Whether you're a fan of salmon, branzino, tilapia, or sea bass, we've got you covered with these sumptuous baked fish dishes. Try the salt-baked method with recipes from Thomas Keller, Michael Voltaggio, and José Andrés, bake citrus-seasoned cod in banana leaves for an especially bright flavor, or prepare an entire salmon-centered meal using a single sheet pan. These are our best baked fish recipes.
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Roasted Soy-Citrus Chilean Sea Bass
This tender, flaky oven-roasted Chilean sea bass is the headliner on musician Patrice Rushen's holiday table. To make it, Rushen bakes butter-rubbed fillets in a citrus-forward mixture of freshly juiced oranges, ponzu, soy sauce, ginger, and garlic, which infuses the fish with a lovely flavor without overwhelming it.
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Sizzling Garlic Salmon with Sheet Pan Potatoes
For this sheet pan dinner, baby potatoes, red onion, and spring onions get a head start in a hot oven before they're joined by a side of salmon, slathered with mustard and drizzled with toasted garlic oil, which cooks alongside the vegetables for a seamless final presentation.
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Spice-Roasted Halibut with Herbs and Tahini Salad
Chef Reem Assil infuses halibut with her custom khalta hara blendfrom the spice companyBurlap & Barrel (toasted coriander, cumin, chile, and black lime). Those spices impart layered, mild heat. Sliced serrano, cilantro, and parsley add a fresh finish. Trust us, the special blend from Burlap & Barrel is worth seeking out.
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Herb-Roasted Trout with Buttery Almonds
Lemon slices and a bounty of hardy herbs flavor these tender whole trout from the inside out, while toasted almonds provide a crunchy finish. Tucked inside and underneath the fish, sprigs of rosemary, thyme, oregano, and sage release their essential oils during roasting without getting too crisp in the oven.
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Slow-Roasted Salmon with Walnut-Olive Vinaigrette
A vinaigrette bolstered with chopped olives, toasted walnuts, and fresh parsley is a bold finishing touch for roasted salmon basted with smoked paprika and lemon. The combination of basting and slow roasting yields incredibly tender salmon; the walnut-olive vinaigrette adds a briny, buttery crunch.
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Tikin Xic (Citrusy Black Cod Roasted in Banana Leaves)
Something beautiful happens when protein is smeared with citrusy achiote paste, wrapped in banana leaves, and roasted. Achiote, also called annatto, are yellow-orange seeds that lend sweet, peppery, citrus notes to dishes. Along with orange and lime, the bright flavors provide contrast to the tea-like aroma from the banana leaves. Pickled red onions add a spicy finishing touch.
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Whole Roast Fish with Lemon and Herbs
Designer and blogger Athena Calderone often makes this whole roast fish for her family on Christmas Day — it makes a dramatic centerpiece for a holiday meal. Like the rest of her menu, it tastes fresh and bright, thanks to a double hit of herbs.
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Sea Bass Baked in Foil with Pesto, Zucchini, and Carrots
Aluminum foil is an easy and often-available alternative to the parchment paper traditionally used for cooking en papillote. As the fish and vegetables bake in their packets, they render a delicious broth to pour over the fish at serving time.
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Baked Flounder with Parmesan Crumbs
Delicious baked flounder is one of the best fast fish recipes you can have in your repertoire. Chef Nigel Slater adds freshly grated Parmesan to the breadcrumbs to form a tasty buttery topping for the flaky white fish, which cooks in just 15 minutes.
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Salt-Baked Branzino
Chef Thomas Keller cooks whole fish in a salt crust to keep it moist, then serves it with a chunky zucchini-basil pistou — Provence's version of pesto — and lemony cherry tomatoes.
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Marinated Fish with Salmoriglio Sauce
This tangy, butterysalmorigliosauce — a Sicilian classic — is spectacularly delicious with many kinds of fish, not just those specified here; it's always best to simply trust your eyes and nose and buy what's freshest at the fish market.For this recipe, you can either bake or grill the fish.
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Salt-Crusted Snapper with Eggplant-Raisin Puree
Top ChefSeason 6 winner Michael Voltaggio says fish in a salt crust issexy — we agree! This one is especially delicious with Voltaggio's cinnamon and cayenne-tinged roasted eggplant and golden raisin puree.
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Halibut in Parchment with Corn and Tomatoes
Chef Kristen Kish keeps it simple by roasting halibut, corn, tomatoes, and green beans all in a single packet, allowing the flavors to merge into one delicious meal.
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Slow-Roasted Salmon with Tarragon and Citrus
The late chef and restaurateur Floyd Cardoz revealed his secrets to slow-roasting salmon to keep it moist and the flavor mild. Here, Cardoz seasoned the rich fish with Provençal flavors like garlic, shallots, citrus, thyme, and fennel.
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Whole Baked Trout with Fennel and Orange
Here, trout is stuffed with fennel, herbs, and orange and baked on foil that’s been well buttered so the skin gets nicely golden.
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Casserole-Baked Halibut with Leeks and Carrots
"Halibut is one fish that roasts up really nicely," says chef Melissa Perello, who cooks the firm-fleshed fish on top of vegetables in a casserole. Because this dish is so simple and ingredient-driven, be sure to make it with the very best olive oil.
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Salt-Baked Fish
Chef José Andrés bakes whole fish in a salt crust until it's perfectly moist and seasoned. His trick is to leave the scales on the fish, which makes the skin very easy to peel off after baking.
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Crispy Baked Tilapia
Well-seasoned panko breadcrumbs are browned first before coating the tilapia fillets, which adds an extra boost of flavor.
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