The secret to this juicy baked fish recipe is in the quick marinade with spices, garlic, fresh basil, a little citrus, and extra virgin olive oil. Works great with any white fish, like halibut, cod, halibut, snapper, and beyond.
We often forget that, just like chicken and meat, fish can benefit from a little time in a tasty marinade. As long as you keep the acid low and the marinating time short, marinating a firm fish or a fish fillet like halibut or cod for just 30 minutes can do some good.
The marinade infuses the fish with all sorts of mouthwatering flavors. And, just like cooking fish in foil, it prevents the fish from drying out. Today’s tender baked fish recipe could not be any easier to make. I used halibut fillet, but any other white fish will work.
I add the fish and the marinade over a bed of colorful bell peppers and shallots, and bake for about 15 minutes. Easy! My family loved this baked fish with lemon rice and a big bowl of Greek salad.
Table of Contents
What’s in the Fish Marinade?
You’ll notice that I kept the citrus portion low, using the juice of 1 lemon (2 tablespoons of citrus) to 6 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil.
- Garlic: 10 fresh garlic cloves. I like to mince the garlic as finely as I can for maximum flavor.
- Fresh basil: 15 fresh basil leaves, sliced into ribbons. The combination of fragrant fresh basil with the warm spices packs this baked fish recipe with great flavor. If you don’t have basil, you can use parsley, cilantro, dill, or thyme to your liking.
- Spices: A trio of dried oregano, coriander, and paprika.
- Citrus: Juice of 1 lemon, which is about 2 tablespoons of citrus. If you like, you can switch it out for lime, white wine, or a mild-tasting vinegar.
- Extra virgin olive oil: I used 6 tablespoons of Private Reserve Greek extra virgin olive oil. Because the fish bakes with the marinade, it’s important to use a tasty oil that enhances the flavor of the fish.
How Long to Marinate Fish?
In general, it’s safe to marinate a fish fillet like halibut or even a flaky fish like cod for 30 minutes or so refrigerated. If you’re marinating a fairly thick fish steak like a tuna fish steak or a swordfish steak, you may go for 1 to 2 hours of marinating. Always keep your marinated fish in the fridge.
How to Make this Baked Fish Recipe
There really are two steps to this fish fillet recipe: Marinate and bake. Here’s how it’s done:
- Marinate the fish. Pat a 2 pound fish fillet dry and season with salt and pepper on both sides. Place in a large zip-top bag. Add 1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano, 1 teaspoon coriander, 1 teaspoon paprika, 10 minced garlic cloves, 15 sliced basil leaves, 6 tablespoons olive oil, and the juice of 1 lemon. Zip the bag shut and massage to be sure the fish is evenly coated in the marinade. Marinated for 30 minutes or up to 1 hour in the fridge.
- Meanwhile, get ready to bake. Preheat your oven to 425°F. Arrange 2 sliced bell peppers and 2 sliced shallots in the bottom of a 9×13-inch baking dish.
- Bake the fish: Place the fish on top and pour the marinade over it. Bake in heated oven for 15 minutes, or until the fish flakes easily with a fork.
What to Serve with Baked Fish
Serve baked fish immediately with your favorite grain or lemon rice and a side of Greek salad, white bean salad, or herbed zucchini.
More Baked Fish Recipes
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Easy Baked Fish with Garlic and Basil
Ingredients
- 2 pounds fish fillet (like halibut or cod)
- Kosher salt
- Black pepper
- 1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander
- 1 teaspoon sweet paprika
- 10 garlic cloves, minced
- 15 basil leaves, thinly sliced
- 6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 lemon, juiced
- 2 bell peppers, any color, sliced
- 2 shallots, peeled and sliced
Instructions
- Season the fish. Pat the fish dry and season with salt and pepper on both sides. Place in a large zip-top bag. Add the oregano, coriander, paprika, minced garlic, basil, olive oil, and lemon juice. Zip the bag shut and massage to be sure the fish is evenly coated in the marinade. Marinated for 30 minutes or up to 1 hour in the fridge (see notes).
- Meanwhile, get ready to bake. Preheat your oven to 425°F. Arrange the bell peppers and shallots in the bottom of a 9×13-inch baking dish.
- Bake the fish: Place the fish on top and pour the marinade over it. Bake in heated oven for 15 minutes, or until the fish flakes easily with a fork.
Notes
- Shop this recipe: Visit our shop to browse quality Mediterranean ingredients, including the olive oil and spices used in this recipe.
- How long to marinate fish: I used halibut fillet in this recipe and I typically marinate it about 30 minutes. Thicker fish steaks, like tuna or swordfish, can marinate for 1 to 2 hours, but that is not the kind of fish I would recommend for this recipe.
- How to know if your fish is cooked? Your fish should be opaque and should flake easily with a fork at the thickest part. You can also use an instant read thermometer, which should register 145°F.
Nutrition
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Wow! I had some basil and some flounder fillets and didn’t know what to make with it. I’m so glad to have stumbled upon this recipe. I didn’t have time to marinate my fish, so we just pan fried the fish and put the marinade into another pan, cooked it on low until the garlic was browned. Then just topped the fish with this marinade. It was soooo good! What a pleasant surprise, so full of flavor. I’m definitely using this recipe again and next time I’ll be marinating my fish. I can only imagine it would be so so good. Thanks for the recipe!!!
Thanks so much, Marti!
Looks delicious!
Thanks, Lisa! Hope you give it a try!
that’s great!
Awesome! Thanks for sharing
I cooked this tonight. Simple and so good . Followed advice and got the fish out of the oven at the right time. Herbs and spice did not overwhelm the fish. Left with fragrance in my nose and mouth
So glad you enjoyed the recipe, Rosie!
Made this tonight, it was really good. I changed the recipe slightly and pan fried the marinated fish then tipped the marinade into the pan for a couple of minutes to finish off. I used frozen Pollack fillets and let them defrost first. Lovely flavours.
Sounds great! Thank you for sharing!
Made this last night. It was ABSOLUTELY delicious! Perfect dinner for a warm summer night!
Awesome! Thanks, Susan!
Can you use salmon.. how to make sure it’s not dry .?
Hi Shar, you can use salmon. We have many salmon recipes here that can provide a guide for how to cook it without drying. Here is one that works very well for us: https://www.themediterraneandish.com/lemon-garlic-salmon-recipe/
Really tasty! Used button mushrooms on bottom. There was not a bite leftover! Will definitely make this again. Thank you for the recipe.
My pleasure! So glad you enjoyed it, Melinda!
Can you make this dish with frozen fish (if defrosted first)? I live in an area where fresh fish is unfortunately difficult to come by but this looks delicious
Sure, Ashley. Properly defrosted fish will work here.
Made this tonight. My husband loved it. With just 2 of us, 2 lbs. of fish was too much. I cut in half everything. The flavor was delicious but it was dry. When I make this again, I will use 1 lbs. of fish but keep the sauce for the whole amount. Any suggestions for it not being so dry?
Hi Susan! I would say, like you suggested, if you do keep the liquid amount for the sauce, it should help
Can I use sea bass or do you have another good recipe for that?
Sure! Sea bass would work. I also have a great Pan Seared Sea Bass Recipe: https://www.themediterraneandish.com/mediterranean-pan-seared-sea-bass-recipe/
Can I make this dish with red snapper ?
Sure, Simone! Red snapper fillets would work well here. Adjust cooking time depending on the thickness (Snapper fillet may be a bit on the thinner side).
This recipe is a keeper!! Made the lemon rice to go with it. Super easy to make & wow what flavor. I didn’t have scallions so I used green onions. Delicious. Thanks for sharing all the amazing recipes.
My pleasure, Tina! 🙂
Fish dish was amazing Yum
Thanks, Sandra!
What a fabulous dish! Easy & elegant = perfect dinner!
So glad you enjoyed it, Beth!
I just can’t get enough of this awesome fish dish! Delicious!
Thanks so much, Wilhelmina!