Grilled Sea Bass with Dalmatian-Style Swiss Chard and Potatoes

There’s something about fresh fish on a grill that just… works. No big tricks. I like sea bass for this—delicate flesh that stays together and picks up just enough smoky char.  Simple, clean, honestly the best way to do it.

The side is what I grew up with: Swiss chard and potatoes cooked together till tender, then tossed with good olive oil and a little garlic. That combo doesn’t need “improving.” Fresh stuff, gentle heat, done.  If you’ve got lemon, squeeze a bit on top.

For the fish, I go minimal: a touch of olive oil, salt, and a few fresh herbs (parsley, maybe thyme). Let the grill do the heavy lifting. And when that warm, garlicky chard hits the plate next to fish with slightly crispy skin—yep, that’s pure coastal comfort. I’d say keep extra olive oil at the table… and some bread, trust me.

Ingredients

Portions

-

4

+

Metric US

For the fish

• 4
  sea bass fillets or whole fish (about 200–250 g each)
• 2 tbsp
  olive oil
• 1 tsp
  sea salt
• to taste
  freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tbsp
  fresh parsley, chopped
• 1
  lemon, cut into wedges

For the Swiss chard and potatoes

• 500 g
  waxy potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks
• 300 g
  Swiss chard, roughly chopped (stems removed)
• 3 tbsp
  olive oil
• 2
  garlic cloves, minced
• to taste
  salt and pepper

Author

Mario Kapustic

Hi! I’m Mario from Croatia. I love cooking and sharing recipes that combine tradition with creativity. I started Tasty Empire to share my family’s recipes — the ones from Mom and Grandma — and all the little tricks I’ve picked up along the way. I especially enjoy pasta, risottos, homemade breads, and desserts, always looking for little ways to enrich flavors.

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Method

Prepare the side dish

• Cook potatoes
  Place potatoes in a pot of salted water, bring to a boil, and cook until just tender, about 12–15 minutes.
• Add chard
  Add the Swiss chard to the pot and cook for another 3–4 minutes until wilted. Drain well.
• Season
  Return to the pot, add olive oil, garlic, salt, and pepper. Toss gently and keep warm.

Grill the fish

• Preheat grill
  Heat the grill to medium-high and lightly oil the grates.
• Season fish
  Rub fish with olive oil, season with salt, pepper, and parsley.
• Grill
  Place fish skin-side down on the grill. Cook for 4–5 minutes per side (whole fish may need a few minutes longer), until the flesh flakes easily.

Serve

• Plate and garnish
  Serve fish with Swiss chard and potatoes on the side. Garnish with lemon wedges and extra parsley if desired.

Note: Use fresh sea bass or similar white fish. If using a whole fish, ask your fishmonger to clean and scale it for you.

Nutrition per serving

Calories

420 kcal

Updated: September 5, 2025

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