15-Minute Broiled Whole Fish (Iraqi-Style Spice Paste)

by Amina Al-Saigh on Aug 16, 2026

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This is my baba’s go-to (and quite life changing) way of cooking whole fish. Butterflied, seasoned and broiled, then slathered with an Iraqi-style spice paste that will have you craving it again and again. The best part is that it’s so quick and easy! The fish (in this recipe I used Pompano, but more on other types below) ends up so juicy, buttery, tangy and savoury. Grab a piece of bread and just dig in. Let’s make it.

Grilled fish pieces with golden, crispy skin on a white platter, garnished with fresh parsley, on a light blue background.

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My Iraqi Baba’s Perfect Fish Technique

I won’t bore you with stories about my Iraqi baba, but just know this: he knows his way around fish. Fish is central in Iraqi cuisine, and whilst the best I’ve ever had is cooked on an open fire (magouf), this is a very, very close second.

Now since I’m Canadian bred, my go-to fish is usually a simple and unfussy rainbow trout fillet baked in the oven (my kids love this), or trout served with a zesty bulgur salad. I generally rule out whole fish from day to day since I know it has small bones and I have three little mouths to feed.

But one day, I had this whole broiled Pompano at my parent’s house and I fell in love. Juicy, buttery fish with the best tangy paste. And the cool part is, it doesn’t have a lot of tiny bones. It’s a lot easier to eat than other varieties. My dad declared it a Zubaidi replacement here in North America.

It does mean that I have to muster up the courage and go to the whole / live fish area in my local Asian market, and grab the actual fish myself. I give it to the fishmonger and he butterflies it and cleans it out for me. It is actually isn’t so bad! You can do it too. 😀

Alternative Fish Types That Work

If you can’t find Pompano (check your Asian fish market – here in the Greater Toronto Area, I go to Nations Fresh Foods), and you sure won’t be able to find Zubaidi (it’s mainly a Middle East fish variety), here are some alternatives that work. The main “recipe” here is the cooking technique as well as my Iraqi spice paste.

You can use similar mild white-fleshed fish like:

Branzino: Widely sold whole at grocery stores and fish counters. Mild and delicate like Zubaidi.
Red Sapper: Firm, mild and slightly sweet. I’ve also easily found this at grocery stores.
Whole Trout: this would be my last resort since it’s more firm and doesn’t flake as easily (you won’t get that ‘buttery’ texture), but it’ll go with the spice paste really well.

Let’s Make It

Go to your local Asian fish market and grab whole Pompano. Ask the fishmonger to butterfly it and clean it for you. I would go for 1 whole fish per person. This will give you some leftovers. The real serving size I think is 1 fish for 1.5 servings. But it’s easy to just hand each person a fish and have them go at it (hard to share a recipe eaten with your hands – it gets messy!).

The Iraqi Style Spice Paste: The base is a 1:2 ration of tomato paste to pomegranate molasses. I love to keep it simple and just add a sprinkling of salt, as my dad does. But others may add more ingredients like garlic powder, turmeric powder, or lemon juice. You can try the base and adjust to your taste. But the secret are the base two ingredients!

Nine whole, yellow and silver fish are arranged side by side on a bed of crushed ice in a display case.

Wash the fish at home – I just rinse it under cold water then pat it dry really well. High quality fresh fish should never smell.

Two raw, split fish laid open on a round metal tray, showing pink flesh and bones. The fish are arranged to display their inner sides and occupy most of the tray. — Lay the fish open and pat dry using paper towels on all sides. This helps the marinade stick.

Two split, raw fish laid open on a baking tray lined with parchment paper, surrounded by sliced onions and green and orange bell peppers. — Place it on a parchment lined sheet pan over slices of onions and peppers. They are optional but a nice side with the fish.

A whole fish, split open and laid flat on a baking tray, is placed on the middle rack of a blue oven, ready to be cooked. — Start broiling the fish at 550F (or the highest your oven will go), on the middle rack.

A beige, scalloped bowl with thick, dark reddish-brown sauce and a spoon rests inside, on a light, textured surface. — Meanwhile, prepare the spice paste which is 1 part tomato paste, and 2 parts pomegranate molasses, some salt and pepper, and water to thin.

TIP: Make sure you don’t place the fish too close to the broiler or it will burn before fully cooking through. The middle or just above the middle rack work best.

Three cleaned fish laid open on a baking tray atop sliced onions and bell peppers, with a gloved hand holding the tray. — Remove the fish after 10-12 minutes just as it starts to bubble and brown.

Grilled, butterflied fish coated in barbecue sauce on a bed of sliced onions and bell peppers, all arranged on parchment paper. — Using a pastry brush to brush the spice paste all over the surface of the fish and be generous. Place it back in the oven for another 5-7 minutes.

It’s ready when the surface is caramelized and starting to turn a dark brown. Remove from the oven and serve right away while piping hot!

Grilled fish with crispy, golden-brown skin on a white plate, garnished with fresh parsley.

Notes When Eating Whole Fish!

Be careful of small bones! Pompano is quite good in the sense that it doesn’t have too many small ones apart from its back spine or backbone. But each variety of fish is different.

I typically start using my hands to rip off pieces of the flesh and smash them using my fingers to ensure I don’t feel any bones, then I make little piles of fish for my kids. As for me – I use my hands to eat it straight away!

I love serving this with the broiled onions and peppers, Arabic bread, some pickles, and more roasted vegetables or some wedges if I have them.

More Fish Recipes To Try:

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