Baked Halibut Tomato Basil (Printable)

Oven-baked halibut fillets served with a bright tomato basil relish for a light, flavorful dish.

# What goes in:

→ Fish

01 - 4 skinless halibut fillets, approximately 6 ounces each
02 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
03 - 1 lemon, thinly sliced
04 - 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
05 - 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

→ Tomato Basil Relish

06 - 2 cups cherry tomatoes, quartered
07 - 1/3 cup fresh basil leaves, chopped
08 - 2 tablespoons red onion, finely diced
09 - 1 tablespoon capers, drained
10 - 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
11 - 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
12 - 1/4 teaspoon salt
13 - 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

# Directions:

01 - Preheat oven to 400°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
02 - Pat halibut dry and place on the prepared baking sheet. Brush both sides with olive oil, season with salt and black pepper, and top each fillet with lemon slices.
03 - Bake for 12 to 15 minutes until opaque and flaky when tested with a fork.
04 - In a medium bowl, combine cherry tomatoes, basil, red onion, capers, olive oil, balsamic vinegar, salt, and black pepper. Toss gently to blend flavors.
05 - Remove halibut from oven, discard lemon slices, plate fillets, and spoon tomato basil relish over the top. Serve immediately.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The halibut cooks in under 15 minutes, which means dinner happens before the day exhausts you completely.
  • Every component can be prepped in advance, so you're really just orchestrating rather than scrambling.
  • The relish tastes even better tomorrow, making leftovers something you actually look forward to.
02 -
  • Halibut continues cooking after you pull it from the oven, so pull it out when it's still just barely cooked through rather than waiting until it looks completely done.
  • The relish tastes better if you make it 15 minutes before serving so the flavors have time to get to know each other, but the fish must be hot when it hits the plate.
  • Never, ever skip patting the fish dry or it will steam instead of bake, and steamed fish is a disappointment you won't forget.
03 -
  • Make the relish up to 4 hours ahead and store it in the fridge, which actually improves the flavor and saves you mental energy on busy nights.
  • If your tomatoes aren't particularly flavorful, add a tiny pinch of sugar to the relish to coax out their natural sweetness without making it taste artificial.

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