Crispy Parmesan Baked Fish – 20 Minute Recipe
This baked fish with a Parmesan herb crust feels special and tastes amazing, all in about 20 minutes! Whether it’s a busy weeknight or a relaxed weekend, this simple baked white fish recipe, with it’s tender flaky fillets topped with a crispy Parmesan topping, is something everyone will enjoy. Add a simple green salad and crusty bread you make while it bakes and dinner is ready in 30 minutes.
✩ What readers are saying…
“This a delicious recipe. I baked it with Cat Fish. I usually just use breadcrumbs but the parmesan really added to this dish…It was a treat.” -Sheila
Welcome to the baked fish recipe with a lick-the-plate parmesan crust that has been our family’s favorite go-to recipe for fish for many years. When we need a quick weeknight meal, it’s perfect with a salad and bread, but I’ve also served this a lot to dinner guests, too. And when I do, they usually ask for the recipe.
Besides being quick and delicious, I love this recipe as an entertaining option because it can be made up in advance, kept in the fridge, and baked a few minutes before you want to serve it. More time for spending with your guests!
It’s all about the crust.
What I’ve always found most amazing about this recipe is that the simple bread-crumb-cheese-herb crust, that comes together in minutes, is just SO good. I mean, no matter how many times I’ve made it, when I put it on the menu again, I’d find myself saying, “Wow, I forgot how good this is!” and the kids would chime in, “Me, too!”
Ingredient Notes
- Fish: Any type of white fish works with this recipe, though thicker fish like halibut may take a few minutes longer and thin fillets like tilapia may take less (I’ve even topped salmon with this crust, we like it so much).
- Bread crumbs: I prefer fresh bread crumbs that I keep in the freezer just for recipes like this. You can, of course buy bread crumbs.
- Parmesan: Definitely use grated fresh parmesan (made yourself or store bought), not the dried parmesan. You can also use Romano cheese or asiago.
- Garlic: I think fresh is best, but I’ve used dried garlic powder in a pinch (1/4 teaspoon).
- Herbs: You can play around and adjust the herbs if you’d like. I call for basil oregano and thyme and have often used 3/4 teaspoon of Italian seasoning instead.
Easy Steps to Parmesan Baked Fish
Step 1: Heat oven, prepare baking dish, and mix all the topping ingredients in a bowl.
Step 2: Arrange fish fillets in baking dish and top evenly with the parmesan crumb mixture. Spray or drizzle with a bit of olive oil.
Step 3: Bake until fish flakes with a fork in the thickest part, 10-15 minutes depending on the thickness of your fillets (about 140-145 degrees). Serve immediately.
How to serve oven baked fish
While the fish is baking, make a simple green salad (you’ll even have time to mix together a basic vinaigrette), heat some bread (maybe this artisan bread you’ve got in the freezer, or this French style baguette you made earlier), and cut a lemon if you’d like to squeeze over the fish. I also love this fish with baked tasty rice – it can be in the oven baking and you can add the fish during the last 10-15 minutes. Either way, you’ll have a complete, healthy, and delicious dinner in about 30 minutes!
If you like fish, I know you will love this because our family practically cleans the pan when I serve this- literally, since no one wants all the good topping to go to waste! So naturally there aren’t usually leftovers of this, but if there are, keep them in the fridge for 3-5 days. I like them best reheated in a toaster oven/air fryer for a couple minutes to crisp up the topping again.
For even more recipes like this, check out the quick healthy recipes page!
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Crispy Parmesan Baked Fish
Equipment
- 13×9 inch baking pan
Ingredients
- 4 white fish fillets about 6-oz. each, like flounder, cod, tilapia, halibut, etc.
- 1/2 cup fresh bread crumbs preferably homemade
- 1/4 cup grated Parmesan (not dried) OR Romano or Asiago
- 1 tablespoon chopped parsley fresh (or 2 teaspoons dried)
- 1/4 teaspoon each: basil oregano, and thyme (or 3/4 teaspoon Italian seasoning)
- 1 clove garlic minced (or 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder)
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper or to taste
- 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
Instructions
- Heat oven to 400 degrees and oil a 9" x 13" baking dish.
- Arrange the fish fillets in the dish, folding any thin parts under to avoid overcooking -some fish, like tilapia, might need to be folded in half if they're really thin. The idea is to try to make them the same thickness to cook in the same time frame.
- In a small bowl, mix the bread crumbs, cheese, garlic, herbs, and pepper. Stir in 1 tablespoon olive oil to moisten.
- Divide the crumb mixture evenly over the fillets. Drizzle or spray with the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil.
- Bake until the topping is golden and the fish is opaque when flaked, about 10-15 minutes, depending on the thickness of the filets (about 140-145 degrees with in instant read thermometer). Serve immediately.
Notes
Nutrition
More Easy Seafood Recipes
- Greek Style Orzo and Shrimp
- Healthy Salmon Patties with Flax
- Grilled Shrimp and Vegetable Tacos with Chipotle-Yogurt Sauce
I made this with Lake Erie Walleye. Sides were leftover jerk rice and black beans with a small salad. I did make tartar sauce for it as well. Was not positive whether we needed it or not but I thought it helped the flavor. If I had squeezed lemon over it, I probably would not have done tartar sauce.
Sounds wonderful, Sue.
This a delicious recipe. I baked it with Cat Flish. I usually just use breadcrumbs but the parmesan really added to this dish. I served it with a salad and used some avocados from our garden.
It was a treat.
Thank you Jamie.
Wonderful, Sheila – yes I do think it’s the parmesan that makes it so good!