Baked Halibut Lemon Herb Butter (Printable)
Flaky halibut topped with zesty lemon herb butter for a fresh, flavorful main dish.
# What You Need:
→ Fish
01 - 4 skinless halibut fillets, 6 oz each
02 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
03 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
→ Lemon Herb Butter
04 - 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
05 - 2 cloves garlic, finely minced
06 - 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, finely chopped
07 - 1 tablespoon fresh dill, finely chopped
08 - 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
09 - Zest of 1 lemon
10 - 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
→ Garnish (optional)
11 - Lemon wedges
12 - Fresh parsley, chopped
# Steps:
01 - Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or lightly grease a baking dish.
02 - Pat the halibut fillets dry with paper towels. Brush both sides with olive oil and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
03 - In a small bowl, combine softened butter, minced garlic, chopped parsley, dill, thyme leaves, lemon zest, and lemon juice. Mix until fully incorporated.
04 - Place halibut fillets onto the prepared baking sheet. Evenly spread a generous spoonful of the lemon herb butter atop each fillet.
05 - Bake for 12 to 15 minutes, or until fish flakes easily with a fork and appears opaque throughout.
06 - Remove from oven and let rest for 2 minutes to allow flavors to settle.
07 - Serve immediately, garnished with lemon wedges and additional chopped parsley if desired.
# Expert Hints:
01 -
- The fish stays impossibly tender while the herb butter melts into every flake, making something feel restaurant-worthy in your own kitchen.
- It's ready in under 30 minutes, so weeknight dinners don't have to feel like compromise.
- Minimal cleanup and zero stress, which means you can actually enjoy cooking instead of dreading the aftermath.
02 -
- Halibut dries out fast once it hits 150°F internally, so set a timer and don't wander off to check your phone—the difference between perfect and ruined is sometimes just 2 minutes.
- Cold butter mixed with herbs will never incorporate smoothly into the fish, so let it sit on the counter for at least 10 minutes before mixing.
- A baking sheet lined with parchment is not just convenient; it also distributes heat more evenly than a bare metal pan.
03 -
- Keep a small bowl of ice water nearby while mixing the herb butter; if it starts to separate or get greasy, dip your fingers in the water and keep stirring until it comes back together.
- Halibut is forgiving, but cod and sea bass work beautifully here too if you want to experiment or if halibut isn't available.