Baked Fish with Lemon Butter (Printable)

Light white fish fillets baked with lemon butter and garlic for a flavorful meal.

# What You'll Need:

→ Fish

01 - 4 fillets (5.3 oz each) white fish (cod, haddock, or tilapia)
02 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
03 - 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

→ Lemon Butter Sauce

04 - 1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
05 - 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (about 1 lemon)
06 - 1 teaspoon lemon zest
07 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
08 - 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
09 - 1/2 teaspoon paprika (optional)

→ Garnish

10 - Lemon slices
11 - Extra chopped parsley

# How-To Steps:

01 - Preheat oven to 400°F. Line a baking dish with parchment paper or lightly grease it.
02 - Pat fish fillets dry with paper towels. Season both sides evenly with salt and black pepper.
03 - Place fillets in a single layer within the prepared baking dish.
04 - In a small bowl, mix melted butter, lemon juice, lemon zest, minced garlic, chopped parsley, and paprika if desired.
05 - Pour the lemon butter sauce evenly over fillets. Top each with a lemon slice.
06 - Bake for 15 to 20 minutes until fish is opaque and flakes easily with a fork.
07 - Remove from oven, garnish with extra parsley, and serve immediately.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It tastes restaurant-quality but comes together faster than ordering takeout.
  • The lemon butter sauce is so bright and buttery that even people who claim they don't love fish will ask for seconds.
  • You'll feel like you pulled off something fancy on a regular weeknight.
02 -
  • Patting the fish dry is non-negotiable—it's the difference between a delicate golden exterior and a soggy, steamed fillet.
  • Fresh lemon juice is essential; bottled juice tastes flat and slightly bitter by comparison, and you'll taste the difference immediately.
  • Don't walk away from the oven during those last few minutes—fish goes from perfect to overdone in about two minutes of baking.
03 -
  • Use real butter, not margarine or oil—the emulsification of butter in the heat creates that silky, luxurious sauce that makes people think you spent hours cooking.
  • If your fillets are very thick, tent the dish loosely with foil for the first 10 minutes, then remove it so the top can catch a bit of color.

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