Baked Fish Fillet with Lemon Juice (Printable)

Tender baked fish fillets with fresh lemon juice, garlic, and herbs. A light, healthy main dish ready in just 30 minutes.

# What You’ll Need:

→ Fish

01 - 4 white fish fillets (cod, haddock, or tilapia), 5.3 oz each

→ Marinade & Seasonings

02 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
03 - 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
04 - 1 teaspoon lemon zest
05 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
06 - 1 teaspoon dried oregano
07 - 1 teaspoon salt
08 - 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

→ Garnish

09 - 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
10 - Lemon wedges for serving

# How-To Steps:

01 - Preheat oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or lightly grease a baking dish.
02 - Pat fish fillets dry with paper towels and arrange in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet.
03 - In a small bowl, whisk together olive oil, lemon juice, lemon zest, minced garlic, oregano, salt, and pepper until well combined.
04 - Drizzle the marinade evenly over all fish fillets, coating thoroughly on both sides.
05 - Bake for 15-20 minutes until fish is opaque and flakes easily with a fork, adjusting time based on fillet thickness.
06 - Remove from oven, sprinkle with fresh parsley, and serve immediately with lemon wedges.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The bright lemon marinade penetrates the fish perfectly, giving you restaurant-quality flavor with barely any effort.
  • You can have this on the table in under 30 minutes with ingredients you probably already have, which has saved me on countless busy weeknights.
02 -
  • Overcooking is the enemy of good fish, so start checking for doneness at the 12-minute mark if your fillets are thin.
  • The thickness of your fillets drastically affects cooking time, I learned this the hard way with a particularly thick piece of cod that remained raw in the center.
03 -
  • For extra flavor without additional ingredients, make shallow cuts in thicker portions of fish before adding the marinade, creating more surface area for the lemon and herbs to penetrate.
  • Let the fish sit at room temperature for 10 minutes before baking for more even cooking from edge to center.

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