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GET IT NOWMy Baked Halibut Recipe Is The Ultra Moist Way To Cook This Fish
Many of you know that salmon is my go-to everyday fish, but when I want something special, it’s baked halibut all the way. Here’s why this recipe stands out:
- Tender, flaky white fish with loads of flavor – Some baked halibut recipes are super basic, and while there’s nothing wrong with that (I love this fish any which way), my version brings a lemony, herby flavor that makes it taste special. And my tips promise a moist, flaky texture — never dry.
- Easy to make – I only use simple, easy-to-find ingredients here, and the whole thing is on the table in about 20 minutes. And half that time is hands-off!
- Versatile, healthy dinner – My baked halibut is easy enough for your weeknight dinners, but I especially love it for entertaining guests or date nights. Plus, it’s naturally gluten-free.
While my pan seared halibut gets a golden crust (with an irresistible lemon butter sauce) and my grilled halibut is perfect for warm days, this baked halibut recipe is the best way I’ve found to lock in moisture. And that translates to the most tender, delicate flakes ever. They get me every time. Make this with me and I think you’ll feel the same way!
Ingredients & Substitutions
Here I explain the best ingredients for my oven baked halibut recipe, what each one does, and substitution options. For measurements, see the recipe card.
- Halibut Fillets – If you’re lucky enough to get fresh halibut, I’m jealous! I usually have to buy it frozen — just thaw first. You can also use my recipe for other types of white fish, such as flounder, haddock, or cod.
- Olive Oil – I use this most often, but I’ve also made this baked halibut using avocado oil and melted butter (on two separate occasions). Any of these work!
- Lemon – You’ll need both the lemon juice and lemon zest, so grab fresh lemons.
- Garlic – I recommend mincing fresh garlic cloves for the best flavor, but for convenience, it’s okay to use a teaspoon of jarred minced garlic or 1/2 teaspoon of garlic powder.
- Fresh Herbs – Dill, parsley, and chives always go well with fish. Feel free to use any herbs you like. I personally don’t love dried herbs here, but other readers have used them and still liked the recipe. Dried ones are more concentrated, so replace each tablespoon fresh with a teaspoon dried.
- Spices – Paprika, sea salt, and black pepper.
How To Bake Halibut In The Oven
I have step-by-step photos here to help you visualize the recipe. For full instructions with amounts and temperatures, see the recipe card.
- Mix the seasonings. In a small bowl, whisk together olive oil, lemon juice and zest, fresh herbs, garlic, and paprika.
- Brush them on. Pat the fish fillets dry with a paper towel, which actually helps lock moisture inside during baking. Place them in a baking dish (I use this one, pictured here), or a sheet pan works, too. Brush on the oil mixture, and season with salt and pepper, on both sides.
- Bake halibut in oven. The easiest way to know it’s done is when the fish flakes easily with a fork, but check my tips below for maximum flakiness.
My Recipe Tips
- If your halibut has skin, leave it on. It helps the fish keep its shape and actually adds flavor, even if you don’t eat the skin afterward. (But don’t worry if your halibut doesn’t have skin. This recipe still works great without it — I tested both ways.)
- Be careful not to get the pith when zesting your lemon. The zest is the yellow, citrusy part, while the pith is the bitter white part. If you add the pith to the mixture, you might notice a bitter flavor in your halibut. I have and love this zester — it’s much easier to use than my last one and I don’t accidentally get the pith with it.
- Season with salt and pepper separately from the oil mixture. I don’t mix them with the oil and lemon juice, because sometimes they don’t end up on the fish evenly. It’s better to brush on the oil mixture, then season with salt and pepper directly.
- Reserve extra herbs or lemons for serving. I topped my baked halibut with extra fresh herbs above and served with lemon wedges, but you can also top each fillet with a lemon slice before baking.
- For moist, flaky results, use a meat thermometer and cook to medium temperature. Like I mentioned above, flaking with a fork is an okay way to test, but this thermometer will get you restaurant-quality results. I recommend an internal temperature of 135-140 degrees F for tender baked halibut like you see in my pictures. You can bump it up to 145 if you like it more firm, though.
- Want extra flavor? Sprinkle grated parmesan cheese or crushed nuts over the fish before baking.
- Want to make it a one-pan meal? Sometimes I spread cherry tomatoes and zucchini slices around the fish, right in the same pan. Just make a little extra garlic herb mixture to drizzle over them.
Baked Halibut
Learn how to bake flaky, tender halibut fast! This easy baked halibut recipe has lots of herby, lemony flavor, with simple ingredients.
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Instructions
Tap on the times in the instructions to start a kitchen timer.
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Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (204 degrees C).
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In a small bowl, whisk together olive oil, dill, parsley, chives, paprika, lemon juice, lemon zest, and garlic.
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Arrange the halibut fillets in a stoneware baking dish, with space between them. Use paper towels to pat them dry.
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Brush the fish on both sides with the olive oil mixture. Season both sides with sea salt and black pepper. (You can also mix the salt and pepper into the olive oil mixture before brushing, but they disperse more evenly if you sprinkle separately.)
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Bake for 8-15 minutes (depending on thickness), until the halibut internal temperature reaches your desired doneness: 125 degrees F (52 degrees C) for medium rare, 130 degrees F (54 degrees C) for medium, or 140 degrees F (60 degrees C) for well done. I recommend medium for the most tender, moist, and flaky fish. If you don’t have a thermometer, you can check that the fish flakes easily with a fork, but is still moist and tender inside.
LAST STEP: Leave a rating to help other readers, or tag me @wholesomeyum on Instagram. I’d love to hear from you!
Maya’s Recipe Notes
Serving size: 1 baked halibut fillet
- Tips: Check out my recipe tips above to help you get moist, flaky fish (instead of dry), as well as a couple tips to make the prep process easier.
- Store: I think halibut recipes baked fresh taste the best, but you can store leftovers covered in the fridge for 2-3 days. I’ve made good fish tacos with them!
- Reheat: Wrap fish in a packet of foil, and reheat in the oven at 300 degrees F.
- Freeze: If you plan to freeze your fish, I recommend doing it raw. But if you really need to freeze leftovers, they’ll last for up to 3 months frozen. Thaw before reheating.
I provide nutrition facts as a courtesy. Have questions about calculations or why you got a different result? Please see my nutrition policy.
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Baked Halibut Recipe
Serving Ideas
I usually turn this baked halibut into a light dinner, so veggies or salads are my go-to sides with it, but you can do something more hearty, too. Here are some ideas:
- Vegetables – Make my quick sauteed asparagus or sauteed green beans while baking the halibut in the oven, and both will be done at the same time! You can also roast broccoli and cauliflower, but they take longer so start them first.
- Salads – For a simple spring or summer meal, you can’t go wrong with my cucumber tomato avocado salad, spring mix salad, or French-inspired carrot salad.
- Starches – When my family wants something a little more hearty, my go-to is air fryer potatoes. They’re perfect with the sauce from the pan drizzled over them. For a low carb option, make my roasted rutabaga.
More Easy Baked Fish Recipes
I love baked fish recipes because they come together so easily! Try one of my others next:
38 Comments
Sharon Grant
1This is a wonderful recipe, it’s very simple and efficient and healthy. My husband, who does not really like to eat fish, really enjoyed it.
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0I’m glad you and your husband enjoyed this dish, Sharon! Thank you.
Ce
1My first time baking halibut or eating it. I followed your suggestions and although I had no thermometer, I used a fork as instructed to test the halibut’s tenderness. Great suggestion! My seasonings were simple: fish seasoning from a premixed spice bottle, umani mix from a spice bottle and paprika. I cut small little tomatoes and placed them in the baking dish and into the oven. Baked for 11 minutes in a 400 degree oven. Took out of the oven, sprinkled salt and pepper. Tested its flakiness. It flaked! Beautiful, taste. This fish is not “fishy smelling” or “fishy tasting”. Thank you for all the tips and options for serving baked halibut.
~Chrissie O.
0This was simply wonderful! For a Mediterranean twist, sometimes I sprinkle a little cumin and omit the dill; it really pops the lemon!!
Question: Have you tried this in the air fryer? I do salmon in there all the time…
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Thank you, Chrissie! Great idea with the spices. Yes, you can cook this in the air fryer for 6-8 minutes at 400.
jumorand007
0So easy and delicious!
Wholesome Yum D
0Thanks so much! I’m really glad you enjoyed it!
Kate
0Looks delicious! Any tips on cooking in an air fryer so I don’t have to fire up the whole oven on a hot day?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Kate, Yes, you can cook this halibut recipe in the air fryer if you like. I would start with 6 minutes at 400 degrees F, and check that it reaches 135-140 degrees F. If it needs more time, add a minute at a time after that.
John Beckham
0Recipe rocked!!
Elise Goan
0I just tried this for lunch. Very good and moist. This was the first time I’ve cooked Halibut so thank you for the easy instructions.
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Thank you, Elise! You’re very welcome!
pippo
0Nice and easy recipe, had to use halibut from Norway (being in Europe) and , as it is a smaller fish than Alaskan halibut, turned out a bit dry.
Leslie
0We bought halibut and found your recipe. Though I used dry dill and parsley the recipe was so good. The halibut was so tender and yummy! Loved it!
Joy S.
0Easy, different, delicious.
Karen
0Do you know the sodium content of the recipe? Thank you
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Karen, I’m sorry, I don’t. I have info about why I don’t include it in my nutrition policy.
Cathy
0It was quick and very tasty! I had to use Lemon Juice and did not have the lemon zest or the chives (used a tiny pinch of onion powder instead) and subbed dried herbs as that was all I had. I always ask, is this a Make Again recipe? I received a very quick and hearty YES! Its a winner!! Bonus…apt didn’t reek of fish smell afterwards! Great recipe…thank you so much!
Jessie
0This was yummy! My husband and I both went back for seconds. I didn’t have fresh herbs and only had smoked paprika. Regardless it was really good. We also had some shallots we needed to cook so we sliced them and baked along with this fish! Thanks so much for the great recipe.
Bill Tsocanos
0This was a very good recipe, loved the marinade reminded me of chimichurri. I modified the cooking style slightly. I pan seared the halibut in butter first, added the marinade atop of the fish and baked it for 2.5 mins in a covered pan 400 degrees, just fabulous.
Theo
0Thank you. Had previously had haddock only in restaurants. This is a wonderful recipe with clear and simple instructions. It has finally taken me out of my salmon comfort zone and now we can add haddock as a new family favorite. Have enjoyed it twice so far with whatever spices I had on hand.
Leslie
0This was so nice good! Even though we only had dry herbs. So yummy! Served with asparagus recipe. Perfect cookb time!
Nancy Veal
0I couldn’t find an oven temperature. For salmon I usually like a hot oven. Does this apply to halibut also? 425???? I don’t know my star rating yet. I will after supper…
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Nancy, The temperature is on the recipe card right above where you left this comment — 400 degrees F.
Shari W
0Recipes are simple with mostly ordinary ingredients. Substitutions usually work well. Time saving for the most part
B
0Perfect ?
Gail
0Easy and delicious. I didn’t have the fresh ingredients but just used what I had and it was still great. (Also, I cooked it in a glass dish).
Jennifer Johnson
0This recipe was so easy and amazing. So much flavor. I didn’t have fresh dill, but I substituted dried and it was great. I also added a chopped shallot (instead of chives). Thanks for the crowd pleaser!
holly buss
0How important is the stoneware baking dish? Could I use a glass or metal pan?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Holly, You can use a glass pan, too. Even a sheet pan could work, but for fish I usually recommend either ceramic or glass.
Andrea Buchmann
0Had this at a friends house. It was wonderful. Can you please tell me why it has to be cooked in a stoneware baking dish? I only have glass dishes, but will purchase stoneware if needed for this and future fish recipes. Thanks.
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0I’m glad you liked it, Andrea! Please thank your friend for me for sharing it iwth you. To answer your question, yes, a glass dish would also work.
Renee B
0The Baked Halibut with fresh herbs is delicious. I will make this again.
Nichol Wentzloff
0I think the Yocan Evolve is the best for a beginner.
Michele
0This halibut recipe was delicious!
Michele
0These filets were quick and easy and delicious. The whole family loved them.
Roxie
0Perfect. I love this recipe. Thank you.
Addison
0I love halibut and this is now one of my favorite ways to make it.