Perfect Halibut Recipe: Ina Garten’s Easy Dinner

This halibut borrows Ina Garten's approach: keep the fish whole, season it early, and let a lemon-herb butter do the work. The fillet bakes at 200°C (400°F) and finishes in under twenty minutes.

Weigh the fish first. A 180 g portion cooks in the same time as a 200 g one, but a 250 g slab needs four extra minutes. Use a thermometer and pull it at 54°C (130°F).

The butter is not decoration. It carries salt, acid, and aromatics into the flesh, and it keeps the surface from drying while the center comes up to temperature.

About the Ingredients

6 halibut fillets, 170-200 g each (about 1.1 kg total), skin on

Ask for center-cut fillets of even thickness. Cod or striped bass works as a substitute at the same weight.

85 g (6 tbsp) unsalted butter, softened

Softened butter spreads evenly; cold butter tears the fish. Salted butter works if you cut the added salt to a pinch.

2 tbsp (30 ml) fresh lemon juice, plus 1 lemon sliced thin

Bottled juice is flatter; squeeze fresh. Lime juice substitutes but tastes sharper.

2 garlic cloves, 8 g, minced fine

Minced fine so it does not burn on the surface. Garlic paste from a tube substitutes at 1 tsp.

1 tbsp (4 g) fresh dill, chopped

Dill is classic here. Tarragon or flat-leaf parsley substitutes at the same weight.

1 tsp (2 g) fresh thyme leaves

Strip leaves from the stem; dried thyme substitutes at 1/2 tsp.

1 1/4 tsp (7 g) fine sea salt

Fine sea salt dissolves into the butter. Kosher salt substitutes at 1 1/2 tsp.

1/2 tsp (1 g) black pepper, freshly ground

Grind coarse for texture. White pepper substitutes for a milder bite.

Tips & Tricks

Dry the fillets well

Pat both sides with paper towel before seasoning, because surface water steams the fish instead of roasting it.

Check temperature early

Start probing at 12 minutes, since a thin tail section reaches 54°C (130°F) several minutes before a thick center cut.

Rest before serving

Let the tray sit 3 minutes so juices redistribute; cutting immediately loses them to the pan.

Step-by-Step Instructions

1. Heat the oven

Set a rack in the middle and heat the oven to 200°C (400°F). [A fully heated oven roasts the surface before the center overcooks.]

2. Dry the fillets

Pat 6 fillets dry on both sides with paper towel. [Dry skin browns; wet skin steams and sticks.] The surface should look matte, with no sheen.

3. Season the fish

Sprinkle 1 1/4 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp pepper over both sides of the fillets. [Seasoning now, not later, gives the salt time to penetrate.]

4. Mix the herb butter

Mash 85 g softened butter with 2 minced garlic cloves, 1 tbsp dill, 1 tsp thyme, and 2 tbsp lemon juice. [Mixing first distributes the aromatics evenly.] The butter should be smooth and pale green.

5. Coat the fillets

Spread half the butter on the skin side of each fillet and place them buttered-side down on a lined sheet pan. [Butter underneath prevents sticking and carries flavor up.]

6. Top and add lemon

Spread the remaining butter over the top of each fillet and lay 4 to 5 thin lemon slices on the surface. [The lemon slices protect the herbs from direct heat.]

7. Bake until set

Bake 14 to 18 minutes at 200°C (400°F), until the fish flakes at the edge and reads 54°C (130°F) at the center. [Carryover heat raises it to about 57°C (135°F) during rest.] The butter should bubble at the pan edges.

8. Rest and serve

Rest the tray 3 minutes, then lift fillets off with a thin spatula. [Resting lets juices settle so the flesh stays moist.] The flesh should separate into clean flakes.

Delicious Variations

Mediterranean Version

Swap dill for oregano and add 40 g chopped Kalamata olives to the butter.

Spicy Version

Add 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes and 1 tsp smoked paprika to the butter for heat.

Caper Version

Stir 1 tbsp drained capers into the butter and skip the lemon slices on top.

How to Store Perfect Halibut Recipe: Ina Garten's Dinner Idea

Frequently Asked Questions

Weigh the fillets, set the thermometer, and bake this tonight. The butter does the rest, and the timing stays honest. Weigh, watch, repeat.

Perfect Halibut Recipe: Ina Garten's Dinner Idea

Perfect Halibut Recipe: Ina Garten's Dinner Idea bakes firm white fish in lemon-herb butter for a 50-minute dinner that stays moist.

★★★★½ 4.8 (214 ratings)

15 minPrep time18 minCook time6Servings312 kcalCalories

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🧂 Ingredients

• 6 halibut fillets, 170-200 g each (about 1.1 kg total), skin on
• 85 g (6 tbsp) unsalted butter, softened
• 2 tbsp (30 ml) fresh lemon juice, plus 1 lemon sliced thin
• 2 garlic cloves, 8 g, minced fine
• 1 tbsp (4 g) fresh dill, chopped
• 1 tsp (2 g) fresh thyme leaves
• 1 1/4 tsp (7 g) fine sea salt
• 1/2 tsp (1 g) black pepper, freshly ground

📋 Instructions

1. 1Heat the oven — Set a rack in the middle and heat the oven to 200°C (400°F). [A fully heated oven roasts the surface before the center overcooks.]
2. 2Dry the fillets — Pat 6 fillets dry on both sides with paper towel. [Dry skin browns; wet skin steams and sticks.] The surface should look matte, with no sheen.
3. 3Season the fish — Sprinkle 1 1/4 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp pepper over both sides of the fillets. [Seasoning now, not later, gives the salt time to penetrate.]
4. 4Mix the herb butter — Mash 85 g softened butter with 2 minced garlic cloves, 1 tbsp dill, 1 tsp thyme, and 2 tbsp lemon juice. [Mixing first distributes the aromatics evenly.] The butter should be smooth and pale green.
5. 5Coat the fillets — Spread half the butter on the skin side of each fillet and place them buttered-side down on a lined sheet pan. [Butter underneath prevents sticking and carries flavor up.]
6. 6Top and add lemon — Spread the remaining butter over the top of each fillet and lay 4 to 5 thin lemon slices on the surface. [The lemon slices protect the herbs from direct heat.]
7. 7Bake until set — Bake 14 to 18 minutes at 200°C (400°F), until the fish flakes at the edge and reads 54°C (130°F) at the center. [Carryover heat raises it to about 57°C (135°F) during rest.] The butter should bubble at the pan edges.
8. 8Rest and serve — Rest the tray 3 minutes, then lift fillets off with a thin spatula. [Resting lets juices settle so the flesh stays moist.] The flesh should separate into clean flakes.

👨‍🍳 Chef's Note: If your fillets vary in thickness, fold the thin tail ends under themselves so every piece cooks at the same rate.

Servings: 6

Cuisine: American

Course: Main Course

Nutrition (per serving): 312 kcal · 36g protein · 2g carbs · 18g fat

Written by Tomasz Wiśniewski

Tomasz writes precise, method-first recipes for breads, ferments, and slow braises, drawing on Polish and Central European home cooking. He cares about weights, temperatures, and timing, and explains the reason behind each step so cooks can repeat results. His angle is turning fussy techniques into clear, checkable instructions.