Baked Halibut Lemon Garlic (Printable version)

Tender halibut fillets baked with lemon-garlic butter for a light, flavorful dish.

# What You'll Need:

→ Fish

01 - 4 (6-ounce) skinless halibut fillets

→ Marinade & Seasoning

02 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
03 - 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
04 - 2 teaspoons lemon zest
05 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
06 - 1 teaspoon salt
07 - ½ teaspoon black pepper
08 - 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves or ½ teaspoon dried thyme

→ Garnish

09 - 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
10 - Lemon wedges, for serving

# Directions:

01 - Preheat oven to 400°F and lightly grease a baking dish large enough to fit fillets in a single layer.
02 - Pat halibut fillets dry with paper towels and place them in the prepared baking dish.
03 - In a small bowl, whisk olive oil, lemon juice, lemon zest, minced garlic, salt, black pepper, and thyme until combined.
04 - Brush the marinade evenly over all sides of the halibut fillets.
05 - Bake for 12 to 15 minutes until the fish flakes easily with a fork and is opaque throughout.
06 - Remove from oven, sprinkle with chopped parsley, and serve with lemon wedges.

# Expert advice:

01 -
  • It's ready in 25 minutes flat, so even on busy nights you can have restaurant-quality fish at your table
  • The lemon-garlic butter is so simple, yet it transforms plain halibut into something that tastes like you spent hours perfecting it
  • The fish stays impossibly moist and flaky, never dry or rubbery like overcooked fish can be
02 -
  • The difference between perfect halibut and overcooked halibut is literally two minutes, so set a timer and check early. Once it flakes, you're done.
  • Starting with a dry fillet is non-negotiable. That step of patting them dry is what separates home cooks from people whose fish turns out restaurant-quality.
03 -
  • Buy your halibut from a fishmonger if you can. They'll select the best fillets for you and can tell you exactly when it came in, which means fresher, better fish
  • If your fillets are thicker than an inch, place them on the lower rack of the oven so the heat comes from underneath and ensures they cook evenly all the way through