Make this delicious baked halibut recipe whenever you’re craving succulent fillets that are tender and flaky. All you need is a sheet pan and 30-minutes to put this super flavorful meal on the table. Perfect for busy weeknights and easy entertaining!
Before baking, the halibut and vegetables are coated in a bright and tangy sauce of olive oil, lemon, parmesan cheese, garlic, spices and fresh herbs. So simple and delish!
Halibut is incredibly versatile and can be flavored any way. While we’re baking it today, it can also be broiled, fried, sautéed, poached and grilled, as in these grilled halibut in foil packets!
Other easy fish dinners to check out are our 30-minute sheet pan salmon and veggies, cod asparagus and fennel packets, and freshly seared ahi tuna tacos!
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Why You’ll Love this Easy Baked Halibut Recipe
- Full of fabulous, melt-in-your-mouth flavors!
- Quick and easy 30-minute recipe to make year-round.
- Need only one bowl and a sheet pan for easy clean up.
- Sauce uses simple pantry ingredients.
- Healthy, low fat, low carb, gluten free meal!
What is Halibut?
Halibut is the largest of flatfish which can grow up to 8 feet long and 500 pounds in the Atlantic. Pacific halibut tend to max out at 300 pounds. Other flatfish include flounder, turbot, sole and fluke.
Halibut is right up there with salmon when it comes to my favorite fish. It has a mild, slightly sweet flavor without tasting fishy at all. It’s a fairly firm white fish that lends itself to grilling and pan-frying in addition to roasting.
Plus, halibut is a high-quality protein with a good source of micronutrients, B vitamins and a good amount of omega-3 fatty acids. All good for promoting heart health and lowering inflammation.
Where to Buy
Most grocery stores carry fresh halibut and you may also find it frozen in cases near the fish counter. I usually buy halibut fresh at Costco at a better price point than my local grocery store.
Halibut has bright white flesh that’s very lean and is typically sold in fillets at least 1-inch thick or steaks. It’s on the pricier side of its white fish counterparts, selling for $20+ a pound.
You can also look for it online from Sea to Table and on Amazon through Whole Foods.
Main Ingredients
For exact measurements, see the recipe card below.
- Halibut fillet (1 - 1 ½ inches thick)
- Zucchini
- Cherry tomatoes
- Red onion
- Extra virgin olive oil
- Lemon juice and zest
- Garlic (freshly grated or garlic powder)
- Parmesan cheese
- Fresh dill and parsley
- Smoked paprika and dried oregano
- Kosher salt and black pepper
Variations
- Fish – White fish with a similar taste and texture you can use in this recipe include sea bass and grouper. More delicate options are cod and tilapia.
- Vegetables – Customize your veggie mix with bell peppers, mushrooms, broccoli, cauliflower or leafy greens.
- Spices – You can go with more of an Asian profile with ginger, Chinese five spice, garam masala or tikka masala. Make it Mexican with chili powder, cumin and red pepper flakes.
- Herbs – Instead of dill and parsley, you can add fresh basil, tarragon, chives or earthier flavors with rosemary and sage.
- Dairy free – Simply omit the parmesan cheese.
How to Bake Halibut
To kick off this fish recipe, preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
Make the sauce: In a small bowl, whisk the olive oil, lemon zest and juice, grated garlic, parmesan cheese, fresh parsley and dill, paprika, oregano, salt and black pepper until well combined.
Blot halibut fillets with a paper towel to remove any excess water. Place halibut on one side of an extra-large, rimmed baking sheet. Arrange vegetables and lemon wedges on the other side.
You can line the baking sheet with parchment paper if you like, but you'll still need to wash the pan since moisture will seep through.
Pour about two-thirds of the sauce mixture over the fish and the remaining over the zucchini, tomatoes and onion. Use a brush to make sure all is well coated.
Bake in preheated oven until the fish flakes and is just opaque in the center. The vegetables should be tender but not too soft.
You can transfer to a large platter or serve straight from the pan. Garnish with extra herbs, parmesan and lemon slices. Enjoy!
How long to bake halibut?
Time in the oven will depend on the thickness of the halibut. This was about 1 ½-inches thick and took 15 minutes. If your fillets are thinner around 1-inch thick, cooking time will be in the 10-12 minute range.
What temperature is baked halibut done?
For best results you want the internal temperature to be 130-135 degrees F with an instant-read thermometer for perfectly cooked halibut. It will be opaque in the center with a flaky texture.
Less than 130 degrees, the fish will not flake and still be translucent. Over 135 degrees, halibut can become tough.
Baked Halibut Recipe Tips
- Fresh or frozen works but if using frozen, thaw overnight in the refrigerator.
- Let halibut sit at room temperature 30-45 minutes before cooking.
- Don’t overcook! Halibut is quite lean with little oil so it can overcook easily and become chewy.
- Season well. Halibut has a mild flavor on its own and is dense enough to handle a variety of flavor profiles.
- Include liquid when cooking halibut as we did with the sauce here to help keep it from drying out. And include some fat like olive oil or melted butter in your sauce.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge up to 4 days. And you can create a new meal out of leftover halibut by making fish tacos.🌮
What to Serve with Halibut
We built a veggie side dish right into the sheet pan, but here are some other suggestions for salads and sides to expand your halibut menu.
- Salads – Citrus Salad with Avocado and Mixed Greens, Asian Red Cabbage Slaw and Spring Cobb Salad with Green Goddess Dressing.
- Vegetables – Roasted Root Vegetables with Balsamic, Roasted Green Vegetables and Lion’s Mane Crab Cakes.
- Starches – Sweet Potato Fries, Potato Salad with Mustard Vinaigrette, Greek Panzanella Salad and French fries.
What wine goes with halibut?
Overall, halibut has a delicate flavor you don’t want to overpower with your wine selection. Choosing a light to medium-bodied wine will give you flexibility when pairing with a variety of halibut preparations. Keep these go-to's in mind:
- Chardonnay (but not too oaky)
- Pinot Grigio
- Pinot Gris
- Sauvignon Blanc
- Rosé
- Pinot Noir (light-bodied)
Halibut FAQs
Actually, no. Rinsing fish doesn’t remove any bacteria and only increases your risk of contamination by splashing water onto clean surfaces. For reference, here are 6 foods you shouldn’t rinse.
Yes, you want the fish to come to room temperature to ensure even cooking.
The skin on halibut is usually removed before cooking. Unlike salmon, halibut’s skin doesn’t crisp up and is too tough to eat. Most grocery stores sell halibut fillets with the skin already removed.
Halibut is a really lean fish and will become tough when overcooked. Therefore, it’s a good idea to cook it in a sauce that includes your favorite oil or melted butter.
There isn’t much difference between the two in terms of freshness if the fish is handled well when caught and frozen immediately. That way the freshness is frozen in and nothing is lost nutritionally.
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📋 Recipe
Easy Baked Halibut Recipe
Ingredients
- 1¾ pounds halibut, cut into 6 fillets about 5 ounces each
- 2 small zucchini, sliced into half moons
- 1 pint cherry tomatoes, about 10 ounces
- 1 large red onion, peeled and sliced into wedges
- 1 lemon , zest and juice
- ½ cup olive oil
- 2 garlic cloves, grated
- ¼ cup parmesan cheese
- 1 tablespoon fresh dill, chopped with extra for garnish
- 1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped with extra for garnish
- 1 teaspoon each of smoked paprika, oregano, and kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F.
- Arrange halibut fillets on one half of an extra-large, rimmed baking sheet. Spread the zucchini, cherry tomatoes and onion wedges on the other half.
- In a small bowl, whisk together lemon zest and juice, olive oil, garlic, parmesan, dill, parsley, paprika, oregano, salt and pepper.
- Pour about ⅔ of the sauce mixture over the fish and brush to coat. Drizzle the remaining sauce over the vegetable and toss.
- Bake until halibut is just opaque in the center and vegetables are tender but not too soft, about 15 minutes. If your fillets are less than 1 ½ inches thick, cook for less time.
- When done, transfer halibut and vegetables to a serving platter or simply serve from the sheet pan. Garnish with extra fresh herbs and more parmesan, as desired. Enjoy!
Notes
- Try to buy a large fillet of halibut you can cut into portions yourself to ensure even thickness for even cooking.
- The halibut is perfectly cooked when it reaches an internal temperature of 130-135 degrees F when using an instant-read thermometer.
- See post for more Recipe Tips and Variations.
Nutrition
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JoAnna says
Great recipe! We loved it! I couldn’t find fresh dill so I used dried dill and we had asparagus so I subbed that for zucchini. It was perfect!! We will definitely make it again!!
Kim Peterson says
Yay!! Perfect substitutions. So happy it was a hit!
Ben | Havocinthekitchen says
Halibut and salmon are also my favourite kinds of fish; always so delicate and flaky (and I totally agree that no other grocery stores can beat Costco in terms of price, including fish department. This dish looks and sounds terrific - so simple yet packed with a ton of flavour and so cheerful!
Kim Peterson says
Thanks so much, Ben!! Great minds think alike.😉