Sheet-Pan Puttanesca Halibut with Crispy Polenta Rounds
Let me tell you a secret: I used to think fancy fish dinners meant standing over a hot stove, juggling three pans while stressing about timing. Then I had a Tuesday night epiphany. I was craving the punchy, bold flavors of a classic puttanesca—all those briny olives, capers, and sweet tomatoes—but I only had thirty minutes and zero energy to clean a messy kitchen. That is when this Sheet-Pan Puttanesca Halibut with Crispy Polenta Rounds was born. Halibut is wonderfully thick and flaky, making it practically foolproof to roast. But the real game-changer here is store-bought log polenta, sliced into rounds and thrown right onto the same pan. While the fish bakes, those little polenta circles get delightfully golden and crispy on the edges, acting like edible sponges for the warm, blistered tomato sauce that comes together in minutes. Yes, you can swap the halibut for cod or salmon if that is what is in your fridge, and yes, you can skip the capers if your household hates them. This meal is all about big, restaurant-quality flavor with zero Tuesday-night fuss. Because delicious really does not have to be difficult.
Featured Recipe
Sheet-Pan Puttanesca Halibut with Crispy Polenta Rounds
Thick, flaky halibut fillets roast over a sheet pan alongside store-bought polenta rounds that get delightfully golden and crispy. Blistered sweet cherry tomatoes, briny kalamata olives, and capers create an effortless, pan-made puttanesca sauce that ties the whole 30-minute weeknight dinner together.
Save a copy to your collection for editing
Timeline
Ingredients
- 1 lb tubed cooked polenta(cut into 1/2-inch thick rounds)
- 3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil(divided)
- 1 tsp kosher salt(divided)
- 0.5 tsp black pepper(freshly cracked, divided)
- 4 fillets halibut fillets(about 5 to 6 oz each, skin removed and patted thoroughly dry)
- 2 cups cherry tomatoes(left whole)
- 0.5 cup pitted kalamata olives(halved)
- 2 tbsp capers(drained)
- 3 cloves garlic(thinly sliced)
- 0.25 tsp crushed red pepper flakes(adjust to taste)
- 0.25 cup fresh basil leaves(torn, for garnish)
- 1 lemon(zested and cut into wedges for serving)
Instructions
- 1
Preheat your oven to 450°F (230°C) with an empty heavy-duty rimmed baking sheet on the middle rack so it gets screaming hot.
5 min
Tip: Preheating the sheet pan is my favorite restaurant trick—it gives the polenta rounds an instant sear the second they hit the metal.
- 2
Slice 1 lb tubed cooked polenta into 1/2-inch thick discs. Carefully remove the hot baking sheet from the oven, drizzle it with 1.5 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil, and arrange the polenta rounds in a single layer. Sprinkle with 0.5 tsp kosher salt and 0.25 tsp black pepper.
5 min
Tip: Pat the polenta slices with a paper towel before oiling them; removing exterior moisture guarantees crispier edges.
- 3
Slide the baking sheet back into the oven and roast the polenta undisturbed until the bottoms are sizzling and lightly crisped.
10 min
Tip: Resist flipping them too soon; polenta releases cleanly once a golden crust forms.
- 4
While the polenta roasts, toss 2 cups cherry tomatoes, 0.5 cup pitted kalamata olives, 2 tbsp capers, 3 cloves garlic, 0.25 tsp crushed red pepper flakes, and remaining 1.5 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil together in a bowl. Season 4 halibut fillets on both sides with remaining 0.5 tsp kosher salt and 0.25 tsp black pepper.
5 min
Tip: If halibut is pricey or hard to find, mahi-mahi, haddock, or sea bass hold up equally well with this quick high-heat cook.
- 5
Pull the baking sheet from the oven and nudge the polenta rounds toward the outer borders. Place the seasoned 4 halibut fillets in the center of the pan, then scatter the tomato-olive mixture around and over the fish.
2 min
Tip: Keeping the fish in the center allows the roasting juices from the tomatoes and capers to braise into the fish while the polenta on the edges stays crisp.
- 6
Return the sheet pan to the oven and roast at 450°F until the halibut is opaque and flakes gently with a fork, and the tomatoes have blistered and burst.
10 min
Tip: A fish fillet should register 130°F to 135°F on an instant-read thermometer for maximum tenderness; carryover heat will finish it to perfection.
- 7
Garnish immediately with the zest of 1 lemon and 0.25 cup fresh basil leaves. Spoon the pan juices and burst tomatoes directly over the fish and crispy polenta, and serve hot with wedges from the 1 lemon.
3 min
Tip: Use the edge of a spoon to press any unburst tomatoes right onto the pan so their sweet juices mingle with the salty capers and olive oil.
Chef's Notes
The tube of pre-cooked polenta is one of the best grocery store shortcuts in existence. It crisps up like a dream without needing a separate pot or endless stirring. If your cherry tomatoes are especially firm, poke a tiny slit in them with a paring knife before roasting so they release their sweet juices across the pan.
Elena Reyes
Delicious doesn't have to be difficult
I spent a decade in restaurant kitchens before my daughter was born and I realized I needed a different relationship with food. The 16-hour days had to end, but my love of cooking didn't. Now I'm obsessed with the puzzle of making genuinely good food achievable on a Tuesday night. No weird ingredients, no 47-step processes—just smart techniques and bold flavors that come together fast. Because life is too short for boring weeknight dinners.