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This heavenly halibut, a baked halibut recipe with mayonnaise, is tender, flaky, and incredibly flavorful. A light layer of mayonnaise keeps the fish moist and creamy, while a buttery panko topping bakes up golden and crisp for the perfect contrast. It all comes together on one sheet pan in just 20 minutes for an easy, impressive dinner.
A Quick Look: Baked Halibut with Mayonnaise
- Cooking time: 5 minutes of prep and 15 minutes to bake.
- Servings – This will serve 4 people for a main dinner recipe.
- Main ingredients: Halibut, mayonnaise, garlic, green onions, panko, lemon and parmesan.
- When to serve: An easy weeknight meal that is beginner-friendly and ideal for anyone who needs a little more flavor and texture to their fish recipes.
- Dietary information: This recipe is Mediterranean diet friendly. It can also be migraine diet-friendly, dairy free and gluten free (edits given below).
- Why you’ll love it: This baked halibut with mayonnaise and a crisp panko crust tastes like an elevated version of fish sticks – golden, crunchy, and perfectly moist inside. Ready in just 20 minutes, it’s an easy weeknight dinner that feels special without extra effort.
I love pairing halibut with mayonnaise because it keeps the fish moist while baking, enhances the flavor without overpowering it, and never tastes greasy. I’ve tried this method for many popular recipes, like my Mediterranean baked halibut recipe or this air fryer halibut.
Table of Contents
Ingredients
- Halibut – Can be fresh or fully defrosted from frozen. If using frozen halibut, place in the fridge the evening before you want to make this recipe so it has time to fully defrost before baking. This recipe will also work with cod, especially if it’s about 1 inch thick in size.
- Mayonnaise – I like to use Chosen Foods avocado oil mayonnaise, but you can pick any favorite mayo you like.
- Butter – Butter adds richness and helps the panko brown, while the mayo keeps the fish moist.
- Garlic – Use one large garlic clove, or two small cloves. This can be substituted with garlic powder in a pinch, but fresh is the best tasting.
- Parmesan – Pairs well with the crispy panko, but substitutes are given below.
- Lemon juice – Since the topping is so rich, this adds a much needed acidity.
- Panko – These are Japanese style breadcrumbs that are extra crispy. They’re very easy to combine with the parmesan cheese for a crunchy crust.
Variations
- Dairy free – Use my air fryer panko halibut recipe instead, but bake it according to these directions.
- Gluten free – Use gluten free panko like Aleia’s or Jeff’s Naturals.
- Migraine diet – Omit the lemon juice, and use mozzarella in place of the parmesan (shred it first). This was the original recipe, but preferred this version with the parmesan panko.
How to Make Baked Halibut with Mayonnaise
Step 1: Preheat oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit and slice halibut into individual servings. Prepare a sheet pan with parchment paper or foil on top and place the halibut fillets on top. Pat it dry on both sides, and season with kosher salt and black pepper.
Step 2: Mix together the mayo, softened butter, garlic, green onion and lemon juice in a medium bowl till well combined.
Step 3: Spread the mayo mixture evenly on top of the halibut fillets.
Step 4: Stir the parmesan and panko together in a small bowl, and sprinkle it on top of the mayo mixture so it sticks to the fish.
Step 5: Bake at 425 degrees Fahrenheit for about 15 minutes, or until the fish is just cooked through. If you’d like to get the panko perfectly golden brown, turn the oven broiler to high heat and broil for about 1 minute, watching carefully!
Air Fryer Method
Want to make this heavenly halibut in the air fryer instead of the oven? Heat the air fryer to 400°F and cook for 7-8 minutes, until the fish is cooked through and the panko is golden brown.
Serving Suggestions
Pair this baked halibut recipe with simple, healthy sides like this apple fennel salad, roasted carrots and parsnips, or green beans. I also love to have it with Boursin mashed potatoes or an easy pasta like this cream cheese pasta.
Storage Instructions
Halibut is best enjoyed fresh, but will store well in the fridge for up to 2 days in an airtight container. I don’t recommend freezing it.
To reheat – Place the fish in an air fryer at 380 degrees Fahrenheit for 3-5 minutes, or in the oven at 400°F for about 5-10 minutes.
Recipe FAQ
Halibut can vary in size and the fillets used for this recipe were around 1 1/2 inches thick. For smaller fillets, decrease the cooking time by 2-3 minutes, adding the same for larger fillets.
The halibut will flake easily with a fork when it is fully cooked through. It will be an opaque white and not translucent. If you want to check it with a meat thermometer, halibut is done at an internal temperature of 135°F.
Halibut is a very mild, flaky white fish. The creamy topping and crisp panko add flavor and texture, making this recipe very approachable for anyone who’s hesitant about cooking (or eating) seafood.
More Baked Fish Recipes
Seafood
Mediterranean Baked Halibut
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Heavenly Halibut (Baked Halibut with Mayonnaise)
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 pounds halibut, fresh or defrosted, cut into 3-4 fillets
- kosher salt and black pepper
- 1/4 cup mayonnaise
- 2 tablespoons softened butter
- 1-2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 tablespoon green onion, chopped small (chives ok)
- 2 teaspoons lemon juice
- 1/4 cup shredded parmesan
- 1/4 cup panko
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit and slice halibut into individual servings. Pat dry on both sides and season with kosher salt and black pepper.
- Mix together the mayo, butter, garlic, green onion and lemon juice and spread evenly on top of the halibut fillets. Combine the parmesan and panko in a small bowl, and sprinkle evenly on top of the mayo mixture so it adheres to the fish.
- Bake at 425℉ for about 15 minutes, or until just cooked through. To get the panko even more golden brown, turn the oven broiler to high heat and broil for about 1 minute, or until the topping is crisped.
Notes
- For extra spice, add 1/4 teaspoon of red pepper flakes or sriracha to the mayo mixture.
- Gluten free – Use gluten free panko like Aleia’s or Jeff’s Naturals.
- Dairy free – Use my air fryer panko halibut recipe instead, but bake it according to these directions.
- Migraine diet – Omit the lemon juice, and use mozzarella in place of the parmesan (shred it first).
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Best halibut recipe I’ve found!
Thank you so much!!
Love this one! I couldn’t find any halibut so I used cod instead. Tasted great!
It looks like lentils on the side, are those approved?!
I discuss this in the post but no, they’re not in the elimination period.
I can’t decide if I like this one or your Mediterranean halibut better! Both are easy! Thanks for the recipe
Lemon isn’t an issue for me so I added some to it and it was great. Will be in our weeknight rotation thank you!
This recipe was so good and easy to make too. My family enjoyed it