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Butter-Baked Haddock

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This Butter-Baked Haddock is my all-time favorite fish recipe. It’s quick and easy (ready in less than 30 minutes!), and the result is tender, moist, flaky, flavorful fish every time!

piece of butter-baked haddock on a plate with a fork and rice and green beans this recipe

This, my friends, is the recipe that made me enjoy cooking fish. I’ve tried lots of fish recipes over the years, most of which I never made a second time. But this one… Oh, yes. This one is a keeper!

Growing up, we always had fish for Christmas Eve dinner. And I’m not gonna lie. More often than not, it was take-out from Long John Silver’s (now, don’t go laughing at that…it’s a really good memory for me!).

My mom and I would wait in that super long line for what seemed like hours. But it gave her a break from all the holiday cooking and baking, and it was a treat for all of us (fact: it’s still one of my guilty pleasures to this day!).

BUT there were also lots of times when my mom cooked the fish herself. She always made haddock baked in the oven with butter. It was so simple yet so delicious (and I didn’t even like fish back then)!

I’ve kept up the tradition of serving fish on Christmas Eve, but for some reason that I still can’t figure out, up until last year, I never actually made my mom’s recipe. What the heck?

Each year, I would try a new recipe, and each year I would be disappointed.

Last year, it finally hit me: I already had the recipe I was looking for! So I searched through my mom’s recipe book, and there it was, a handwritten recipe simply titled “Haddock.”

It was every bit as yummy as I remembered, and it will be on my Christmas Eve menu forever more!

four pieces of butter-baked haddock in a baking dish

Ingredients you need:

  • Haddock fillets
  • Butter
  • Lemon juice
  • Salt and pepper
  • Paprika
  • Dried parsley

Here’s a look at how to make Butter-Baked Haddock:

two images showing the steps to make butter baked haddock
two images showing the steps to make butter-baked haddock
two images showing the steps to make butter-baked haddock
two images showing the steps to make butter-baked haddock
two images showing how to make butter-baked haddock

Tips & Tidbits:

  • If you’ve got picky eaters in your house, haddock is a great fish to serve because it has a very mild, lightly sweet flavor that isn’t fishy.
  • Other white fish, such as cod, could be used in this recipe.
  • The cook time will depend on the thickness of the fish. I’ve gotten haddock fillets that were long, thin, and only ¼ to ½ inch thick. I’ve also gotten ones that were short and about 1 inch thick (I prefer to use these thicker ones).
  • The fish is done when it has turned opaque and flakes easily with a fork. According to the FDA, the internal temperature should be 145°F.
  • I use thawed frozen fish because, sadly, I can’t get fresh fish where I live. But if you can get it fresh, definitely use it!
  • Yep, it’s a whole stick of butter, but it’s mainly used for cooking the fish. Most of it will get left behind in the pan.
  • That being said, I definitely recommend drizzling some of that yummy butter over each serving of fish because it makes it extra delicious.
  • And if you really want to take it over the top, you can get yourself a little ramekin, fill it with some of that butter, and dip your fish into it like you would lobster!
close-up of pieces of haddock on a fork

We love this fish so much that we now refer to it as just “The Fish,” and we eat it all year long, not just on Christmas Eve!

It goes perfectly with my Rice and Pasta Pilaf or Rice With Mixed Vegetables.

I hope you try this recipe for Butter-Baked Haddock and love it as much as I do. Thanks for visiting today!

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Butter-Baked Haddock

This Butter-Baked Haddock is my all-time favorite fish recipe. It's quick and easy (ready in less than 30 minutes!), and the result is tender, moist, flaky, flavorful fish every time!
5 from 7 votes
Print Recipe Rate/Comment Pin Recipe
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 20 minutes
Servings: 4
Calories: 281
Author: Michelle / Now Cook This!

Ingredients

  • 1 pound haddock fillets, boneless and skinless, each fillet about 4 ounces, thawed if frozen
  • ½ cup melted butter
  • ¼ large lemon
  • salt and pepper, to taste
  • paprika, to taste
  • dried parsley, to taste

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 375°F.
  • Pat the fish dry with paper towels.
  • Place the fish in a baking dish in a single layer.
    Note: I use an 11×7 or a 13×9-inch dish, depending on the size of the fillets; I like to use the smaller size, if I can, so that the butter is deeper and covers more of the fish.
  • Pour the melted butter over the fish.
  • Squeeze the juice from the lemon quarter evenly over the fish.
  • Season the fish with salt and pepper, then sprinkle with paprika and dried parsley.
  • Bake for 10 to 20 minutes, basting every 5 minutes, until the fish is cooked through (internal temperature of 145°F) and flakes easily with a fork. The color should be opaque.
    Note: the cooking time will vary depending on the thickness of your fish. I have had very thin fillets (about ¼ inch thick) that cooked in 10 minutes, while thicker fillets (about 1 inch thick) have taken up to 20 minutes.
  • Serve immediately. Drizzle each serving with some of the butter from the pan, if desired (I highly recommend this!).

Notes

  • Other white fish, such as cod, could be used in this recipe.
  • Be careful not to overcook the dish, as this can dry it out. 
Did you try this recipe? I’d love to see it!Mention @nowcookthis or tag #nowcookthisrecipes!

Recipe was updated on 9/28/21 to add recommendations for the pan size.

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Aida

    I loved this recipe. However, I topped the fish with browned slivered almonds . I forgot the paprika, and instead of lemon, I used lime. So yummy.

    Reply

  3. Brian Novy

    I haven’t cooked a lot of fish in the past but with this recipe that has changed. I am now a fan of cooking fish with this recipe. Thank you!

    Reply

    • Michelle

      That’s so awesome to hear, Brian! Thanks for taking the time to comment and rate the recipe. I really appreciate it!

      Reply

  6. Allie

    I have always fried haddock but tried your recipe tonight and my husband said he actually preferred and loved this recipe. I also loved it. Thanks

    Reply

  7. James

    You forgot to mention how to bake haddock when it still has the skin and the scales on it. Is the skin on the scale safe to eat? Do I have to remove the skin and the scales before I cook it? Do I cook it with the skin and the scales down or up?

    Reply

    • Michelle

      Hi, James! The fish I use in this recipe is boneless and skinless (sorry that wasn’t 100% clear; I have updated the recipe to say skinless and boneless fillets), so I would remove the skin and scales before cooking. I don’t cook fish with the skin, so I can’t tell you how to cook it. Sorry!

      Reply

  8. Erin

    Our new favourite way to cook & eat haddock! My two toddlers ate it all up and asked for seconds! Thank you for the brilliant recipe!

    Reply

  11. Jacqui

    I just want to say I tried this for dinner and it was absolutely amazing. Definitely will be my go to now for fish! Thank you

    Reply

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