Baked halibut topped with a creamy, herbed mayonnaise crust is a dinner sensation! This quick and easy recipe gives you moist and flakey filets with an utterly delicious topping that will have everyone wanting more.
If you need one go-to, no-fail halibut recipe, this is it! While it’s fun to get creative with halibut and make something like halibut ceviche, when you’re looking for the perfect foolproof weeknight meal it’s got to be this baked halibut. It’s the halibut recipe I make most often in my house and I never tire of it.
When I was a kid I visited my aunt and uncle in Alaska and caught a huge halibut (see photo proof on the video below!), and I’ve been a fan of halibut ever since. It’s light yet meaty, boasts tons of nutrients, and doesn’t need much to make it taste amazing.
But to keep it extra moist as it cooks, I took the same route of my Dijon baked salmon and whipped up this herby, lemony, mayonnaise spread to slather on top. And when you take that first bite, you won’t believe how easy it was to create such a healthy yet impressive dinner recipe!
Baked Halibut Ingredients
Just 5 ingredients plus the halibut are all you need!
- Mayonnaise: I always default to my homemade mayonnaise recipe, but feel free to use store-bought as well.
- Shallot: Adds a mild onion and garlicky flavor with a beautiful pop of pink!
- Lemon Juice: Definitely use fresh squeezed lemon juice for the freshest flavor.
- Herbs: I love chives for this recipe, but any fresh herbs will work!
- Dijon Mustard: Gives it just a kick of that spicy mustard flavor without being overpowering.
- Halibut: This recipe calls for 4 fillets, but keep reading to see how to shop for the perfect ones!
Find the printable recipe with measurements below.
How To Buy Halibut
While you can find halibut year-round, peak season for fresh-caught Pacific halibut (which I recommend) is March through October. So when you’re in the midst of halibut season, keep your eyes peeled for fish with a firm flesh that’s translucent and glistening. Avoid any fillets with discoloration, yellow-ish fat, or chalky white spots.
Can you buy frozen halibut? You sure can! Frozen halibut is flash frozen right when it’s caught, which helps maintain its freshness, and allows you to store it in your freezer. It’s a win-win option!
How To Make This Easy Baked Halibut Recipe
In a short 20 minutes, you’ll have beautiful halibut fillets ready to serve! To get started, preheat your oven to 400F, then follow along below.
- Make the herbed mayonnaise. In a small bowl, mix together the mayo, mustard, shallots, parsley, half of the chives, lemon juice, and pepper.
- Spread the herbed mayonnaise on your fillets. Place your halibut fillets in a baking dish brushed with oil. Then evenly spoon the mayo mixture on top of each fillet.
- Bake away! Pop this dish in the oven and bake for 15-17 minutes. Then right before the fish is done, turn on your broiler for an extra 1-2 minutes to give it that slightly golden crust.
- Garnish and serve. Sprinkle the rest of the chives on top for a fresh green touch, and you’re ready to serve!
A Few Extra Tips
- Try to buy fillets the same size. This will ensure even cooking amongst all the fillets, and hopefully prevent overcooking them.
- Speaking of overcooking. It’s best to slightly undercook the halibut rather than overcook it. Halibut doesn’t contain much oil, so it’s prone to drying out more quickly. But good news, the mayonnaise crust acts as a barrier to prevent overcooking as well!
Ways To Serve Baked Halibut With Mayo
With how light and fresh these fillets are, think leafy greens and a variety of cooked veggies for the perfect pairing.
- Side Salad: Come summer, a simple, fresh salad is all you need with this halibut. A few easy options are a cucumber salad, greek salad, or an arugula salad with a simple lemon vinaigrette.
- Roasted Vegetables: Give roasted broccoli, honey glazed carrots, or roasted cauliflower a try for a flavorful, filling meal.
- Sauteed Vegetables: While the fish is cooking, you can whip up sauteed spinach, sauteed cabbage, or green beans right on the stovetop!
How To Store And Reheat Baked Halibut
- For storing: Have leftover fillets? They’ll keep for up to 3 days in the fridge in an airtight container.
- For reheating: To avoid drying out your halibut, reheat it low and slow. The microwave can be convenient and works just fine. But if you have spare time, reheat it in the oven at 275F for about 15 minutes until it’s warmed through.
More Easy Fish Recipes
The beauty of seafood is how easy it is to make in a wide variety of recipes. You can start with my best salmon recipes roundup, or a few of these reader favorites!
- Best Baked Salmon
- Chili Lime Baked Trout
- Garlic Grilled Shrimp Skewers
- Shrimp Tacos With Cilantro Lime Bacon Slaw
If you make this baked halibut, let me know how it turned out! I’d love to hear what you think in the comments below.
Description
Video
Ingredients
- ⅓ cup mayonnaise
- 1 shallot, finely diced
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon parsley, finely chopped
- 2 tablespoons chives, finely chopped
- 1 teaspoon dijon mustard
- salt and pepper, to taste
- 4 halibut fillets
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400F. In a small bowl, mix together the mayonnaise, shallot, lemon juice, parsley, one tablespoon of chives (save the remaining for garnish), mustard, salt and pepper.
- Lightly coat the inside of the baking dish with oil or butter (to prevent the halibut from sticking). Place the halibut filets in the baking dish. Then evenly spoon your mayonnaise mixture onto the top of the halibut filets.
- Bake in the oven for 15-20 minutes minutes being careful not to overcook. Just before the fish is done, turn on the top broiler of your oven for 1-2 minutes to make the top golden. The fish is done when it becomes opaque and flakes easily.
- Remove the halibut from the oven and sprinkle the remaining chives on top before serving.
Nutrition
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Recipe originally posted Oct 2014, but updated with new information.
I’ve made this before with Halibut but halibut is expensive at least in my area. Today I wanted to try with salmon but using dill. So I just replaced the parsley and chives with fresh minced dill instead and it was delicious!! I’m sure Lisa could come up with a proper dill salmon mayo sauce type thing ;) so I’ll be looking out for that recipe perfected one day!
Glad this worked out great with salmon! But yes, I definitely need a proper recipe for a dill mayo. Stay tuned, Teresa!
Wonderful, like all your recipes. Lisa…suggestion….since all shallots, lemons, etc. are not all created equal, it’s helpful to give quantity of for example, two tbs shallots as opposed to one shallot. Or two tbs lemon juice, instead of juice of one lemon. Just a suggestion. 😊. Love, love your recipes and continue to share them!
Hi Marie – Thanks for your suggestion on the ingredients! I’ll make sure to be more exact for future recipes. But, happy to hear you enjoyed this baked halibut!
Making now, I’ll report back lol
Hi Monique – Hope you enjoyed this baked halibut!
This is a very easy and delicious way to fix Halibut. You won’t be disapointed.
I’m so glad you love this way of cooking halibut, Rick!
What size is a halibut portion
Hi Sharen – my halibut filets here are about 6-7 ounces each. Hope you enjoy the recipe!
Wow was this delicious!!! I am not the biggest fan of seafood but I am trying to change that and recipes like this make it easy! Halibut is one fish I do typically enjoy but with this sauce, I think ANY fish would be spectacular. I found it to be the perfect balance of tangy, creamy, herbaceous, and light. Thank you so much for this easy, healthy, and delicious recipe Lisa! Keep them coming please!!
Thrilled to hear you loved this baked halibut recipe, Sarah!
Made this last night with both cod and halibut and it was delicious! Only thing I would say if mixing fish types is watch the cooking time carefully- the halibut cooked faster than the cod and they were small pieces so the halibut was a bit over cooked but the sauce is sooo good. I was hoping to impress my Uncle and he was !!
Yes, you’ll need to watch the bake time for different fishes. But glad this topping also worked out great on cod!
Excellent but do not overcook the fish. I cooked for 18 minutes and then broiled it. Should have only cooked for 15. Made extra sauce to serve on the side and it was a big hit. Thank you for the receipe
Well, you’ve done it again Lisa! Wonderful dish…I served with roasted potatoes, and sautéd spinach. Just wonderful. Lisa followers, don’t hesitate to make this dish,..just be very careful to not overcook the halibut.
Hi Marie – Thanks for leaving a review and glad you’re loving this baked halibut!
I had this at a friends house for dinner and it was fabulous. I made it this week for myself and my 10 year grand daughter and she loved it!
So happy you and your grand daughter loved this baked halibut recipe, Carri!
Awesome 😎
Loved it. Added my own little twist. I used cranberry mustard. And carpets.
Best yet.
Hi Donna – A cranberry mustard sounds amazing! I may just have to try that for myself.