Grilled Zarandeado Fish with Smoky Chile Sauce
Inspired by coastal Mexico, this zarandeado-style fish is brushed with a smoky, creamy chile sauce and grilled until lightly charred. Serve it with grilled limes, quick-pickled onions, and warm tortillas or a bright salad on the side.
Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 222kcal
Ingredients
For the chile sauce:
- 1 teaspoon neutral oil
- 2 dried guajillo chiles stemmed and seeded
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 2 garlic cloves peeled
- ¼ small onion roughly chopped
- 1 teaspoon jalapeño spread or Calabrian chiles
- 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
- 2 sprigs fresh oregano leaves removed
- Juice of 1 lime
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
For the fish:
- 4 halibut fillets about 5 to 6 ounces each
- Neutral oil for brushing grill grates
- Salt to taste
To serve:
- Grilled lime halves or quarters
- Pickled red onions see note below
- Chopped cilantro or parsley
- Warm corn or flour tortillas optional
- Simple green salad or slaw optional
Instructions
- Toast the aromatics: Drizzle oil in a skillet over medium heat and toast the onion and garlic and chiles until lightly charred, about 3 to 5 minutes.
- Make the sauce: Transfer the chiles, garlic and onion to a food processor, along with the tomato paste, jalapeño spread, mayonnaise, oregano leaves, lime juice, and kosher salt. Blend until smooth and creamy. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed.
- Prep the fish: Pat the halibut fillets very dry with paper towels brush both sides of the fish generously with the chile sauce.
- Grill the fish: Preheat a grill to medium-high heat. Brush the grates with neutral oil or use a fish grill basket to prevent sticking.
- Grill the fish for about 4 to 5 minutes per side, depending on thickness, until just cooked through and lightly charred. Grill lime halves alongside, cut side down, until nicely charred.
- Serve: Transfer the grilled fish to a platter. Garnish with pickled red onions, chopped cilantro or parsley, and grilled limes.
Quick Pickled Red Onions
- Thinly slice one-half of a small red onion and toss with the juice of one to two limes and a pinch of salt. Let sit for 15 to 20 minutes while the fish cooks. The onions will turn bright pink and soften slightly.
Notes
- Toast your aromatics: Lightly toasting the garlic, onion, and dried chiles brings out more depth and smokiness. Just be careful not to burn the chiles, as they can turn bitter quickly.
- Soaking is optional: If you want an extra smooth sauce or are working with very dry chiles, soak them in hot water for about 10 minutes after toasting. It helps soften them and makes blending easier.
- Make the sauce ahead: The zarandeado sauce can be made 1–2 days ahead and stored in the fridge. The flavors deepen as it sits, and it makes grilling day a breeze.
- Grill with care: Don’t crank the heat too high, this sauce can burn before the fish cooks through. Use medium or indirect heat, and raise the fish higher if you're able to.
- Buy quality fish: Choose fish fillets that are firm, vibrant, and smell clean and not fishy. Avoid anything with cracks or that falls apart easily.
Nutrition
Calories: 222kcal | Carbohydrates: 5g | Protein: 32g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 0.01g | Cholesterol: 86mg | Sodium: 824mg | Potassium: 882mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 721IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 29mg | Iron: 1mg