Baked Halibut with Lemon Butter (Printable)

Tender halibut fillets baked with a zesty lemon butter topping.

# What You Need:

→ Fish

01 - 4 (6 oz) skinless halibut fillets
02 - 1 tbsp olive oil
03 - 1/2 tsp kosher salt
04 - 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper

→ Lemon Butter Sauce

05 - 4 tbsp unsalted butter
06 - 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
07 - 1 tsp lemon zest
08 - 2 tbsp fresh parsley, finely chopped
09 - 1 small garlic clove, minced
10 - 1/4 tsp salt
11 - 1/8 tsp black pepper

→ Optional Garnish

12 - Lemon slices
13 - Extra chopped parsley

# How-To:

01 - Preheat oven to 400°F. Lightly grease a baking dish large enough to hold the fillets in a single layer.
02 - Pat halibut fillets dry with paper towels. Brush both sides with olive oil and season with salt and pepper.
03 - Arrange fillets in the prepared baking dish. Bake for 12–15 minutes, or until the fish is opaque and flakes easily with a fork.
04 - While the fish bakes, prepare the lemon butter sauce. In a small saucepan over medium heat, melt butter. Add garlic and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant. Stir in lemon juice, lemon zest, salt, and pepper. Remove from heat and mix in chopped parsley.
05 - Once the halibut is done, transfer fillets to serving plates. Spoon the lemon butter sauce over each fillet.
06 - Garnish with lemon slices and extra parsley if desired. Serve immediately.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The whole thing happens in under 30 minutes, which somehow feels impossible given how elegant it tastes.
  • Halibut stays impossibly tender when you bake it this way, nothing dry or rubbery.
  • That lemon butter sauce is pure magic—tangy, rich, and it makes you feel like you've figured out something special.
02 -
  • Halibut fillets vary in thickness, so start checking for doneness at 12 minutes rather than waiting the full 15—overcooked fish turns grainy and disappoints.
  • Don't skip drying the fillets; wet fish steams instead of bakes, and you'll miss out on any gentle browning.
  • Add the parsley to the sauce after removing it from heat so the herbs stay fresh and vibrant rather than turning dark and bitter.
03 -
  • Invest in a good instant-read thermometer and pull the fish when it hits 145°F internally—this removes all the guessing and gives you perfect results every time.
  • Make the sauce in the same pan you used for the fish if you want to capture all those flavorful bits stuck to the bottom, adding a splash of water to loosen everything.
  • Brown the butter slightly before adding the lemon juice for a nutty, more complex sauce that feels even more restaurant-quality.

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