How to Bake Fish

Co-authored by Dorrenda Smith

Last Updated: March 23, 2022

Fish have flaky, delicate flesh that tastes best when it's prepared with a little care. Baking fish enables you to control the cooking temperature and limit how much you handle the fish, preventing it from getting overcooked or falling apart. Read on for three delicious methods for baked fish: Low and Slow Baked Salmon, Crispy Parmesan Tilapia and Whole Baked Fish.

Ingredients

Low and Slow Baked Salmon

2-4 salmon fillets
Olive oil for spreading
Pinch of sea salt
1 teaspoon fresh thyme, chopped
3 Lemon wedges

Crispy Parmesan Tilapia

1 pound tilapia fillets, or fresh white fish of choice
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup seasoned bread crumbs
2 tablespoons melted butter
1 tablespoon olive oil

Whole Baked Fish

1 2-3 pound cleaned, scaled whole fish (salmon, red snapper, or other fish of your choice)
Olive oil for spreading
Pinches of salt and pepper
1 lemon, sliced into thin rounds

Method 1

Method 1 of 4:

Choosing Fish

1
Buy fish the same day you intend to make it. Fish tastes best when it's fresh, so plan a trip to the grocery store or fishmonger the same day you want to make it for dinner.
2
Choose healthy-looking fish. If you're buying a whole fish, look for fish with bright, clear eyes. Whether you're buying a whole fish or a fillet, the skin should look bright and vibrant.

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3
Smell the fish before making a purchase. The fish shouldn't have a strong smell; it should smell like fresh seawater.
4
If possible, choose fish that was caught locally. Fish that has to travel long distances is often frozen and then thawed before reaching your grocery store. It may not taste as fresh as fish caught in your local body of water.

Method 2

Method 2 of 4:

Low and Slow Baked Salmon

1
Preheat the oven to 275 °F (135 °C). Line a glass or metal baking pan with aluminum foil. Brush with olive oil.
2
Rinse the salmon fillets and pat them dry with paper towels.
3
Place the salmon fillets in the pan. Make sure they are skin side down.
4
Brush the fillets with olive oil. Squeeze lemon juice over the fillets.
5
Sprinkle the fillets with salt and fresh thyme.
6
Bake the fillets for about fifteen minutes. The fish is ready when the translucent flesh at its center has turned opaque.
- Be careful not to overcook the fish. Salmon gets tough and dry when it is overcooked.
- Test for doneness by gently separating a few layers of the salmon flesh with a fork. It should fall apart easily when it's fully cooked.
7
Serve the fillets with lemon wedges.

Method 3

Method 3 of 4:

Crispy Parmesan Tilapia

1
Preheat the oven to 425 °F (218 °C). Line a glass or metal baking pan with aluminum foil. Brush with olive oil.
2
Rinse the tilapia fillets and pat them dry with paper towels.
3
Mix the bread crumbs, grated Parmesan, butter, and oil in a bowl. Stir until thoroughly combined.
4
Place the tilapia fillets in the baking pan. Sprinkle them liberally with the bread crumb mixture.
5
Bake the tilapia for about ten minutes. The fish is ready when the flesh has turned translucent and the topping is golden brown.

Method 4

Method 4 of 4:

Whole Baked Fish

1
Preheat the oven to 400 °F (204 °C). Line a glass or metal baking pan with aluminum foil. Brush with olive oil.
2
Rinse the fish. Take care to rinse out all of the cavities. Pat dry with a paper towel.
3
Cut the bottom back fin off the fish. Use a sharp knife to slice off the bottom fin, then run your knife along the bottom of the fish's belly from head to tail. This will open up the cavity to the oven's heat.
4
Place the fish in the baking pan. Drizzle the fish with olive oil, both on the outside of the fish and inside the cavity. Smooth it over the entire fish using your fingers.
5
Season the fish inside and out with salt and white pepper.^{[1]
X
Expert Source

Dorrenda Smith
Personal Chef
Expert Interview. 26 October 2021.}
6
Line the inside of the cavity with lemon slices. You should be able to fit four to five slices inside the fish, overlapping them slightly. Close the fish back up.
7
Bake the fish for thirty minutes. The fish is ready when the flesh inside has turned opaque and flaky, and the outside skin is crispy.
8
Serve the fish. Remove the skin and the fins. Cut each side of the fish in half and serve.
- Whole baked fish are often brought to the table whole before they are cut up for serving.
- Be sure your family or guests are aware that the fish still contains bones.

Community Q&A

Question

How do I bake haddock fillets?

Kathy Bridges

Community Answer

Rinse the fish, season (I like Cajun spice), place on a rack, pour melted butter over fish, bake for about 20 minutes.
Question

What's the best way to bake a crappie fillet?

Community Answer

Fish like crappie are delicious served with olive oil, baked at about 400 degrees F and left medium rare. The same goes for salmon, tuna, and cod.
Question

What is the best way to cook king fish?

Mashonda Jackson

Community Answer

Season the king fish fillets with salt and white pepper. Arrange the pieces in the hot oil and sear for 2 minutes. Turn over and cook for 3 minutes on the reverse side, or until it's cooked medium-well.

Warnings

There is a danger of choking on the small bones in fish. Never serve boned fish to small children.

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Some fish species have high levels of mercury, and should not be eaten more than a few times a month. Tuna, for example, can be dangerous for expectant mothers and children to eat in large quantities. Visit http://americanpregnancy.org/pregnancyhealth/fishmercury.htm to find out which fish are healthiest to eat.

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Many species of fish are on the verge of going extinct due to overfishing. Visit http://www.fishonline.org/ to find out which types of fish are most ethical to eat.

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