Easy lemon butter baked fish
Lemon butter baked fish is the perfect, easy sheet pan dinner recipe. Baked with asparagus and a delicious lemon butter sauce this is a gluten-free and keto friendly recipe the whole family will love.
Ingredients
This baked fish recipe needs only a handful of ingredients. The fish is of course the star of the show. I prefer using a flaky white fish like hake or cod but tilapia, haddock, halibut, etc. will all work well.
- White fish. Use skinless, de-boned fish filets.
- Butter.
- Fresh garlic cloves.
- Fresh lemon juice. Lime juice can be substituted.
- Fresh herbs. Oregano, thyme, rosemary, parsley and dill are all delicious with fish.
- Salt and black pepper.
- Asparagus. Green beans, broccoli, sugar snap peas can all be used instead.
How to make lemon butter baked fish
- Make the lemon butter: Add butter, garlic and a few tablespoons of lemon juice to a saucepan and bring to a simmer. Cook for 2-3 minutes until the sauce is fragrant then set aside.
- Bake the fish: Line a sheet pan or baking dish with parchment paper. Place fish fillets and asparagus (green beans, sugar snap peas or broccoli can be substituted). Pour the lemon butter sauce over the fish and asparagus and season with salt and pepper. Bake in a pre-heated oven until the fish and asparagus are cooked through and fork tender, approximately 12-15 minutes.
What kind of fish can be baked?
Most fish varieties bake very well but for this recipe any white fish will work. You could use salmon or trout too.
- Hake
- Tilapia
- Cod
- Bass
- Haddock
- Halibut
- Snapper
- Kingklip
- Grouper
How long should you cook fish in the oven?
In a 200ºC/400ºF pre-heated oven, fish fillets should take no longer than 10-12 minutes to cook. Cooking time will depend on size and thickness of fillets. You know it’s cooked when the fish flakes easily and the flesh is opaque.
Fish recipes
- Crispy fish tacos with hot sauce crema
- White wine garlic salmon
- Chunky fish fingers with cheat’s lemon aioli
What to serve with baked fish
Fish is delicious with a variety of side dishes but I always love it with rice, crispy potatoes or vegetables. A simple side salad will also be delicious.
Easy lemon butter baked fish
Ingredients
- 800 g/1,7lbs White fish, boned (Approximately 200g/7oz per person)
- 3 tbsp butter
- 4 garlic cloves crushed
- 3 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- 2 tsp dried oregano/thyme
- salt and pepper to taste
- asparagus washed and trimmed
Instructions
- Pre-heat the oven to 200ºC/400ºF and line a sheet pan with parchment/baking paper.
- Combine the butter, lemon, garlic and herbs in a saucepan and bring to a simmer. Cook for 2-3 minutes until fragrant then remove from the heat and set aside to cool slightly.
- Place the fish and asparagus onto the lined sheet pan then season with salt and pepper.
- Pour the lemon butter sauce over the fish and asparagus and top the fish with lemon slices (optional).
- Place in the oven and bake for 10-12 minutes or until the fish and asparagus are cooked. Fish is cooked when it flakes easily and the flesh is opaque, white throughout.
- Remove from the oven and serve.
Video
Nutrition
This recipe sounds delicious. Sadly I’m completely dairy free (and gluten free) can i substitute the butter for olive oil? With the lemon?
You could, yes.
This is one super healthy and super delicious meal – did it with baby corn, mange tout and air fried potato wedges
Just found this recipe and it looks so yummy going to try making today, would like to know how you get more recipes thank you
Are you supposed to eat the lemons?
You could, but I don’t.
Very delicious recipe. My son who.is a picky eater tasted a nibble and before he got to complain his eyes sparked and said it was so tasty. He asked for more and ate half my serving. Thanks for the simmed butter step, it makes a huge difference.
So happy to hear that.
Hi, I love this recipe! I have friends coming for dinner but one doesn’t like garlic. Is it still tasty without the garlic or should I face facts and choose something else to make? Thank you
I definitely think the garlic makes it. I would make them a separate portion of fish with the butter sans garlic. 🙂
I’d love to make this but how much asparagus do I need?
I usually do 300-500g for 4 people (approximately 1 pound).
Can this recipe be done on a grill/smoker? Any Tweeks to make it work?
You could bake it in a skillet in a hot grill covered with a lid. The cooking time might just need to be adjusted a little.
Delicious recipe!
I’ll make this but with heaps of limes ready on my tree, shall use lime; and also in the past year I’ve discovered the mild taste of French tarragon appropriate for fish dishes as well as chicken. Thanks.
Excellent dish!
I use the same recipe but seal in silver foil so do not get the slight browning (burnt) on either the fish or asparagus
Would enjoy seeing more of your fish recipes
Regards
David Perrin
Consuming fish in your regular diet is probably the best way of including protein, i would say much better than chicken or eggs. Plus other benefits are good skin and reduced hair fall. Nothing can be healthier than having fish in a baked form and the recipe is just the prefect example.
Hello, could this work with frozen fish? Thank you
Absolutely, I love using frozen fish. I thaw the fish in the fridge overnight then use.
I have just found your delicious recipes as I was looking for a lemon butter sauce. I intend to try many of the recipes as they sound lovely and easy to make.
Hope you love them! 🙂
Easy to follow recipe…. Dinner was delicious. I like that it also gives dishes to accompany what you are cooking.
Have subscribed and am looking forward to becoming a follower of Alida and Simply Delicious and discovering more great recipes.
Thanks for your lovely comment Loraine. 🙂
Made this for dinner with your cucumber tomato salad and it was absolutely delicious. Love easy fish recipes and this one was great.
That’s wonderful to hear, thanks Angie!
This is my kind of sheet pan meal! So easy to make and perfect for a busy weeknight dinner!
Thanks Lindsay! So good for busy days.
Such a perfect idea for weeknights!
Thanks Toni! 🙂
Why did my garlic turn a light green? But flavour was nice.
That’s a chemical reaction between the acid in the lemon and the garlic. It’s totally harmless but does look strange, doesn’t it?
Meal prepped this ahead for the week for my lunches, stole a bite now and wow! The fish is so flaky and tasty. Didn’t have asparagus so I used a combination of green beans, brussel sprouts and cauliflower. Can’t wait for my lunch tomorrow!!!!
Such a clever idea! And love all the different vegetables!
Made this recipe for dinner with rice and broccoli instead of asparagus and we all loved it. Even my son who hates fish ate all of his. Thanks for a great recipe.
My daughter is also a fish-hater and she also ate a full portion of this so I knew it was a goodie. 😉
Tom and I have been working really hard at healthying up our diets lately Alida. This is a great recipe to add to out list!
This is the perfect recipe for healthy dinners Mary Ann. Hope you love it!