Baked Steelhead Trout Fillet

Baking a whole steelhead trout fillet is so simple but looks very impressive. Topped with shallots, garlic, lemon and fresh herbs – it’s so juicy and flavorful. You are guaranteed a delicious meal. Salmon can be used instead of steelhead trout, with excellent results. 

If you’re on the lookout for an impressive holiday dish that can take center stage, I have good news for you, your search is over! A whole side fillet of fish is always so extraordinary and looks beautiful when you serve it. It couldn’t be any easier to make either. I’ve made this trout when entertaining guests, but it’s simple enough (and delicious enough) that I make it for weeknight dinners for just our small family.

The fish is perfectly juicy, flaky and full of flavor. Shallot and garlic are great flavor buddies in this dish, that are mild with just the right amount of aroma. I love the addition of lemon zest, which also perfumes the fish and the freshly squeezed lemon juice gives a bright note of acidity.

How To Bake/Roast the Steelhead Trout:

You can use salmon instead of the trout. If you’re using salmon, it tends to be a little bit thicker than steelhead trout, so you might need to cook it just a few minutes longer.  You can prep the fish ahead of time, and keep it in the refrigerator until you’re ready to put it in the oven. It’s very convenient for Sunday dinners, holidays or other entertaining events.
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Preheat the oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil or parchment paper.

In a skillet or small saucepan, melt the butter. Add the shallot and cook on medium heat for about 3 minutes, until the shallot softens.

Add the garlic and lemon zest and cook for another minute.

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Cool slightly. Squeeze in half of the lemon juice.

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Place the fish on the prepared baking sheet. If it’s really big, lay it diagonally across the baking sheet. Season with salt and pepper.

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Spoon the butter over the fish.

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Sprinkle with half of the minced dill. (The butter will solidify the longer it stands or if you put it in refrigerator.)

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Roast in the oven for 12-17 minutes, depending on how thick the fish is. The best way to check for doneness is to use a fork to gently prick the fish, and if it flakes easily, it’s ready.

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Use several spatulas to take the fish off the baking sheet in one piece.

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The fish will come right off, leaving the skin behind. What a neat trick, huh? Roll up the aluminum foil or parchment paper, the skin comes right off and it’s so much easier to wash the baking sheet.

Squeeze the other half of the lemon over the fish and sprinkle with more fresh dill.

Grilling the Steelhead Trout

You can grill the steelhead trout instead of baking it by using this exact recipe.

Tear off/cut off a rectangular piece of heavy duty aluminum foil so that it is several inches bigger on all sides than the fillet that you will be grilling. Crimp the edges of the foil, creating your own “rimmed baking sheet”. This will keep your salmon from sticking to the grill and is such an easy way to transfer it on and off the grill, but at the same time get a great grilled flavor.

Place the fish fillet on the prepared foil and continue with the rest of the recipe, seasoning the fish and adding the butter, shallot and lemon topping.

Preheat the grill for at least 15 minutes on high heat. Place the seasoned fish on the hot grill, reducing the heat to medium high.

The whole fillet should cook for a total of 8-15 minutes on the grill on medium high heat. A smaller fillet will cook for 8 minutes and really large fillets 15 minutes. Don’t overcook the fish or it will be dry.

Print Recipe

Baked Steelhead Trout Fillet

Baking a whole steelhead trout fillet is so simple but looks very impressive. Topped with shallots, garlic, lemon and fresh herbs, the fish turns out so juicy and flavorful.
Prep Time15 mins
Cook Time15 mins
Total Time30 mins
Course: Main Course
Servings: 6
Author: Olga's Flavor Factory

Ingredients

  • 1 steelhead trout or salmon fillet (1 1/2 - 2 1/2 lbs)
  • 4 Tablespoons butter
  • 1 shallot minced
  • 2 garlic cloves minced
  • 1-2 Tablespoons fresh dill minced (you can also use other herbs, like parsley, chives)
  • salt ground black pepper
  • 1 lemon 1 teaspoon of zest and all the freshly squeezed juice

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil or parchment paper.
  • In a skillet or small saucepan, melt the butter. Add the shallot and cook on medium heat for about 3 minutes, until the shallot softens.
  • Add the garlic and the lemon zest, cook for another minute. Cool slightly. Squeeze in half of the lemon juice.
  • Place the fish on the prepared baking sheet. If it's really big, lay it diagonally across the baking sheet. Season with salt and pepper.
  • Spoon the butter over the fish.
  • Sprinkle with half of the minced dill.
  • Roast in the oven for 12-17 minutes, depending on how thick the fish is. The best way to check for doneness is to use a fork to gently prick the fish, and if it flakes easily, it's ready.
  • Use several spatulas to take the fish off the baking sheet in one piece. (Or cut it into sections, if it's easier.)
  • Squeeze the other half of the lemon over the fish and sprinkle with more fresh dill.

Notes

Grilling the Steelhead Trout

You can grill the steelhead trout instead of baking it by using this exact recipe.
Tear off/cut off a rectangular piece of heavy duty aluminum foil so that it is several inches bigger on all sides than the fillet that you will be grilling. Crimp the edges of the foil, creating your own “rimmed baking sheet”. This will keep your salmon from sticking to the grill and is such an easy way to transfer it on and off the grill, but at the same time get a great grilled flavor.
Place the fish fillet on the prepared foil and continue with the rest of the recipe, seasoning the fish and adding the butter, shallot and lemon topping.
Preheat the grill for at least 15 minutes on high heat. Place the seasoned fish on the hot grill, reducing the heat to medium high.
The whole fillet should cook for a total of 8-15 minutes on the grill on medium high heat. A smaller fillet will cook for 8 minutes and really large fillets 15 minutes. Don’t overcook the fish or it will be dry.

 

66 Comments

  • Martha

    Just made this tonight and LOVED it! I am not a big fish eater but I may be after this dish! I loved the tip about baking on aluminum foil. The fillet came off the skin just as easy as you said. Great recipe!

  • Ellen Goldenson

    Hi Olga,
    I’m a brand new follower of your blog. I found you by googling recipes for steelhead trout. I absolutely love this recipe. It was delicious and so easy. I highly recommend it to others and will make it again soon. Also, love your overall philosophy of life. I look forward to cooking many of your recipes soon.

    • olgak7

      Hi Ellen,
      Welcome to the blog:). I’m so glad to hear that you enjoyed this recipe. I hope you’ll find many others recipes that will be just as enjoyable.

  • Ryan

    Absolutely delicious. I used unsalted butter, but then salted the melted butter with a lightly smoked sea salt. I also cooked this in the over on a cedar roasting plank. I decreased the temp to 400 once it was in the oven as we like salmon and trout more on the rare side. The shallot and garlic crisped up nicely on top of the trout and made for a delicious burst of flavor. Thanks, Olga!

  • A Murphy

    Made this for company tonight and Everyone raved about it. I reduced the butter to 1 TBPS and added 3 TBSP EVOO. SUBSTITUTED onion for the shallots. I used dried dill, however fresh would have been much better. I actually made the butter sauce a few hours ahead. THIS RECIPE IS A REAL KEEPER. Easy and made a nice presentation for company.

    Thank you so much for sharing this special treasure.

    • olgak7

      That’s wonderful, A Murphy! Thank you so much for taking the time to write. This is a real favorite in our family and I am so glad to hear that you enjoyed it as well.
      I often make the butter sauce ahead of time. It’s such a simple and quick recipe, but always a winner.

  • sherry boyter

    Hi Olga

    Tried your recipe last night, switched it up a little bit used sweet onions & green onions. We are not much into garlic & dill , do not like shallots. The fish turned out great, receipe is a keeper……….OMG my fish was so good. I had not cooked steele head trout so I had to find a recipe on how to cook it, so glad that I found your recipe. The fish lifted right off the foil & all the skin stayed on the foil, wonderful !!!!!

    Thanks
    Sherry

    • olgak7

      I would have to agree with you, Vicky. I use this recipe very often when I make dinner myself:). I love how simple it is to prepare. Thanks for taking the time to write.

  • Katie Chaverri

    Olga, this was absolutely wonderful. Thank you for posting this wonderful recipe and for the tips (using foil, multiple spatulas, etc.). I never realized how beneficial it was to cook salmon/steelhead at such a high temperature, nor did I realize that it was ok to prepare the basting sauce separately like that. I always thought applying a warm sauce would spoil the cooking process. In this case, it made it perfectly simple and delicious and I will NEVER prepare salmon any other way EVER again. Thanks!

    PS- I didn’t realize you could bake parchment paper at such a high temperature.

    • olgak7

      You’re welcome, Katie. Thanks for taking the time to write.
      I use aluminum foil all the time when cooking fish. It makes cleanup so much easier. However, some people are opposed to using any aluminum foil at all, so parchment paper is another option. The oil from the fish will leak down into the pan, but nothing sticks to the pan, so it still makes cleanup so much easier.

  • Jack

    Supercalfraglustic expeealadosish great way to do the fish. Did it for my girlfriend and she loved it.She said she couldn’t eat the half of the fillet I gave her but she did and I think she could have eatin more ! LoL

  • Cora Brown

    Moist and delicious. I substituted rosemary sprigs for dill, and removed them before baking. I added a tablespoon of dry vermouth. Baked 10 minutes at 450, then reduced heat to 325 for 5 more minutes.

  • Gail Thiele

    Try this. Preheat oven and cookie sheet to 450º. On a cooke-sheet size of aluminum foil, place a smaller piece of parchment on foil, cover with kosher salt, place filet skin side down on kosher salt, then season as directed. I use only olive oil and a thin layer of Chinese garlic chili paste. Slide aluminum foil with parchment and filet onto blazing hot cookie sheet. Bake 17 minutes.

    • olgak7

      Thanks for sharing, Gail. It sounds lovely.
      I really like using the blazing hot sheet method for many recipes. It’s such a brilliant technique.

  • Peteypablo

    Just made this today Steelhead I left out the Dill as I didn’t have any. It turned out lovely looks and tastes good too I want to eat some But I can’t as I have to wait for my wife to come home and join me.

    • olgak7

      Rainbow trout is usually a lot smaller and more delicate than Steelhead Trout, Laurie. You can use this same method for rainbow trout, just cook it less.

  • Michelle

    Just came across your recipe, made it for dinner and it is probably the best fish I’ve ever had! I was alittle skeptical about the skin coming off, but it came right off..wow! This recipe definitely has a place in my go to recipes. The family loved it and it’s beautiful enough to serve to guests. ..thanks #

  • Tanya

    Am I the only one who thinks fish skin is delicous, and wants it to stay on?

    I love baking a half salmon fillet with the skin on, I think the skin is the best part, like with chicken!

    I think I read also that fish skin is where most of the Vitamin D is stored, so why would you want to waste that?

    • olgak7

      I actually like fish skin too, Tanya:). Most people that I know don’t, though. Plus, it means that you don’t have to take the scales off the skin, if you will be discarding the skin anyway.
      If you DO want to eat the skin, just grease the baking sheet with oil first, and the skin should get nice and crisp and you’ll still be able to get it off.

      • Tanya

        You know, I only thought of ‘scales’ after I posted! Every half fish I’ve ever bought has been descaled..! And I’ve only found one small scale in a bite that was missed!

        I made this last night, and oh wow was it ever good! I was missing the shallots & my dill was dried not fresh, but it was still yummy! I think steelhead trout is tastier than the salmon I usually buy! I will definitely be making this again! And yes, I was scraping the skin off the foil, it was that good!

        Awesome recipe!

        • olgak7

          I prefer steelhead trout too, Tanya.
          Whenever I buy fish, there are always so many scales left; I guess our seafood department workers don’t do as thorough of a job as your do.

    • olgak7

      I’m sorry I can’t be more helpful, Rosana. I don’t count calories, and the serving size is a very rough estimate, since everyone eats different portions and has different appetites.

  • Brian

    Great recipe, made it tonight, instead of putting it in the oven I put it on the BBQ with hickory smoke wood chips. Will do this one again. Thanks

    • olgak7

      That’s awesome, Brian. We like to use the grill whenever we can too:). I’m so glad to hear that this recipe worked out for you. Thanks for taking the time to write.

  • Lita Watson

    Should i fold the foil over and crimp edges together to create an airtight packet for the salmon! If i use lemon for salmon before making this dish to cancel the bacteria, what should i do to control the flavor?

  • Héloïse

    I thought I had a salmon and found out it was such a trout! Never heard of it! Looked up your recipe and voila! An amazing dish and even better than salmon! Thanks for the recipe:)

  • Sara

    I can’t wait to make this! Do you mind my asking where you buy the steelhead trout? What grocery store? Just wondering what stores have the best/freshest fish. Thanks, Olga!!

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