Baked Halibut (with Lemon Garlic Butter)

Baked Halibut on platter with lemon garlic butter, fresh lemons, and parsley garnish.

Baked Halibut (with Lemon Garlic Butter)

Baked Halibut is drenched in a simple and flavorful lemon garlic butter sauce and oven baked until flaky for an easy dinner that’s on the table in under 20 minutes!

Course Main Course

Cuisine American

Prep Time 5

Cook Time 10

Total Time 15

Servings servings

Calories 207kcal

Author Samantha Skaggs

Equipment

Ingredients

4 (5- to 6-ounce) halibut fillets
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
3 tablespoons butter
1 garlic clove grated or pressed
1 ½ tablespoons freshly-squeezed lemon juice
¼ teaspoon salt
OPTIONAL GARNISHES: lemon slices + fresh chopped parsley or dill

Instructions

Preheat oven to 425°F and arrange halibut in a 9- by 13-inch baking dish. Pat the fillets dry with a paper towel and generously season with salt and pepper.
In a small saucepan set over low heat, melt the butter. Stir in the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Remove from the heat and stir in the lemon juice, ¼ teaspoon salt, and freshly ground black pepper, to taste.
Pour butter mixture over halibut fillets in baking dish. Bake for 9 to 12 minutes, or until halibut is opaque and flaky yet still moist, taking care not to overcook.
Garnish with a lemon slice and/or fresh chopped herbs, if desired, and serve immediately.

Notes

You can ask the butcher to cut your halibut fillets to size. If the halibut comes with skin, ask the butcher to remove it (or remove it yourself before baking).
This recipe will also work with frozen halibut that’s been completely thawed. Thaw in a covered dish in the refrigerator overnight. Alternatively, place frozen fillets in a gallon-sized zip-top bag, squeeze out the air, and place in a bowl of cold water for 20 minutes or until thawed.
You can use salted or unsalted butter in this recipe.
If you don’t have fresh lemons on hand, you may use bottled juice, but try to find a bottle that lists “lemon juice” as its only ingredient.
The halibut is done when the thickest section of the fish easily flakes with a fork. Check your halibut at 9 minutes and add more time only if necessary.
Thinner pieces of halibut may cook faster and thicker pieces will take longer to cook through. If your halibut fillets are different sizes, you can pull thinner pieces out of the oven as soon as they’re done and before any thicker pieces that may still require a few extra minutes to finish cooking.

Nutrition