This Dump-and-Bake Italian Fish Recipe with Broccoli and Rice is an entire meal that cooks in one dish! With just 5 minutes of prep, you can stir together the raw ingredients and enjoy a healthy and easy seafood dinner — any night of the week.
Looking to add a few more easy and healthy fish recipes to your repertoire?
This simple dump-and-bake meal takes advantage of basic pantry and freezer staples for a nourishing dinner that comes together in minutes!
What type of fish is best for this recipe?
A mild, white fish like cod or mahi-mahi is the perfect way to introduce picky eaters to a new seafood dish. The casserole doesn’t taste “fishy,” and instead is more like a classic chicken dinner!
I used frozen mahi-mahi fillets from Costco here, since that’s what I had on hand. Fresh or frozen fish will work equally well — just make sure that frozen fish is fully thawed first.
If you participated in my free 5-Day Meal Planning Challenge for Easy Dinners in 15 Minutes (or Less), then you know that stocking your kitchen with a few frozen vegetables and proteins (like frozen fish fillets) is one of my best tips for quick-prep meals.
You can join that free Challenge at any time (here), and you will receive my checklists for pantry, freezer, and refrigerator staples to keep on hand. It’s amazing how many different meals you can throw together in a few minutes using just a handful of basics — including this easy Italian fish recipe.
If we can avoid an extra trip to the grocery store, I consider it a win!
How Long Does it Take to Bake Fish in the Oven?
I’m going to walk you through the simple dump-and-bake method to get this Italian fish recipe on the table in minutes — complete with a side of rice and broccoli, no less!
First, let’s start with the sauce. In a 9 x 13-inch dish (or in a separate bowl), whisk together condensed cream of celery soup, water, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, salt and pepper.
Add 1 cup of uncooked long grain white rice,
and stir in a bag of frozen baby broccoli florets. You don’t even need to thaw the broccoli first!
Spread the broccoli and rice mixture into the prepared baking dish, cover tightly with foil, and bake at 375 degrees F for 30 minutes.
While the rice is in the oven, prepare the fish. Pat the fillets dry; drizzle with olive oil; and season with salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese!
After the rice has baked for 30 minutes, give it a good stir, and then place the fish fillets right on top.
Cover with foil; and return the dish to the oven for about 20-25 more minutes (or until rice is tender and fish flakes easily with a fork). SO EASY, right?!
I like a crispy finish on the outside of my fish, so I transfer the pan to the broiler during the final 3-5 minutes of baking time. This is totally optional, but definitely my preference!
Have a family member that would like a chicken dinner instead of a fish recipe? Be sure to check out my Dump-and-Bake Chicken Broccoli Rice Casserole, which is a very similar option for the poultry-lovers in your life!
Trust me: you can’t go wrong with this Italian-inspired twist on a simple, healthy, and delicious one pot meal!
More easy fish recipes that you might enjoy:
- Crispy Southern Fried Catfish
- 4-Ingredient Baked Fish with Tomato Basil Sauce
- Greek Salmon Baked in Foil
- Easy Salmon Patties
- Easy Fish Tacos with Slaw
Did you make this recipe?
If you enjoyed this recipe, please leave a comment with a 5-star review at the bottom of the post. Thank you!
Dump-and-Bake Italian Fish Recipe with Broccoli and Rice
Ingredients
- 1 (10.5 ounce) can condensed cream of celery soup (NOT diluted)
- ¾ cup water
- ¾ teaspoon Italian seasoning divided
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 cup uncooked long grain white rice
- 1 (12.6 ounce) bag frozen baby broccoli florets (or cuts), NOT thawed
- 1 lb. white fish fillets (such as cod or mahi-mahi) , about 4 ounces each, thawed if frozen
- 1 ½ teaspoons olive oil
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 1 tablespoon grated Parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Spray a large baking dish (about 9 x 13 inches) with cooking spray.
- In prepared dish or in a separate bowl, whisk together condensed soup, water, ¼ teaspoon of Italian seasoning, garlic powder, ½ teaspoon of salt, and ¼ teaspoon of pepper.
- Stir in uncooked rice and frozen broccoli. Transfer to the prepared baking dish and cover tightly with foil.
- Bake for 30 minutes.
- While the rice is in the oven, pat the fish dry and rub with olive oil. Season with salt and pepper to taste, and sprinkle with remaining ½ teaspoon of Italian seasoning. Sprinkle Parmesan cheese on top.
- After the rice has baked for 30 minutes, remove from the oven, stir, and place the fish fillets on top.
- Cover with foil and return to the oven for 20-25 more minutes, or until fish flakes easily with a fork and rice is tender.
- For a crispy finish on the fish, during the final 3-5 minutes of baking time, I like to remove the foil and put the dish under the broiler.
Delicious and so easy! Made with sea bass.
Thank you, Kristi! We’re so glad you enjoyed it.
Can I use wild rice ? in place of white rice
Hi Cherie! We don’t recommend it. Wild rice will cook differently and isn’t likely to work well with this dish.
Hi can you use royal blend rice (texmex, brown rice and wild rice ) instead of white rice? I’d also prefer to use fresh broccoli florets. Thanks.
Hi, Sharon! The fresh broccoli will be fine. I haven’t tested the royal blend rice, but I wouldn’t recommend it. Brown rice and wild rice have different cooking times and require a different amount of liquid than white rice, so you would need to adjust the liquid and baking time to account for that.
The flavor of this dish leaves a lot to be desired. Bland.
We’re sorry you didn’t enjoy it, Ashley, but appreciate the feedback. This recipe lends well to more seasonings, if desired.