Easy Baked Halibut Recipe

The Easiest Baked Halibut recipe – quick to make, juicy, flavorful and delicious weeknight dinner paired with veggies or salad. 

This is my favorite way to cook Halibut in the oven. Learn how to prepare and bake Halibut fillets and make a tasty, yet fancy dinner in no time. Perfect for Keto, low carb or balanced diet.

What is Halibut and how to cook it?

Halibut is a species of flatfish. It is rich in Selenium, Magnesium, Omega 3 Fatty Acids and Niacin. 

It is a lean fish with mild white flesh, large flakes and a firm but tender texture.

It doesn’t require a long cooking time.

It is white fish, that cooks relatively fast depending on the thickness of the fillets.

It tends to dry out if cooked for longer periods of time, so quick cooking at higher temperature is best for this fish. Halibut is sometimes cured or smoked.

I personally either cook it on the stove top with oil and seasoning or bake it.

The advantage of baking Halibut fillets in the oven at a moderately high temperature is that the fish cooks evenly and the outside is not burned.

If you cook on the stove top, there is a possibility that the fish gets a little too brown on the outside and underdone on the inside.

There also is an issue with flaking, the fish may fall apart when cooked on the stove top.

What ingredients do you need to make this easy baked halibut recipe?

Here is what I used for this Halibut recipe.

• halibut fillets – fresh or frozen (defrosted)

• olive oil

• salt – regular or sea salt 

• black pepper

• paprika

• smoked paprika

• garlic powder

• lemon juice

Other seasoning options for baked Halibut fillets are – lemon garlic butter, pesto sauce, covering the fillets mayonnaise seasoned with herbs and baking them or preparing a breadcrumb topping with Panko breadcrumbs, olive oil and herbs. Dill and parsley are great for garnishing the fish.

How to bake halibut?

1. Preheat oven to 425 F.
2. Line a baking dish with parchment paper (optional) and arrange the fish.
3. Combine the salt, black pepper, paprika, smoked paprika, garlic powder, lemon juice and olive oil in a small bowl.
4. Place the halibut fillets in the baking dish or on a sheet pan. Brush with the spice mixture on top.
5. Bake for 10-12 minutes, until opaque.
6. Serve with a side dish of your choice.

Tips to make baked halibut:

• Choose the freshest fish you can get, don’t buy frozen fillets.
• Frozen Halibut can be used in the recipe, if this is what you have. Keep in ming, that previously frozen Halibut fillets may be drier and denser than fresh ones and tend to cook faster.
• Cook the fish right away, you may leave it in the fridge overnight, but no more than that, because it may go bad.
• You don’t need to remove the skin off the halibut, if you have it on, since it helps keep the shape better. Bake fillets with the skin side down.
• If you have time, “marinate” the fish – leave the seasoning on for 15 minutes, to intensify the flavors.
• Line the baking dish with parchment paper or aluminum foil if you’d like for easier cleanup.
• You can use fresh or dried herbs of your choice. I chose to use salt, pepper and some paprika. Brushed the fish with melted butter and parsley.

What to serve with baked halibut?

This oven baked halibut goes well with salad, grilled vegetables, potatoes and rice. I served mine with oven roasted asparagus.

This oven baked okra, cucumber and onion salad and Keto Mashed Cauliflower are great side dishes for white fish.

You can also add some chopped tomatoes and capers on top of the seasoned fish and bake it with them.

This way you have a light and simple side dish, cooked together with the fish.

More fish recipes:

• Sesame Crusted Ahi Tuna
• Grilled Mahi Mahi 
• Pan Seared Salmon