Baked Halibut Garlic Butter (Printable version)

Tender halibut fillets baked in aromatic garlic butter for a light and flavorful main dish.

# What you need:

→ Fish

01 - 4 halibut fillets, skinless and boneless, approximately 6 ounces each
02 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
03 - Salt, to taste
04 - Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

→ Garlic Butter Sauce

05 - 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
06 - 3 garlic cloves, minced
07 - 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
08 - 1 teaspoon lemon zest
09 - 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, finely chopped
10 - 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves, optional

→ Garnish

11 - Lemon wedges for serving
12 - Extra chopped parsley

# How To:

01 - Preheat oven to 400°F and lightly grease a baking dish that accommodates fillets in a single layer.
02 - Pat halibut fillets dry, brush both sides with olive oil, then season with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
03 - Place seasoned fillets evenly spaced in the prepared baking dish.
04 - Combine melted butter, minced garlic, lemon juice, lemon zest, parsley, and thyme in a small bowl, mixing thoroughly.
05 - Spoon the garlic butter sauce evenly over each halibut fillet.
06 - Bake in the preheated oven for 15 to 18 minutes until the fish is opaque and flakes easily, with an internal temperature between 130°F and 135°F.
07 - Remove from oven, garnish with lemon wedges and extra parsley, and serve immediately.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The fish stays impossibly tender while the garlic butter creates this golden, aromatic blanket that tastes way fancier than the effort involved.
  • You get dinner on the table in less than 30 minutes without feeling like you cut corners.
  • It works equally well for a quiet Tuesday night or when you need to impress someone at your table.
02 -
  • Don't walk away from the oven after the 12-minute mark. This dish can go from perfect to overdone in the blink of an eye, and halibut doesn't forgive carelessness.
  • If your garlic starts browning in the butter before you add the lemon juice, the sauce will taste bitter instead of bright. Keep the heat gentle when melting that butter.
03 -
  • Buy fillets of uniform thickness, or butterfly thicker ones so everything cooks at the same speed.
  • The lemon zest is non-negotiable. Fresh zest adds brightness that bottled juice never quite captures.

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