Butter Baked Fish

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This butter baked fish is an incredibly simple, yet utterly satisfying dinner that’s ready in 15 minutes. Just 3 ingredients make it a cinch to serve anytime.

A piece of baked fish on a plate with butter sauce, a lemon wedge, and some asparagus spears.

Adapted from Lorraine Pascale | Everyday Easy | Ecco, 2015

When simplicity, speed, and straightforward goodness are exactly what you need on your dinner table, this tender, buttery oven baked fish recipe is an exceptional solution. Use the freshest fillets you can find and savor the elegant yet unpretentious glaze. (We are talking about butter, after all!)

Why our testers loved this

There’s a whole bunch of reasons our recipe testers gobbled these buttery fish fillets up. In addition to the fish being “perfectly roasted,” they loved the simplicity of the recipe and that it was ready in just 15 minutes.

Sarah H. joined in with her comment, “I was blown away by how easy it was to make an elegant and different dinner.”

Notes on ingredients

The ingredients for butter baked fish in glass bowls -- butter, pepper, fish fillets, and salt.

Fish fillets–Any type of firm white fish will work for this recipe. Cod, pollack, haddock, and halibut are all great choices. When purchasing the fish, look for fillets of a similar size and with a uniform thickness so that they’ll cook evenly.
Butter–Use the best-quality butter you can find. Unsalted butter is best here, but if you need to substitute salted butter, exercise some restraint when seasoning the fish to avoid over-salting.

How to make this recipe

A baking sheet with four white fish fillets on it, and a baking sheet with the same fish fillets topped with salt, pepper, and butter cubes.

Preheat the oven to 400°F. Arrange the fish, skin side down, in a single layer on a baking sheet.
Scatter the butter cubes over the fish and season with salt and pepper. Bake until opaque.

Serve the fish drizzled with a spoonful of melted butter from the baking sheet.

Recipe FAQs

Do I need to flip the fish while it’s baking?

No. There’s no need to flip the fish while it’s cooking. Fish fillets are often delicate and flipping may cause them to break.

What should I serve with this fish?

The testers suggest serving this easy baked fish with a fresh spring vegetable, such as pea puree, asparagus salad, or oven-roasted radishes. Be sure to include something to sop up any extra butter sauce, such as crusty bread or creamy mashed potatoes.

How can I tell when fish is done?

Even if you follow the timing in a recipe, you might still have doubts about how to know if your baked white fish is ready to devour. Fresh cod has a slightly transparent look when raw. When cooked, it will turn white and opaque.

The best way to know when it’s cooked through is to insert a fork or the tip of a table knife at an angle in the thickest part of the fillet and twist gently. If it flakes and looks opaque throughout, it’s ready to eat. If you prefer to check internal temperature, the USDA recommends that fish is cooked to an internal temperature of 145°F.

Helpful tips

If you are starting with frozen fish fillets, defrost them thoroughly in the fridge or in cold water, and then pat them completely dry before baking.
Leftover oven baked fish can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat on a baking sheet in a 300°F oven until warmed through.
This recipe is suitable for a gluten-free diet.

More great baked fish recipes

Fish fillets on a sheet pan with roasted tomatoes and black olives.

Baked Fish with Tomatoes and Olives

Quick Baked Fish with Bread Crumbs and Herbs

If you make this recipe, or any dish on LC, consider leaving a review, a star rating, and your best photo in the comments below. I love hearing from you.–David

Our butter baked fish is an incredibly simple, yet utterly satisfying dinner. Just 3 ingredients make it a cinch to serve anytime.

Prep 5 mins

Cook 10 mins

Total 15 mins

Preheat the oven to 400°F (204°C).
In a roasting pan or rimmed baking sheet, arrange the fish fillets, skin side down.
Scatter the butter on top of the fish. Season well with salt and pepper.
Roast until the fish is cooked through and a knife inserted into the thickest part of the fillet reveals completely opaque flesh, about 10 minutes.
Serve each piece of fish with a little drizzle of the butter from the roasting pan.

Using frozen fish–If you are starting with frozen fish fillets, defrost them thoroughly in the fridge or in cold water, and then pat them completely dry before baking.
Storage and reheating–Leftover oven baked fish can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat on a baking sheet in a 300°F oven until warmed through.
Dietary–This recipe is suitable for a gluten-free diet.

Serving: 1portionCalories: 219kcal (11%)Carbohydrates: 0.01gProtein: 30g (60%)Fat: 10g (15%)Saturated Fat: 6g (38%)Polyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0.4gCholesterol: 97mg (32%)Sodium: 93mg (4%)Potassium: 705mg (20%)Sugar: 0.01gVitamin A: 345IU (7%)Vitamin C: 2mg (2%)Calcium: 30mg (3%)Iron: 1mg (6%)

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Recipe Testers’ Reviews