Baked Flounder Recipe
This Baked Flounder Recipe with Lemon Butter Sauce gives delicate flounder fillets a bright, buttery garlic sauce and a golden breadcrumb topping. Flounder cooks quickly in the oven, so the key is to watch the fillets closely and avoid overcooking them. Ready in about 30 minutes, this baked fish recipe is an easy way to cook mild, flaky flounder with plenty of fresh lemon and garlic flavor.
Servings: 4 servings
Ingredients
For the Fish
- 4 flounder fillets or sole fish (2 pounds total)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- Kosher salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
For the Sauce
- 2 medium cloves garlic minced
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- Zest of 1 lemon
- 5 tablespoons unsalted butter melted
- ⅓ cup coarse fresh breadcrumbs
- 1 tablespoon fresh chopped parsley finely chopped, for serving (try tarragon for another fresh flavor option)
- 4 slices or wedges of lemon for serving
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly pat the fish with paper towels to remove excess moisture. Grease a shallow baking dish, cast-iron skillet, or baking sheet with a bit of butter. Place the flounder fish fillets in the baking dish in an even layer and rub with olive oil, and season with salt and pepper. Cover and let rest for 30 minutes.
- Combine garlic, lemon juice, zest, and butter in a small bowl. Pour the lemon-butter mixture over the fish. Sprinkle the flounder fish with bread crumbs.
- Bake for 15-25 minutes or until the fish is cooked and the topping is golden. Cooking time varies slightly depending on the thickness of the fillets. Bake until the fish is cooked through and flakes with a fork.
- Let stand for 5 minutes before serving. Sprinkle with parsley (or tarragon) and serve with fresh lemon wedges. After plating the fish- spoon sauce from the baking dish on top of the fish.
Notes
- Pat the fillets dry before seasoning. Removing excess moisture helps the seasoning and breadcrumb topping adhere to the fish.
- Pay attention to the thickness of the fillets. Thin pieces can cook several minutes faster than thicker ones, so begin checking early.
- Use an instant-read thermometer. The thickest part of the fish should reach 145°F for reliable doneness.
- Don't overbake the fish. Flounder is delicate and can become dry when left in the oven too long.
- Thaw frozen flounder first when possible. Thawed fillets release less excess moisture and give you better control over the final texture.
Nutrition
Calories: 357kcal | Carbohydrates: 8g | Protein: 30g | Fat: 23g | Saturated Fat: 11g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 8g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 140mg | Sodium: 253mg | Potassium: 414mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 599IU | Vitamin C: 8mg | Calcium: 75mg | Iron: 1mg
