Baked Haddock with Lemon Capers (Print Version)

Tender baked haddock with lemon, capers, and butter for a light, flavorful seafood dish.

# What You’ll Need:

→ Fish

01 - 4 skinless, boneless haddock fillets (5 oz each)
02 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
03 - 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

→ Lemon Caper Butter

04 - 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
05 - 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
06 - 2 teaspoons lemon zest
07 - 2 tablespoons capers, rinsed and drained
08 - 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, finely chopped
09 - 1 garlic clove, minced

→ Garnish

10 - Lemon wedges
11 - Additional fresh parsley, chopped

# Steps:

01 - Preheat the oven to 400°F. Lightly grease a baking dish large enough to hold the fillets in a single layer.
02 - Pat haddock fillets dry using paper towels. Season both sides evenly with salt and black pepper. Arrange fillets in the prepared baking dish.
03 - In a small mixing bowl, whisk together melted butter, lemon juice, lemon zest, capers, parsley, and minced garlic until well blended.
04 - Pour the lemon-caper butter mixture evenly over the haddock fillets, ensuring full coverage.
05 - Bake in the preheated oven for 15 to 18 minutes, or until the fish is opaque and flakes easily with a fork.
06 - Remove from oven, let rest for 2 minutes. Garnish with lemon wedges and additional parsley as desired. Serve immediately.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • It's ready in under 30 minutes, which means weeknight dinner can taste restaurant-quality without the cleanup.
  • The lemon and capers do all the heavy lifting flavor-wise, so four simple ingredients transform plain fish into something memorable.
  • Once it's in the oven, you're free to set the table or pour a glass of wine instead of standing over a stove.
02 -
  • Overcooked haddock becomes rubbery and falls apart, so pull it out as soon as the thickest part flakes with the gentlest pressure—15 minutes is often enough, especially if your fillets are thinner.
  • Pat the fish completely dry before seasoning; I learned this the hard way when I skipped it once and ended up with soggy fillets that steamed instead of baking.
  • The capers need to be rinsed and drained, or they'll make the whole dish unbearably salty.
03 -
  • Keep a close eye on the oven timer—haddock cooks fast, and the difference between perfect and overdone is literally two minutes.
  • If you prefer less butter, use 2 tablespoons and add 2 tablespoons of olive oil instead; you'll lose a tiny bit of richness but it still tastes wonderful.

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