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Whole roasted milokopi fish on a baking sheet with lemon slices, tomatoes, rosemary, and thyme.
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Whole Roasted Milokopi (Meagre Fish)

Simple Mediterranean-style roasted milokopi made with lemon, olive oil, fresh thyme, and rosemary. This whole fish stays tender, juicy, and naturally flavorful without garlic or heavy seasonings. An easy and healthy Bulgarian-style dinner using minimal ingredients.
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time40 minutes
Course: dinner
Cuisine: American
Keyword: Bulgarian recipes, meagre fish, milokopi recipe, roasted whole fish
Servings: 4

Ingredients

  • 1 whole Milokopi meagre fish, 1–1.2 kg, cleaned and scaled
  • 3 tbsp olive oil
  • Juice of 1 lemon
  • A few lemon slices for stuffing
  • 1 –2 sprigs fresh thyme
  • 1 –2 sprigs fresh rosemary
  • 1 tsp salt or to taste
  • ¼ tsp black pepper
  • ¼ cup dry white wine optional
  • 1 –2 sliced tomatoes or 2–3 sliced carrots optional, for color and moisture
US Customary - Metric

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 400°F / 200°C.
  • Pat the fish dry inside and out. Use a sharp knife to make 2–3 shallow diagonal cuts on each side. If any scales remain on the outside, gently scrape them off.
  • Season the fish inside and out with olive oil, salt, pepper, lemon juice, and a few leaves of fresh thyme and rosemary.
  • Stuff the cavity with lemon slices and whole sprigs of thyme and rosemary.
  • Place the fish in a lightly oiled or parchment-lined baking dish. Scatter tomato slices or carrot slices around the fish if using.
  • Pour the white wine (optional) into the baking dish.
  • Bake uncovered for 30–35 minutes, or until the flesh flakes easily with a fork and the skin is lightly golden.
  • Rest the fish for 3–5 minutes, then drizzle with the pan juices before serving.

Notes

Milokopi is also known as meagre fish or Umbrina cirrosa.
If the fish is larger than 1.5 kg, cover loosely with foil for the first 20 minutes, then uncover to finish.
Replace wine with a splash of water if preferred.
Pairs well with roasted carrots, baked tomatoes, Greek salad, roasted zucchini, or rice with lemon and parsley.

Nutrition

Calories: 384kcal | Carbohydrates: 0.5g | Protein: 45g | Fat: 20g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 12g | Cholesterol: 133mg | Sodium: 717mg | Potassium: 850mg | Fiber: 0.03g | Sugar: 0.1g | Vitamin A: 896IU | Calcium: 18mg | Iron: 1mg
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