This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.
The Easiest Baked Halibut Recipe – quick to make, juicy, flavorful and delicious weeknight dinner paired with veggies, Ratatouille, Oven Fries or a Cucumber Cabbage Salad for a healthy and balanced meal.
This is truly my favorite way to cook Oven Baked Halibut. It feels fancy, but it’s so simple. With just a few pantry spices and lemon, you’ll get flaky, buttery fish that works for everyday dinners or even special occasions..
What is Halibut?
- Halibut is a lean, white fish with a mild flavor, large flakes, and a firm yet tender texture. It’s rich in selenium, magnesium, omega-3 fatty acids, and niacin, making it a healthy choice for any diet.
- Because halibut is naturally low in fat, it doesn’t need long cooking. In fact, baking it quickly at a higher temperature makes this the Best Baked Halibut Recipe for keeping it moist and tender.
- I often make halibut on the stovetop or bake it in the oven. Baking has the advantage of cooking the fish evenly without burning the outside or having it fall apart when flipping.
Ingredients for This Oven Baked Halibut Recipe
Here’s what you’ll need for this easy baked halibut recipe (see full amounts in the recipe card below):
- Halibut fillets – fresh or frozen (thawed)
- Olive oil or melted butter (or a mix of both)
- Salt – sea salt or regular
- Black pepper
- Paprika + smoked paprika
- Garlic powder or fresh minced garlic
- Lemon juice
- Optional garnishes: dill, parsley, capers
Other seasoning variations: lemon garlic butter, pesto, mayo with herbs, or a Panko breadcrumb topping mixed with olive oil and herbs.
How to Bake Halibut In The Oven
- Preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C).
- Pat the halibut fillets dry and place in a parchment-lined baking dish.
2. In a small bowl, mix olive oil or melted butter, lemon juice, garlic, paprika, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper.
3. Brush or pour the mixture over the fillets.
4. Top each filet with butter for extra flavor (this is an optional step).
5. Bake for 10–12 minutes, depending on thickness, until the fish is opaque and flakes easily with a fork.
6. Garnish with fresh parsley or dill and lemon slices. Serve hot.
Tips for the Best Baked Halibut
- Easy cleanup – line your pan with parchment paper or foil.
- Don’t overcook – halibut is lean and can dry out quickly. Check for doneness at 10 minutes.
- Frozen is fine – just thaw fully and pat dry before seasoning. Note: previously frozen halibut tends to be a little denser and cooks slightly faster.
- Keep the skin on – if your fillet has skin, bake it skin-side down for easier handling.
- Marinate briefly – let the seasoning sit on the fish for 15 minutes before baking to deepen flavor.
FAQ
Yes! Just thaw it in the fridge overnight and pat it dry before baking. Keep in mind that previously frozen halibut may cook a little faster and can be slightly denser. The lat time I made Halibut, while in Europe, I was only able to find frozen, but it worked great!
The fish should be opaque and flake easily with a fork. The internal temperature should be around 130–135°F (55–57°C).
If your fillet has skin, you can leave it on. Bake skin-side down — it helps the fish hold its shape and is easy to remove after cooking.
Halibut goes well with roasted vegetables, salads, rice, couscous, or potatoes. Keep it light and fresh to balance the rich, buttery fish.
What to Serve with Baked Halibut
- This oven baked halibut recipe pairs well with:
- Ratatouille or Baked zucchini chips
- Roasted asparagus or green beans
- Mashed Cauliflower or rice
- Fresh cucumber and onion salad
More Fish Recipes to Try
- Tuscan Salmon Recipe
- Baked Breaded Shrimp
- Easy Grilled Octopus
- Octopus and Potato Salad
- Broiled Lobster Tail
- Fagri Fish Recipe
- Ahi Tuna Steak
- Easy Grilled Mahi Mahi
Baked halibut recipe
Ingredients
- 2 lb Halibut fillet
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1/2 tsp Salt
- 1/4 tsp Black pepper
- 1/4 tsp Paprika
- 1/4 tsp Smoked paprika
- 1/4 tsp Garlic powder
- Juice from one medium lemon
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425°F (220°C).
- Place the halibut fillets in a baking dish or on a sheet pan lined with parchment paper.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice, salt, black pepper, paprika, smoked paprika, and garlic powder.
- Brush or spoon the mixture evenly over the fish.
- Bake for 12–14 minutes, or until the halibut is opaque and flakes easily with a fork.
- Serve warm with salad, quinoa, pasta, couscous, or your favorite sides.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Whether you’re looking for a healthy weeknight dinner or a special meal, this Oven Baked Halibut Recipe delivers every time. It’s buttery, tender, and pairs beautifully with Ratatouille, grilled asparagus, or a cucumber salad.
If you love seafood, try my Tuscan Salmon, Grilled Mahi Mahi, or Sesame Crusted Ahi Tuna next!
This recipe was originally published in 2019 and updated in October 2025 with new photos, step-by-step tips, and serving ideas.
Made tonight and turned out great! You mentioned that you brushed the fish with butter and parsley. Was that before or after the marinade?
Hi, glad you liked it! I brushed it with butter prior to serving.
I made it last night and it turned out amazing! This is a winner thank you!
I didn’t have fresh herbs but i had a majority of the spices, so i prepared the fish that way as well as the warm butter and garlic, I also included lemon zest and fresh lemon juice as the final touch. I was going to marinade in advance but after I read your tip about 15 minutes prior I felt that would be long enough and I was not disappointed….”Yum” will make again 🙂
Glad you liked it!!!
Delicious!!
My brothers went to Alaska and brought back 200 pounds of halibut, which they were happy to share. I made this, on a whim last month and it was absolutely delicious! My husband does not like garlic so I omitted it. I was very happy with the consistency of the seasoning as the combination of olive oil and lemon juice thickened after sitting for 20-30 minutes. I was able to lavish it on the two fillets and bake it to 130 degrees…perfect. Tonight I will add capers with chopped tomatoes and finish with a sprinkle of parsley. Served with basmati rice, roasted cauliflower and asparagus.
I is a lot of marinade, do I just brush to coat each side or use all the marinade?
You can either just brush on the sides or use as a marinade.
Excellent site, thank you very much.
We are thawing out halibut fillets caught in Alaskan waters.
Your suggestions are priceless. Once again thank you very much
I made this recipe tonight a d it came out perfect. I hadn’t bought halibut in a long time so I had to learn again how to cook it. I added panko breadcrumbs on top mixed with some mayo and a little paprika. I highly recommend the panko.it added a nice crisp topping to the fish.
I cooked a piece of halibut using this recipe. It was absolutely the best my husband and I
have ever tasted. We are not usually fish eaters, but as the halibut was given to us, I looked
for a recipe that was easy and didn’t have too many ingredients. This recipe was the best.
Thank you, Mira, for giving your time and effort for healthy cooking.
I do not like that I cannot print this recipe without signing up for something. Your site will be on my list to avoid. sorry, I assume you are being paid to make us use this feature rather than just print it with without signing up to more advertizing.
Hi, I’m not paid for anything, there is an option to simply close the window and DO NOT give your email address.
You can avoid the web site, if this is what you feel like. Please know you can print without giving your email address. Also I’d like to share that creators like be invest time and money to make this recipes available for free to readers like you. You don’t want advertising – all sites like this use it in one or another form.