The Steamed Fish Recipe I Make When I’m Feeling Lazy but Craving Healthy

I am extremely particular about the way I like to cook my fish. I love a crispy-skinned fillet cooked in a skillet, but it inevitably splatters oil everywhere and is, well, a little stanky. And although I get that “slow-roasted salmon” is a misnomer since it takes 30 minutes at most, I have an oven that preheats at a glacial pace, and I am not trying to spend an hour cooking fish for one. Which is why, when I crave marine life, nine times out of 10, I’ll steam it.

This is not news to my friends, who are extremely used to making fun of me for how much I love to steam any and all foods. This recipe for Soy and Ginger Steamed Fish is loosely inspired by one of my all-time favorite fish dishes: a classic Cantonese whole steamed fish with scallions, ginger, and soy. The addition of mushrooms and Napa cabbage makes this pot o’ fish satisfying, warming, and light. I like to serve it with steamed white rice, which you can get going before you start preparing the fish.

There are several things I love about this recipe: It takes 20 minutes to prep and cook from start to finish; you can make it without a steamer basket, as the Napa cabbage acts as a buffer between the fish and the bottom of the pot; and you can use whatever fish you want—it’s equally good with salmon or snapper as it is with splurge-y black bass. I’m also trying to figure out how to be a more conscious consumer of seafood, and simple recipes like this are a good reminder that flavor really does start with quality, as steaming brings out the incredible taste of good, fresh fish.

Steaming as a technique might not get a lot of love, especially when it comes to cooking proteins—but it creates the ideal gentle sauna environment for perfectly flaky and never dry fish—not to mention succulent chicken (yes, even breasts!). If you’re not convinced yet, make this fish and get back to me. I guarantee you’ll go full steam ahead.

Get the recipe!

Soy and Ginger Steamed Fish