White Fish Carpaccio With Citrus Dressing is a light and refreshing dish that makes a very elegant appetizer and works with various fresh fish varieties. Serve with a simple green salad for an easy yet elevated first course.
Known around the world by different titles including ceviche, sashimi, and pesce crudo, raw fish carpaccio is like a blank canvas for other delicate flavors. Here, I serve it with a light citrus dressing sweetened with honey and some crunchy capers and pickles to provide texture and a bit of sharpness.
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Food safety
Before you start, let's discuss the safety of serving raw fish as an elegant appetizer. Your fish must have been frozen for a minimum of 24 hours at -20ºC/-4°F to kill any parasites that may have been present. Check this with your supplier, and then you're good to go. Read this article to learn more.
📖 Ingredients List
- White fish - There are many types of white fish you can use for carpaccio, including seabass, seabream, swordfish, kingfish, halibut, and snapper. Personally, I find the best fish for carpaccio is sea bass due to its mild flavor and buttery texture.
- Lemon - This dish is all about that citrus dressing. Use fresh lemons, and not storebought lemon juice. We also need the lemon zest.
- Orange - Orange sweetens the dressing somewhat and adds another layer of citrus taste.
- Olive oil - Do not use a very strong-tasting olive oil (like extra virgin olive oil), as it can be bitter, and overpower the fish.
- Honey - A small amount of honey takes the edge off the dressing and softens the dish.
- Sea salt - Salt is an essential ingredient that balances all the flavors and brings out the taste. I use flaky sea salt.
To serve:
- Green salad - I like to use lamb's lettuce (also known as cornsalad) because it's quite sculptural, holds dressing well, and can be arranged easily.
- Edible flowers - Check out this post on edible flowers to see which ones you can eat and use to decorate your food.
- Dill - Fresh herbs will liven up any plate, and dill works especially well with seafood.
See the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post for full quantities and step-by-step directions on how to make white fish carpaccio.
👩🏼🍳 Instructions
- Measure the lemon and orange juice into a small bowl and gradually whisk in the oil and then the honey. Season with a pinch of salt, and then adjust according to your preference for sweetness by adding more honey if needed.
- Finely dice the pickles into small cubes.
- Pat the fresh fish fillet dry with paper towels. Use a fish filleting knife to cut very thin slices from the fish and make the white fish carpaccio. Place them in a single layer on a clean serving platter.
- Use a pastry brush to gently brush the white fish carpaccio with the citrus dressing. Scatter over the capers and pickles on top of the fish, grate over some lemon zest and serve immediately.
🌟 Top Tip
You can prepare the thin slices of fish carpaccio and other elements on the serving plate in advance but do not add the dressing until the last minute. The citrus and salt will start to cure the fish as soon as they are added, which can affect the texture of the fish and make it tough if left for too long.
👩🏼🍳 Chef's Tips & Serving suggestions
I tend to plate this white fish carpaccio recipe with a small pile of green salad in the middle, tossed with the remaining citrus dressing. Garnish with the capers and pickles, and then add a few sprigs of dill and some edible flowers like pansies (which are flavorless). If you like a hint of spice, some chopped chilli can be a nice addition. I often omit to add black pepper to this dish as it can appear gritty on top of the pearly white fish. But this is up to you.
I love serving carpaccio, and often make a beet carpaccio dish too as an alternative starter at a dinner party.
🍷 Wine pairing for white fish carpaccio
You need something crisp and lemony, like a Nothern Italian white wine. Try a Vermentino or Pinot Grigio.
❄️ Storage & Freezing
This dish is best prepared and eaten as soon as possible. If possible, buy the fish the morning you intend to make it for the best flavor. If you have leftovers, store them covered in plastic food wrap/cling film and consume them within 24 hours.
🥣 Equipment
Investing in a flexible knife for slicing fish for carpaccio is ideal for this dish. I use Robert Welch knives (not sponsored; I just love them!). Alternatively, any very sharp knife will work.
❓Recipe FAQ
Carpaccio refers to a classic Italian dish made from very thin slices of raw meat or fish. It is traditionally made with white fish, yellowfin tuna fillet, salmon, or beef.
Eating raw meat or fish should be avoided by the very young or very old, or anyone pregnant or with compromised immune systems.
🍽 Other seafood recipes
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
Have you tried this recipe?
If you make this recipe, I'd love to hear how it went! Please leave a 5-star ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating on the recipe card and consider leaving a comment as well. Your feedback helps other readers and is greatly appreciated.
📖 Recipe
White Fish Carpaccio With Citrus Dressing
Equipment
- sharp knife Ideally flexible
Ingredients
- 2 Large sea bass fillets (or other white fish)
- ½ Lemon (juiced)
- ½ Orange (juiced)
- 50 ml (⅕ cup) Olive oil
- ½ tablespoon Honey
- 4 teaspoon Capers
- 4 teaspoon Pickles (finely diced)
- ½ teaspoon Salt
Instructions
- Whisk the orange and lemon juice together, and then stream in the oil whilst continuing to whisk. Add the salt and honey to taste.
- Use a very sharp knife to shave the fish into thin slices and place them in a single layer on a serving plate.
- Use a pastry brush to gently brush the dressing over the white fish carpaccio.
- Scatter the capers and chopped pickles/gherkins over the top, add a pinch of lemon zest, and serve immediately.
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