Baked Halibut Garlic Butter (Printable)

Tender halibut fillets baked in garlic butter offer a light, flavorful option for quick or elegant dining.

# What You Need:

→ Fish

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

→ Garlic Butter Sauce

04 - 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
05 - 3 garlic cloves, minced
06 - 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
07 - 1 teaspoon lemon zest
08 - 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, finely chopped
09 - 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves (optional)

→ Garnish

10 - Lemon wedges, for serving
11 - Extra chopped parsley

# How-To Steps:

01 - Preheat oven to 400°F. Lightly grease a baking dish large enough for the fillets in a single layer.
02 - Pat fillets dry with paper towels. Brush both sides with olive oil and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
03 - Arrange the halibut fillets evenly in the prepared baking dish.
04 - In a small bowl, combine melted butter, minced garlic, lemon juice, lemon zest, parsley, and thyme leaves.
05 - Spoon the garlic butter mixture evenly over each fillet.
06 - Bake for 15 to 18 minutes or until the fish is opaque and flakes easily with a fork. Internal temperature should reach 130–135°F.
07 - Remove from oven and garnish with lemon wedges and extra parsley. Serve immediately.

# Helpful Tips:

01 -
  • The fish stays impossibly tender while the garlic butter turns golden and aromatic, with zero fussing required.
  • It looks restaurant-quality but takes less time than ordering takeout, so you'll actually cook it on weeknights.
02 -
  • The moment you take the fish out of the oven is the moment to eat it—residual heat keeps cooking it, so hesitation is the enemy here.
  • Don't skip drying the fish; water is the reason restaurant halibut tastes better, and it's just because they understand this one small thing.
03 -
  • If your garlic starts to brown at the edges while you're mixing, your butter was too hot—let it cool for a minute before combining, or the raw garlic flavor will turn sharp and bitter.
  • Invest in a meat thermometer if you don't have one; halibut at 130 to 135°F is perfect, and knowing this number removes all the anxiety from cooking fish.

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