How to Bake White Fish With Butter (10 Steps)

While oily, darker fish can practically fling itself into the oven and come out moist and tasty, white fish takes a little more finessing when it comes to baking. A protective coating not only lends flavor, but prevents white fish from drying out. Butter comes to the aid of baked fish, either as a drizzling medium over breadcrumbs or as the main coating itself. When cooking white fish that need coating, fillets are easiest to work with. Your choices include whitefish, of course, as well as cod, halibut, haddock and grouper.

Things You'll Need

Glass baking dish
Spices (optional)
Fresh herbs (optional)
Lemon juice
Salt and pepper

Small saucepan
Olive oil or mayonnaise (optional)
Breadcrumbs (optional)
Cooking thermometer

Solid Butter

Spread a small amount of butter over a baking dish to grease it, and preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
Blend about one-third of a stick of butter with seasonings and lemon juice. Use a fork to incorporate the seasonings and to create a spreadable butter mixture.
Coat the fish thoroughly on both sides with the butter mixture. Place the fillets in the baking dish.
Bake for about 10 minutes, or until the fish reaches an internal temperature of 145 degrees Fahrenheit and the flesh in opaque at the center. Serve immediately.

Drizzled Butter

Preheat over to 400 degrees Fahrenheit and butter or oil a baking dish.
Melt a small amount of butter in a saucepan.
Coat white fish fillets on both sides in a fat-based dressing, such as mayonnaise or olive oil.
Place the fillets skin-side down in the baking dish and cover them lightly with seasoned bread crumbs.
Drizzle the melted butter over the bread crumb topping.
Bake for about 10 minutes, or until the fish reaches an internal temperature of 145 degrees Fahrenheit and the flesh in opaque at the center. Serve immediately.

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