part of each fillet: it should reach 63°C (145°F). The flesh should be opaque and separate easily. Thicker fillets may need a few more minutes; use temperature rather than the clock to decide when they are done.
Finish and serve
Uncover carefully, directing the steam away from you. Scatter over the parsley and serve the fish with the tomato-and-onion juices and the remaining lemon wedges. Check for any small bones as you portion and eat the fish.
Bring this recipe to your kitchen with a printable copy.
Print recipeRecipe from MyTurkishRecipes · https://myturkishrecipes.com/turkish-baked-sea-bass-firinda-levrek. Quantities reflect your selected serving scale. Cooking times are estimates; follow the doneness cues.
A few helpful kitchen notes
Choosing the fish
Use four similarly sized, plain European sea bass fillets. Skinless fillets or sea bream fillets are practical alternatives; begin checking at 10 minutes if they are thin, and still cook to 63°C (145°F). Substitutions change the fish, not the Turkish meaning of levrek.
Dietary notes
Contains fish. The listed recipe has no wheat or dairy ingredients. Choose plain, unseasoned fish and pure spices rather than coated fillets or seasoning blends. If serving it as gluten-free or dairy-free, check any accompaniments too.
Heat level
No added chili in the base recipe. For a gently peppery finish, offer ¼ tsp pul biber at the table for the whole dish; use ½ tsp for more heat. Chili strength varies, so add gradually. These are optional variations.
Measurement guide
US measures here use a 240 ml cup, a 15 ml tablespoon and a 5 ml teaspoon. For the fish and vegetables, weights are more reliable than cups.
Frozen fish
Thaw frozen fillets overnight in the refrigerator, following the package directions, then pat dry. Do not thaw fish on the counter. The stated preparation time does not include thawing.
How to store and reheat Fırında Levrek
Refrigerate leftovers promptly in a shallow, covered container, within 2 hours of cooking or within 1 hour if the room is hotter than 32°C (90°F). Keep at 4°C (40°F) or below and eat within 2 days for best quality. Reheat the portion you need, covered with a splash of water, until it reaches 74°C (165°F) throughout.
Fırında Levrek: questions and answers
Is branzino the same fish as levrek?
Yes. European sea bass is commonly sold as branzino in the US and as levrek in Türkiye. Choose plain fillets for this recipe.
Will the skin become crisp?
No. The covered dish and tomato juices give soft skin and moist flesh. Do not keep baking in an attempt to crisp it, as the fish can dry out.
Can I add raw potatoes to the dish?
Not with this short baking time. Cook potatoes separately and serve them alongside, so the fish does not overcook while the potatoes soften.
