Fish are among the healthiest omega-3 foods out there. That makes them great to eat, since omega-3s help keep your heart healthy and may even help stave off cancer. Fish are also low in calories, taste delicious and cook quickly, making them an excellent choice for busy evenings.
For many families, though, fish just isn’t a mealtime staple. While some steer clear of fish because they aren’t sure how to cook it or just plain don’t like it, a surprising amount don’t cook it because they’re scared of a post-dinner “fishy” smell in their homes.
Well, my friends, I have the answer for you: Bake it!
These baked fish recipes skip the stove and head straight to the oven. They’re nutritious, yummy and won’t leave the kitchen smelling like a seaport.
For many of these recipes, while the suggested fish is optimal, you can mix and match other favorites. Please, however, steer clear of eating tilapia, and swai fish, which are among the top fish you should never eat. I highly encourage you to also opt for wild-caught fish, and skip the dangers of farmed fish.
Baked Fish Recipes
1. Almond-Crusted Baked Mahi Mahi
I love this easy baked fish recipe. You’ll also enjoy the amazing benefits of almonds when you dip the buttery fillets in a crunchy crushed almond coating. Serve with a slice of lemon.
2. Baked Catfish
If the only way you usually eat fish is fried, you’ll love this recipe. Catfish is coated in a spice-herb mixture and then drizzled with butter, fresh lemon juice and garlic.
The result is a juicy fish that’s bursting with flavor and ready in under 20 minutes. That’s my kind of baked fish recipe!
Photo: Baked Catfish / Never Enough Thyme
3. Cilantro Salt-Crusted Salmon and Yogurt Sauce
Talk about a quick dinner: This salt-crusted, nutrition-rich salmon is ready in just 10 minutes. It bakes with rock salt, honey and fresh cilantro while you whip up a creamy yogurt sauce to serve alongside it.
If you’re out of salmon, don’t stress. This tastes great with bass or pollock, too. If your family loves cilantro, this one is a keeper.
Photo: Cilantro Salt-Crusted Salmon and Yogurt Sauce / Eatwell 101
4. Clean Eating Baked Thai Salmon
With only four ingredients, this baked salmon might become a new go-to meal. What makes it a standout is the homemade Thai sweet chili sauce. Made with all-natural ingredients, it turns a plain piece of salmon into a restaurant-worthy dish.
Photo: Clean Eating Baked Thai Salmon / iFOODreal
5. Five-Ingredient Baked Curry Cod
Get the healthy nutrients of coconut milk in this easy dish. Ready in just 20 minutes, it’ll satisfy your curry cravings quickly. Make a little extra sauce to pour over a side of veggies.
6. Five-Ingredient Tuscan Baked Fish
Perfect for picky eaters, this Tuscan fish marries traditional Italian flavors, like tomatoes and capers, with your favorite flaky white fish for a delectable dinner. You’ll prepare the sauce on the stove, then add in the fish and finish it off in the oven for a quick, one-pot recipe.
7. Five-Spiced Baked Fish
When you’re short on time, this baked fish recipe has your back. It comes together with ingredients you already have in the pantry in just 20 minutes, start to finish.
8. Healthy Parmesan Garlic Crumbed Fish
The Panko topping on this fish ensures you’ll get a crunchy, golden-brown crust even without frying. Because the fillets are coated in Dijon mustard before breading, each bite is brimming with taste. If you have little ones at home, cut the fillets into strips, and serve these as fish sticks!
Photo: Healthy Parmesan Garlic Crumbed Fish / RecipeTin Eats
9. Honey Garlic Salmon
Salmon plus four ingredients are all it takes to have a delicious dinner on the table. If you’re avoiding soy, substitute coconut aminos for the soy sauce in this dish.
If possible, use fresh ginger. The taste is superior to powdered, and you’ll get a heap of ginger health benefits, too.
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Photo: Honey Garlic Salmon / The Cooking Jar
10. Lemon Salmon with Creamy Dill Sauce
Baked fish recipes featuring salmon and lemon are a dime a dozen. What makes this one special is the creamy dill sauce that gets spooned over the fish.
Made from yogurt for a probiotics boost and fresh dill, it’s a refreshing dressing you’ll want to use on chicken, too. This baked fish would make an excellent fancy brunch main course.
Photo: Lemon Salmon with Creamy Dill Sauce / Cooking Classy
11. Miso-Ginger Oven-Baked Salmon
Skip the takeout, and make your own Japanese-style meal at home with this super simple baked fish. I love the combination of flavors: Miso, ginger, rice vinegar and spring onions meld together beautifully.
Top it with a handful of toasted sesame seeds for some crunch.
Photo: Miso-Ginger Oven-Baked Salmon / Everyday Feasts
12. Oven-Roasted Sea Bass
If you haven’t had the pleasure of enjoying sea bass before, this recipe will turn you into a fan. It’s full of simple flavors, and best of all, the fish roasts alongside mushrooms and asparagus spears for a complete meal that goes from oven to table with almost no dishes to clean up. Score!
13. Pecan-Pesto Salmon
If you’re a pesto fanatic like I am, you’ve got to make this baked fish. While the salmon bakes, you’ll whip up an easy homemade pesto, using budget-friendly pecans instead of pine nuts.
The result is a fish loaded with healthy fats that tastes amazing. Tip: Make an extra batch of pesto to use on salads, sandwiches or another fish dinner!
14. Salmon Meatballs with Creamy Avocado Sauce
As you can tell, salmon is the main ingredient for many baked fish recipes. Well, this one is also super kid-friendly, perfect for an appetizer or full meal, and delicious.
These salmon meatballs are outstanding on their own, but the creamy avocado sauce made from Greek yogurt really puts these over the top. If possible, don’t skip the chipotle chili powder. It lends a smokiness that’s hard to replicate.
Photo: Salmon Meatballs with Creamy Avocado Sauce / Cookin’ Canuck
15. Salmon with Garlic and Dijon
You won’t believe how tasty this baked fish recipe is with such few ingredients. It’s juicy, garlicky and you’ll want seconds for sure.
16. Sole Fillet, the Mediterranean Way
Enjoy a taste from the Mediterranean diet. Shallots, garlic, capers and olive oil all make appearances in this spiced fish. Serve with roasted potatoes and a green salad for an easy dinner that’s company-worthy.
17. Teriyaki Baked Salmon
Ready in just a half hour, this baked salmon recipe combines the omega-3 powerhouse with coconut aminos, coconut sugar, sesame oil, lemon juice, garlic and ground mustard for a new favorite among baked fish recipes.
18. Sweet and Spicy Sriracha Baked Salmon
Like your food a little sweet, a little spicy? You’ll get it with this baked fish.
The secret ingredient is sriracha, the ubiquitous hot sauce. This recipe uses a bit of brown sugar, but it can easily be swapped for coconut sugar. Be warned that, after preparing the sauce, you might be licking the spoon.
19. White Fish and Vegetables
This recipe is almost like a stew. Not only will you get a perfectly flaky fish, but it’ll cook alongside onions, carrots, bell peppers, tomatoes and herbs. It’s everything you want in a one-pan meal.
Photo: White Fish and Vegetables / Olga’s Flavor Factory
20. Savory Baked Fish
Finish with an easy one that can use mahi mahi or snapper, with some sprinkled raw cheese and herbs to make for a delicious baked fish dish.
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