Baked Halibut Lemon Butter (Printable)

Tender halibut fillets baked with a bright lemon butter sauce for a flavorful and simple main dish.

# What's Needed:

→ Fish

01 - 4 skinless halibut fillets (6 oz each)
02 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
03 - Salt, to taste
04 - Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

→ Lemon Butter Sauce

05 - 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
06 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
07 - 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (about 1 lemon)
08 - 1 teaspoon lemon zest
09 - 1 tablespoon fresh parsley, finely chopped
10 - Lemon slices, for garnish

# How to Make It:

01 - Preheat oven to 400°F. Lightly grease a baking dish large enough to fit the fillets in a single layer.
02 - Pat fillets dry with paper towels. Brush both sides with olive oil, then season generously with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
03 - Place seasoned fillets in the prepared baking dish in a single layer.
04 - In a small bowl, whisk together melted butter, minced garlic, lemon juice, lemon zest, and chopped parsley until combined.
05 - Pour lemon butter sauce evenly over the halibut fillets and top each with a lemon slice.
06 - Bake for 15 to 20 minutes until fish is opaque and flakes easily with a fork, reaching an internal temperature of 140°F.
07 - Remove from oven, spoon pan juices over fillets, and serve immediately.

# Tips for Success:

01 -
  • The halibut stays impossibly tender because the oven's gentle heat does all the work for you.
  • That lemon butter sauce tastes like restaurant-quality cooking but comes together in the time it takes to preheat the oven.
  • It's naturally gluten-free and feels elegant enough for guests but easy enough for a solo weeknight dinner.
02 -
  • Don't skip the paper towel step—wet fish steams instead of bakes, and you'll lose that subtle golden edge.
  • Halibut is lean and forgiving, but overcooked fish becomes rubbery; use a fork to test for flakiness rather than guessing the time.
03 -
  • Room temperature fish cooks more evenly than cold fish straight from the fridge—pull it out 5 minutes before baking.
  • The moment the oven beeps, don't wait; halibut's brief window between perfect and overdone is surprisingly short, so check a minute or two early on your first attempt.

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