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
Here are some easy recipes for cooking fish in the oven:
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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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Peppers and onions were still raw..not long enough for them to cook. Would be better to saute them 1st. Used cod..dish was ok but probably won’t make again
Oh my! This was so incredibly flavorful and super easy that I couldn’t believe it! I used frozen cod, marinated 30 minutes and it was ready in about 20 minutes. I am going to try to make this weekly. Thanks a million!
Yay! Thanks, Amy!
I can’t seem to find sweet paprika locally and was hoping to make this dish sooner than ordering something online. can i use another kind of paprika or would you have a recommendation for a replacement? thank you.
If you cqn just find regular “paprika”, that will be just fine.
This recipe is so amazing! I could not find Halibut in our grocery store this time, so I used North Atlantic Cod. I love the cleanness of the flavors of this dish and so very tasty. The bell peppers and shallots give the dish a little touch of sweetness and balance out the citrus-herb without being overpowering. Like so many of your dishes that I’ve tried, Suzy, this is a keeper! Thank you!
Awesome! Thank you so much for sharing!
Made this recipe today and it was amazing! Luckily I found fresh halibut at Whole Foods and it was expensive but totally worth it. I followed the recipe exactly – no substitutes or changes. My husband and I both enjoyed this recipe so much it will be on the menu again soon!! I served it with cole slaw and sautéed string beans. So so good!!!!
Thanks, Ann!
Made this cod recipe last night and everyone enjoyed it! Just used lemon juice, evoo, basil, and s/p because I was in a hurry … and the fish was moist, flaky, and delish! I will definitely be making this easy dish again … so glad that I found it, Suzy! Thanks so much!!!
Thanks so much!
Made this. Delicious. Then I used the leftovers for fish cakes the next morning for breakfast using hash browns. Amazing.
What a great idea! Thanks for sharing!
Made it last night. Absolutely delicious. Simple and super. Didn’t use corriander or basil. Used fresh dill instead, which worked really well.
Thanks
mrgnk
Thanks for sharing! So glad you enjoyed it!
Dear Suzy,
We made this and it was delicious. Thank you for your tasty, COLORFUL recipes!! You are teaching us how to cook FISH and we are lovin’ it!
Please know, you are much appreciated.
George Donner
Fort Wayne, IN
Thank you, George! I’m so glad you are enjoying the recipes you find here!!
Outstanding recipe, …easy & delicious. I made it with Cod.
Thanks, Richard!
This was excellent! The whole family loved it, including the kids. I used a rather thick fillet of seabass which required closer to 25 minutes cook time. I only used five garlic cloves as I was worried it would be too overwhelming, I might try a few more next time… A very tasty delicious marinade, that I will be making again very soon.
Thanks for sharing, Claire!
any tips if using frozen halibut
Hi, Lucy! Just be sure to thaw first and then you can go ahead and follow the recipe as written. Enjoy!
Made this recipe using cod for dinner along with a salad. This recipe was so delicious. The flavors were awesome but also it was so moist. I find cod a tricky fish to work with (the grocery stores don’t always have the freshest options) but this one was so easy. I had a 1 lb cod filet and I halved this recipe. I didn’t find it dry at all like other comments suggested. My partner loves seafood and he even said this was the best cod he’d ever tasted. Big win!
So glad you both enjoyed it, Melanie!
This was so delicious! I’m definitely making it again. I used tilapia and it came out perfect. I didn’t have coriander so I used cumin and used less seasoning since my fish were small. Thank you for the yummy recipe!
Thanks, Keiko!
I am 10 and I can make this with a little help from my parents. This recipe is very easy and tasty.
Wow! You are amazing. Thank you for sharing
Wonderful, Suhani!! Well done!!
Hi ,
I am making fish with this recipes for the first time. Can I use pesto in place of basil. Thanks!!!
Hi Sarah. Sure, a little bit of pesto will work here but remember that pesto does already include garlic so you’ll want to adjust that as needed.