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Butter-Baked Haddock

December 18, 2020 by Michelle | 29 Comments

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piece of haddock on a dinner plate with a fork with a text overlay that says now cook this 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!

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.
  • Seasoned salt can be used in place of regular salt for extra flavor (I use it often!).
  • 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 8 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.
  • Seasoned salt can be used in place of regular salt for extra flavor (I used it often)!
  • Be careful not to overcook the fish, 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.

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Aida

    June 22, 2021 at 12:56 am

    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
    • Michelle

      June 22, 2021 at 6:36 am

      Thank you, Aida! I’m so glad you enjoyed the recipe, and the changes you made sound delicious!

      Reply
  2. Stephanie Sorensen

    August 22, 2021 at 11:35 pm

    Lovely recipe! Best fish I’ve had in Yeats.

    Reply
    • Michelle

      August 23, 2021 at 2:24 am

      Thank you so much, Stephanie! I’m so happy you enjoyed it!

      Reply
  3. Brian Novy

    October 14, 2021 at 6:43 pm

    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

      October 14, 2021 at 8:16 pm

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

      Reply
  4. Jeff

    October 16, 2021 at 5:21 pm

    God, Michelle, you know my taste!

    Reply
  5. Sandi

    December 6, 2021 at 11:43 pm

    Great Recipe! Used Haddock added a little cayane pepper next time I’m going to try monk fish.
    QUICK & EASY PERFECTION!

    Reply
    • Michelle

      December 7, 2021 at 12:06 am

      Hi, Sandi! I’m so glad you enjoyed the haddock! Thanks for taking the time to comment and rate the recipe!

      Reply
  6. Allie

    December 12, 2021 at 7:29 pm

    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
    • Michelle

      December 12, 2021 at 7:48 pm

      Hey, Allie! I’m so happy you both loved the haddock! Thanks very much!

      Reply
  7. James

    December 26, 2021 at 2:18 pm

    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

      December 26, 2021 at 3:04 pm

      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
    • Jane

      May 15, 2022 at 5:54 pm

      Skin side down James.

      Reply
      • Michelle

        May 15, 2022 at 6:20 pm

        Thanks for your help, Jane!

        Reply
  8. Erin

    January 5, 2022 at 10:04 am

    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
    • Michelle

      January 5, 2022 at 10:40 am

      Wow, that’s awesome! Thank you so much, Erin!

      Reply
  9. Denise

    February 27, 2022 at 8:19 am

    The only way I’ll cook haddock now. So yummy.

    Reply
    • Michelle

      February 27, 2022 at 9:45 am

      Thank you, Denise! So happy you like it!

      Reply
  10. Diane

    March 16, 2022 at 9:51 pm

    So good! We were not fish eaters, but after making your recipe we will have haddock weekly!

    Reply
    • Michelle

      March 17, 2022 at 8:20 am

      That’s so awesome to hear, Diane! Thank you very much!

      Reply
  11. Jacqui

    April 23, 2022 at 5:28 pm

    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
    • Michelle

      April 23, 2022 at 6:02 pm

      Thank you so much, Jacqui! I’m so happy you enjoyed it!

      Reply
  12. Ann Mowat

    April 26, 2022 at 2:45 pm

    Really lovely recipe, have used it with different white fish and all yummy

    Reply
    • Michelle

      April 26, 2022 at 7:47 pm

      Thank you very much, Ann! I’m so happy you enjoyed it!

      Reply
  13. Sally

    September 1, 2022 at 4:51 am

    My family loved this recipe. ish was perfectly cooked and light and flaky and tasty! I used herb garlic grinder seasoning instead of paprika. delicious!

    Reply
    • Michelle

      September 1, 2022 at 8:31 am

      Hi, Sally! I’m so happy your family loved the haddock! Thank you for taking the time to comment and rate the recipe!

      Reply
  14. Connie

    September 26, 2022 at 5:21 pm

    I made this, and it turned out perfect, definitely a keeper

    Reply
    • Michelle

      September 26, 2022 at 7:21 pm

      That’s so great to hear! Thank you, Connie!

      Reply

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Welcome to my kitchen where something good is always cooking! I want us all to cook and eat at home more, so I’m here to share my favorite simple and delicious recipes that are perfect for the everyday home cook. I hope you will be inspired to get in the kitchen and try these recipes, and I hope they become some of your favorites too! Read more…

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