Seasoned perfectly and coated in a mayo-citrus topping, this Creamy Baked Halibut makes a light, flavorful, and healthy weeknight dinner that’s gluten free, keto friendly, low carb, and low calorie. Ready in under 20 minutes!
More 20 minute seafood recipes include our Garlic Butter Shrimp and Hoisin Glazed Air Fryer Salmon.
The Best Baked Halibut Recipe
In my humble opinion, this is the best recipe for halibut. The perfectly cooked fish fillets are topped with a mayonnaise and parmesan cheese mixture that’s infused with freshly squeezed lemon juice. It’s the perfect combination not only for flavor, but also for keeping the fish moist and flaky.
When it comes to fresh, flavorful, and healthy weeknight dinners, you can’t go wrong with this oven baked halibut recipe. Halibut itself is healthy, with lots of protein, omega-3s, and other vital nutrients while being low calorie and if you add a roasted veggie as a side dish, you’ll instantly have a light & healthy dinner.
What Is Halibut?
Halibut is a firm and flaky white fish. It’s actually the largest flatfish in the ocean! It has a tender, flaky texture and light flavor. The flavor is often compared to tilapia and the texture is similar to cod, sea bass, and flounder. Since the flavor is so mild, halibut is a great fish for those who aren’t huge fans of fish.
Ingredients Needed
This oven baked halibut recipe focuses on simple, flavorful ingredients that really highlight the fish.
(Scroll to the bottom for our easy printable recipe with the complete directions.)
- Halibut – Choose skinless fillets that are approximately 6 ounces each.
- Butter – Softened to room temperature.
- Mayonnaise – Might sound strange, but trust me on this one. Mayo creates the creamy texture for the topping that lends great flavor and also helps keep the fish moist.
- Parmesan cheese – Many people say cheese and fish don’t go well together, but Parmesan works very well in this recipe! Freshly grated, if possible, for optimal results.
- Lemon juice – Citrus pairs wonderfully with this light fish and gives it a pop of flavor.
- Garlic and scallions – Provides aromatics and flavor.
- Salt and pepper – For flavor.
- Hot sauce – Just a dash for flavor, not enough to make the dish spicy.
Fresh vs Frozen Halibut
Both fresh and frozen halibut can be used in this recipe. Most wild-caught halibut is flash frozen right after being caught on the boat, so buying frozen may actually get you the freshest fish – especially if you live inland or halibut is out of season. If you are using frozen halibut, be sure to thaw it completely in the fridge before beginning the recipe.
If you are choosing fresh halibut, look for fillets that are white, with a glossy finish. Avoid any that look “dull” or have brown spots, as well as any that smell overly fishy.
How To Bake Halibut
Baking halibut is super easy and requires just a few steps.
(Scroll to the bottom for our easy printable recipe with the complete directions.)
- Make the seasoning mixture. Stir together the parmesan, butter, mayo, lemon juice, salt, hot sauce, garlic, and scallions.
- Bake the halibut. Place the halibut in a single layer on the baking sheet. Bake at 425F until just opaque, about 10 to 12 minutes.
- Broil. Remove the halibut from the oven, top with the mayonnaise mixture, and broil for 2 minutes.
- Serve. Garnish with cracked black pepper and diced scallions. Serve with lemon wedges and a roasted vegetable, if desired.
How Long To Bake Halibut?
The amount of time you need to bake halibut will depend on the size of the fillet and the temperature of the oven. For this easy halibut recipe, we’re using a high temperature of 425F and 6 ounce fillets so they need to bake for just 10 to 12 minutes.
If you were baking at a lower temperature, you would need to add additional time. However, to keep the halibut tender and flaky, I recommend a higher temperature like 425F for a shorter time. It does tend to dry out if cooked for too long.
Tips for Success
Here are some tips for the best baked halibut recipe.
- Make sure all fillets are the same size. To ensure equal cooking and that nothing is overcooked, it’s important that all the fillets in this recipe are 6 ounces each.
- Don’t overbake. Halibut cooks quickly so it shouldn’t need longer than 12 minutes. As soon as it is opaque and easily flakes with a fork, it’s ready to remove from the oven.
- Keep a close eye on the broiler. While you want the topping to get bubbly and the cheese to brown, you don’t want the fish to burn. This can happen quickly in the broiler, so keep a close eye on it.
Serving Suggestions
My favorite way to enjoy baked halibut is with a fresh squeeze of lemon juice so I always serve mine with an extra lemon wedge or two. Roasted asparagus also pairs really well with the flavors in this dish for an easy, light dinner.
If asparagus isn’t your thing, try roasted broccoli or parmesan roasted cauliflower. Another low carb option is cauliflower rice.
How to Store & Reheat Leftovers
Leftover halibut can be stored in the fridge, in an airtight container, for up to 3 days. You can reheat it on the stovetop or in the microwave but the stovetop will give the best texture. Note that reheating fish can cause it to dry out a bit.
More Fish Recipes:
- Fish Stick Tacos
- Crab Stuffed Salmon
- Salmon Patties
- Honey Mustard Baked Salmon
- Fish Piccata
- Baked Cod {Sheet Pan Dinner}
I hope you love this delicious and easy recipe – be sure to give it a review below! Also don’t forget to follow Belly Full on TikTok, Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, and YouTube!
Creamy Baked Halibut
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese , freshly grated
- 1/4 cup butter , softened to room temperature
- 3 tablepoons mayonnaise
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- dash hot sauce
- 1 clove garlic , minced
- 1 scallion , diced (plus more for garnish)
- 2 pounds skinless halibut fillets (6 ounces each)
- fresh cracked black pepper , for garnish
- lemon wedges , for serving
- roasted asparagus , for serving, optional
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
- In a medium mixing bowl, stir together the parmesan cheese, butter, mayonnaise, lemon juice, salt, hot sauce, minced garlic, and diced scallions. Set aside.
- Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil and lightly coat with nonstick spray. Arrange the halibut fillets on the prepared sheet in a single layer.
- Bake until halibut is just opaque and the flesh flakes easily when cut with a fork, about 10 to 12 minutes.
- Remove from oven and spread the top of the fillets with the mayonnaise mixture.
- Place under the broiler for about 2 minutes or until topping is bubbly and golden brown (watch it very carefully so it doesn't burn.)
- Garnish with a bit of cracked black pepper and diced scallions.
- Serve with roasted asparagus and lemon wedges.
Simple scrumptious recipe! We make every week. Can use cod too
Easy and delicious! I’ll be making this again. The sauce is yuuuummmy!
Very very good! I didn’t have green onions so I put minced shallots into the sauce and made crispy shallots to top
This is the first recipe that motivated me to give a reply, it really was that good. She made comments of this being the best Halibut recipe, I must agree, my wife loved this recipe. Anyone that knows me I always add my own twist to anything I try, sometimes it is what I have, mostly it is me playing to my own pallet or dinner guest. This is a wonderful recipe.
This is now my favorite way to cook halibut! It was delicious! Followed the recipe exactly and it turned out perfect!
This was absolutely amazing!!!
I was looking for a halibut recipe, saw this, and had all the ingredients on hand. This is pretty much what I was looking for. If I had mixed up something on my own I probably wouldn’t have thought to add the mayonnaise, or Parmesan. This was easy to prepare, and hard to do anything wrong. I put a few kalamata olives and some sliced onions in the pan in the later stage of cooking the fish. I may also put some capers in next time. The halibut came out just right at 425, firm and ready to eat. Without guidance, I’d have probably done it at a lower temperature, but glad I did it this way, now I’m convinced. The broiling step is a great way to finish it and it turned out fantastic. It gets bubbly and the cheese helps it crust up just a little bit. Served with rice pilaf, greenbeans and a small baked potato sliced in half. Rubbed the inside of the potatoes in the pan after putting the fish on plate just to get the most out of the sauce. I can easily recommend this recipe and plan to do it again and again. I’ve been looking to expand my meal repertoire with new recipes and ideas and this was just right. Makes me glad I bought the fish. Thanks so much for the kitchen guidance, appreciated!
Perfect! We love this recipe, 2 minutes under the broiler and it was golden.
This is excellent.
Easy to make and tasted like a gourmet meal. Just fabulous. Making again soon. I used frozen halibut that was thawed in the refrigerator, and patted dry.
Yum! I normally have to dip my fish in butter to enjoy it but this topping was all I needed. So easy & delicious!