Baked White Fish Recipe

This easy 20-minute weeknight recipe for baked white fish enhances the fish's mild flavor with bold spices and a rich, buttery sauce.

Course Main Course

Cuisine American

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 15

Total Time 25

Servings servings

Calories 207kcal

6 haddock fillets 6 ounces each; can also use cod or tilapia
Olive oil spray
1 teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt or ½ teaspoon of any other salt, including Morton kosher salt
¼ teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon dried thyme
½ teaspoon paprika

Preheat the oven to 425°F. Lightly grease a 9x13-inch baking dish.
Pat the haddock filets dry and arrange them in a single layer in the baking dish.
Spray the fillets generously with olive oil. Mix the salt, pepper, garlic powder, dried thyme, and paprika. Season the fish with the spice mixture.
Bake the fillets for about 15 minutes, until they reach an internal temperature of 145°F and their flesh is opaque and the top flakes easily with a fork.
After placing the fish in the oven, melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Keep cooking, stirring often, for about 2-3 minutes, until the butter turns golden brown.
Remove the butter from the heat, pour it into a small bowl, and stir in the lemon juice. Let it rest and slightly thicken for a few minutes while the fish finishes baking.
Arrange the baked fish on a serving platter. Pour the brown butter sauce over the fish, garnish with parsley and lemon slices, and serve.

White fish lacks fat and can become dry easily, so it's important to avoid overcooking it.
This dish will only be as good as the fish you use. Try to find fresh, high-quality fish. If the fillets smell fishy in their raw state, the dish won't be very good when cooked.
Brown butter burns easily. It goes from golden to brown to dark brown in a matter of seconds, so keep a close eye on it.
You can keep the leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. You can reheat them covered in the microwave. However, I don't like to reheat them as this makes them dry and fishy, so I flake them and add them cold to a salad.