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January 14, 2026 //

Hake Basque Style in Green Sauce Recipe

Name: Hake Basque Style in Green Sauce
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 40 min
Yield: 4 people
Cuisine: Spanish
Ingredients: 4 fresh hake fillets (about 180-200g each, skin on or off); 16-20 clams (or other high-quality clams); 100g peas (fresh or frozen); 1 small onion or 2 shallots; 4 garlic cloves; A large bunch of fresh flat-leaf parsley (about 80-100g); 200ml mild fish stock (or water); 100ml dry white wine (such as Txakoli or similar); 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour; Extra virgin olive oil; Salt and black pepper

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5.0 (1 votes)

Spanish

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The original Basque-style hake recipe comes from the coast of the Basque Country, from those fishing villages where hake is the quintessential white fish. The fishermen would set out early in their boats and return with freshly caught hake. And the women, at home, had to find a way to prepare it, and that's how this wonderful dish came about.

The beauty of this recipe lies in how it brings together the sea and the garden. On one hand, there's the hake, with its delicate flesh. On the other, the green sauce, which is simply garlic, parsley, and white wine, but perfectly prepared. And here's the million-dollar question: what exactly is Basque sauce? Well, it's garlic, parsley, white wine, a good olive oil, and clam juice. All carefully emulsified. Then you add clams that open with the heat and release their juices, and tender peas. The result is truly exquisite, a hake in Basque marinara sauce that seems simple, but is anything but.

You have to know how to cook the fish perfectly so it doesn't overcook, emulsify the sauce well so it's smooth but without any strange flours, respect the cooking times… It's more of a philosophy than a recipe. Fresh produce, few ingredients, lots of love and patience.

And then there's the bread, of course. Because the green sauce is one of those you can't leave a single drop on your plate. You mop it up with bread, then again, and before you know it, you're asking for more. That's a sign the dish is perfect. The original Basque-style hake recipe is the essence of seafood cuisine: simple, elegant, and with that deep flavor only the sea can provide. When you try it, you'll agree with me.

Hake Basque Style Original Recipe (4 people)

Diners

4 personas

Preparation

10m

Cooked

30m

Total Time

40m

Utensils

A wide, shallow casserole dish (or deep frying pan) with a lid is essential. It must be large enough to place the hake fillets in a single layer and have a lid for steaming the clams.
Kitchen scissors or a sharp knife to clean and cut the hake.
Chinois or fine strainer (to strain the fish stock if you want a perfectly smooth green sauce, optional but recommended).
Whisk (to incorporate the flour with the sofrito without forming lumps)

Ingredients for Basque-style hake

4 fresh hake fillets (about 180-200 g each, with or without skin)
16-20 fine clams (or quality clams)
100g of peas (fresh or frozen)
1 small onion or 2 shallots
4 cloves of garlic
A large bunch of fresh flat-leaf parsley (approximately 80-100g)
200 ml of mild fish stock (or water)
100 ml of dry white wine (such as Txakoli or similar)
2 tablespoons of wheat flour
Extra virgin olive oil
Salt and black pepper

Recipe steps

Prepare the ingredients

Finely chop the onion and garlic. Wash and chop the parsley (reserve some stems for garnish). Clean the clams well under cold running water. Season the hake fillets.

Make the sofrito and the base of the sauce

In a wide saucepan, heat 4-5 tablespoons of oil over medium heat. Sauté the chopped onion and garlic until soft and translucent (about 8-10 minutes). Add the flour and whisk for 1 minute to lightly toast it.

Create the green sauce

Pour in the white wine and let it reduce by half. Add the hot fish stock and half of the chopped parsley. Stir well, bring to a gentle boil, and cook for 5 minutes to allow the flavors to meld.

Cook the hake and clams

Lower the heat. Carefully place the hake fillets in the sauce. Add the peas around them. Cover the casserole dish and cook over very low heat for 6-8 minutes (depending on the thickness of the fillets).

Add the clams and finish

After that time, spread the clams over the surface, cover again, and cook for another 3-4 minutes, or until all the clams have opened. Discard any clams that don't open. Sprinkle with the remaining fresh chopped parsley.

Serve

Serve immediately in the same casserole dish or in deep bowls, with plenty of green sauce. Serve with bread for dipping.

Key tips for success with the recipe

Do not boil the sauce with the fish: Once the hake is added, the heat should be very low. The cooking should be gentle, almost steaming, so that the hake does not thicken or fall apart.

Hake at room temperature: Take the fish out of the refrigerator 15-20 minutes before cooking. This prevents the sauce temperature from dropping drastically and promotes even cooking.

Finely chopped flat-leaf parsley: Use flat-leaf (Italian) parsley, which has more flavor than curly parsley. Chop it finely just before using to prevent oxidation and to preserve its full aroma and color.

Add the clams at the end: Clams don't need much time to open. If you add them from the beginning, they will overcook and become tough as rubber.

Taste the sauce before serving: After reducing, taste and adjust the salt if necessary. The fish stock may already be salted.

If the sauce is too thin: If you prefer a slightly thicker sauce, you can carefully remove the fish and clams and let the sauce reduce over high heat for a couple of minutes before adding them back in.

Print Recipe

There you have it, your Basque-style hake in green sauce, ready to eat. Close your eyes and take a bite… Doesn't it feel like you're in a real cider house, with those huge barrels and people eating with their hands? Well, that's what we've achieved today: bringing the taste of the Cantabrian Sea to your home.

Now tell me, how did the recipe go? Did you manage to get all the clams to open? That always makes me nervous, waiting to see if any stay closed and have to be thrown away. And the hake? That's the critical moment, not overcooking it for even a minute, keeping it juicy, melting in your mouth. That green sauce, well-blended, with just the right touch of garlic, but not overpowering…

Tell me in the comments how your experience went. And if your dish turned out nicely, if you took a picture, please share it too—we love seeing your creations! Everyone adds their own touch: some with more peas, others with less, some with larger clams, others with smaller ones… All versions are welcome.

And if you know someone who enjoys good traditional cuisine, share this recipe with them. Basque-style hake is one of those dishes that everyone should know, know how to make, and enjoy in good company.

I grew up watching the wooden spoon being moved in steaming pots, learning that good things take time and that the secret of a good dish lies in the love with which it is prepared.