Hake in green sauce is a traditional dish of Basque cuisine, in northern Spain. It is a white fish, cooked in a creamy green sauce made with peas and plenty of aromatic herbs. The result is a tasty and nutritious dish, perfect for a light and healthy dinner.

Bird-eye view of Hake in Green Sauce served
Want to save this recipe?
Just enter your email and get it sent to your inbox! Plus you’ll get new recipes from us every week!
Please enable JavaScript in your browser to complete this form.

Why you should try Hake in Green Sauce

1. Hake, with its numerous nutritional benefits, is a health-conscious choice. Rich in omega-3 fatty acids, it supports heart health and provides a substantial protein boost, making it a wholesome addition to your menu.

2. For those mindful of their points, this dish is a winner with its low Weight Watchers points, with just one weight watchers point. It effortlessly adds variety to your culinary repertoire without compromising on flavor or health.

3. Featuring easily accessible ingredients, this recipe is a breeze to prepare. Most components can be found in any kitchen, ensuring a hassle-free cooking experience.

Ingredients In Hake In Green Sauce

Hake in Green Sauce Ingredients
  • 4 hake filets, 400 g.
  • 1 cup peas, 145 g.
  • 1 cup fish broth, 240 ml
  • 1 onion, finely chopped, 100 g.
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • ½ cup parsley, chopped (or cilantro, or a blend of both), 30 g.
  • 1 teaspoon olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon cornstarch (optional: for velvety richness)
  • Salt, pepper, and lime for marinating

Servings:4

Preparation time: 15 minutes

Cooking time: 20 minutes

Instructions for Making Hake in Green Sauce

Hake is marinated in salt, pepper, garlic, and lime

1. Infuse the hake with flavor by marinating it in a mix of salt, pepper, garlic, and a touch of lime. Allow it to marinate while preparing the sauce.

sauté onions and garlic in a pot

2. In a pot, put the oil and sauté onions and garlic until softened.

peas and herbs into the pot
Simmer fish broth, peas, and herbs into a pot

3. Add fish broth, peas, and herbs (parsley or cilantro). Simmer until it forms a flavorful base for poaching the hake.

marinated hake fillets cooking into the pot

4. Place the marinated hake fillets into the pot. Generously coat them with the green sauce, cover, and simmer on medium heat for 10-15 minutes until the fish is cooked.

5. Dissolve a teaspoon of cornstarch in a quarter cup of fish broth. Whisk it into the simmering sauce five minutes before the dish is ready for a touch of velvety richness.

Variations and substitutions

Known as ” Legatza saltsa berdean” in Basque, or Merluza a la Vasca, this dish opens doors to delightful variations. While the traditional recipe incorporates clams, enhancing its flavor, I’ve opted for simplicity because clams are not such an easy product to obtain.

Feel free to experiment with shrimp, a succulent addition to complement the dish. Additionally, I’ve used parsley this time, but you can switch it up with cilantro or a blend of both. Basil adds an intriguing twist, though it significantly alters the flavor profile. For a healthier choice, I’ve replaced dry white wine with fish broth, aligning with the Weight Watchers path.

Tips and Tricks Section for making Green Sauce Hake

Hake in Green Sauce plated with glass of water

Infuse the fish with a delightful taste by marinating it in a mix of salt, pepper, garlic, and a touch of lime. Let it marinate while you prepare the sauce.

Begin by creating a juicy stew, ensuring it’s a flavorful base for poaching the merluza before introducing it.

Once the hake is in the pot, generously coat it with the sauce and cover the pot. Count between 10 to 15 minutes, simmering on medium heat – your dish will be ready at this point.

For a touch of velvety richness, dissolve a teaspoon of cornstarch in a quarter cup of fish broth and whisk it into the simmering sauce just five minutes before it’s ready.

WW Points

Kirkland Signature Wild caught hake loins 0 points
Cooked green peas 0 points
Olive oil 1 point
Garlic 0 points
Fresh parsley 0 points
Fish broth 1 points
Onion 0 points
Table salt 0 points
Black pepper 0 points

No ratings yet

Hake in Green Sauce

Servings: 4 people
Hake in Green Sauce plated with glass of water
Hake in green sauce is a tasty and nutritious dish, perfect for a light and healthy dinner, cooked in a creamy green sauce made with peas and plenty of aromatic herbs.

Ingredients 

  • 4 hake filets, 400 g
  • 1 cup peas, 145 g
  • 1 cup fish broth, 240 ml
  • 1 onion, finely chopped, 100 g
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • ½ cup parsley, chopped (or cilantro, or a blend of both), 30 g
  • 1 teaspoon olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon cornstarch (optional: for velvety richness)
  • Salt, pepper, and lime for marinating

Instructions 

  • Infuse the hake with flavor by marinating it in a mix of salt, pepper, garlic, and a touch of lime. Allow it to marinate while preparing the sauce.
  • In a pot, put the oil and sauté onions and garlic until softened. Add fish broth, peas, and herbs (parsley or cilantro). Simmer until it forms a flavorful base for poaching the hake.
  • Place the marinated hake fillets into the pot. Generously coat them with the green sauce, cover, and simmer on medium heat for 10-15 minutes until the fish is cooked.
  • Dissolve a teaspoon of cornstarch in a quarter cup of fish broth. Whisk it into the simmering sauce five minutes before the dish is ready for a touch of velvety richness.

Notes

Only 1 Weight Watcher point

Nutrition

Serving: 237gCalories: 141kcalCarbohydrates: 8.7gProtein: 21gFat: 2.6gSaturated Fat: 0.3gCholesterol: 20mgSodium: 810mgPotassium: 236mgFiber: 2.8gSugar: 2.3gCalcium: 88mgIron: 2.2mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Tried this recipe?Mention @drizzlemeskinny or tag #drizzlemeskinny!

About Drizzle Me Skinny

Kate founded DrizzleMeSkinny in 2014. Since then she has shared nearly 1000 weight watchers friendly recipes with DrizzleMeSkinny's over 500,000 social media followers.

Leave a comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating