If you struggle with cooking fish that's tender, you will love making lemon vegetable fish packets! They turn out perfect every time and the flavors of garlic, lemon and seasonings are incredible. Plus, you can use either foil or parchment and both are super easy clean up!
Just one of many Quick Healthy Recipes you'll find here!
The first time I made fish packets I was so surprised how wonderful the fish turned out - evenly cooked and tender.
To be honest, I didn't try cooking fish this way for the longest time because I thought it was such a waste of foil or parchment, whichever was used.
It seemed to me that these packet meals were only for camping (like this yummy chicken foil dinner) or things like that.
If you can easily cook it regularly (grill, oven or pan), why add a whole other layer?
Why Make Fish Packets with Foil or Parchment?
Here's what I discovered:
Cooking fish in foil or parchment results in perfectly moist fish that's bathed in seasonings right along with veggies. There are no overdone or underdone areas and the flavors always mingle just right.
Here are a few other reasons I've come to love cooking fish in foil, too:
- You can make them in advance and keep them in the fridge until they're ready to grill or bake. This is great for those days when you have time in the morning, but the afternoon will be busy and perfect for easy entertaining.
- Cooking the vegetables along with the fish makes for almost a one-dish meal. I usually add a salad or cut up vegetables and bread, but you don't have to.
- The clean up is a breeze!
So while I don't cook fish in packets all the time, it's become my go-to for days I need an easy, healthy meal that can be ready when we are.
And our family's favorite is this combo of white fish, seasonal vegetables, lemon, garlic, and butter - they are SO good. The fish almost melts in your mouth.
In the summer we grill the packets in foil and in the winter it's easy to bake the fish in parchment packets in the oven.
If you haven't tried cooking fish packets before, I think you will love them as much as I do now, too!
TIP: If grilling, you only want to use foil - parchment will catch fire with a flame. If baking the packets you can use either foil or parchment.
Lemon Vegetable and Fish Packets
Ingredients You'll Need
- onion
- green beans (or other seasonal vegetable like asparagus, thinly sliced carrots, sliced sweet peppers, chopped cabbage, or kale)
- olive oil
- salt & pepper
- white fish fillets tilapia, cod, halibut, etc (you could also use salmon or any fish)
- butter
- garlic
- red pepper flakes (optional)
- lemon
- aluminum foil (to grill) or parchment paper - NOT wax paper (to bake)
Directions
Fish packets are so easy to make, taking only about 10 minutes of preparation.
1. Slice onion and trim green beans, then tear off four pieces of heavy duty foil or parchment (I aim for about 15 inch long pieces). Or however many packets you need.
2. Layer the onion and green beans, drizzle with a little olive oil and season with salt and pepper.
3. Lay a fish fillet on top of each pile of vegetables
PRO TIP: if there are thin edges, tuck them under the fillet to prevent overcooking.
4. Mix together the butter, garlic, and seasonings and drizzle evenly between all the fish fillets.
5. Add lemon slices to each fillet and wrap vegetables and fish with foil or parchment, sealing the edges.
How To Wrap & Seal Fish in Foil Parcels
Note: Use the same technique to wrap fish in parchment packets - just fold and seal the edges sharply so they hold.
- To wrap, bring the longer sides up to meet in the middle over the contents. Hold the two pieces together and fold over a couple of times to seal the top edge.
PRO TIP: Leave a bit of room on the center seal for the steam when cooking.
- To seal, fold each short side over a couple of times, resulting in a square-ish packet.
6. Cook the fish pakets.
- Grill the packets for 15 minutes (no need to turn!) OR
- Bake the fish packets in the oven for 20 minutes at 400 degrees.
And that's it - see how easy simple whole food recipes can be?
These are so delicious, my whole family loves them - even my kids when they were in their "picky years" liked them.
Lemon Vegetable Fish Foil or Parchment Packets FAQs
It's easy to use any fish in packets - salmon, halibut, or cod, to name a few. Simply increase the cooking time for any fillets that are thicker than the 1/2-inch tilapia fillets pictured in this recipe.
Yes, as long as you're not over-using aluminum foil in your cooking. “For the majority of people, this shouldn't be a problem, as the amount of aluminum that is pulled into the food during the cooking process is very immaterial." source
If you're uncomfortable at all, definitely use the parchment option!
Place your ingredients in the center of a large piece of foil (about 15 inches long). Then bring the longer sides up to meet in the middle over the contents. Hold the two pieces together and fold over a couple of times to seal the top edge. After that, fold each short side over a couple of times to seal the packet.
Use this same technique to seal parchment packets.
The choice is yours, though if you're grilling you need to use foil. You can use either foil or parchment to bake the fish and vegetables - both are used the same way and folded and sealed the same. The parchment may balloon more when baking, but the fish is still sealed inside.
So - how about lemony vegetable fish foil packets for dinner tonight?
"This was a great recipe. Had all ingredients on hand oh, and nothing I had never heard of. Will be making this again." -Dorothy
Healthy Lemon Vegetable Fish Packets to Grill or Bake (Foil or Parchment)
Equipment
- aluminum foil OR parchment paper
Ingredients
- 1 medium onion, sliced
- 1/2 pound green beans, trimmed
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 4 fish fillets (tilapia, halibut cod, etc.)
- 2 tablespoons butter, melted
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/2 teaspoon each salt and pepper, plus more for sprinkling
- 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes, optional
- 1 lemon, thinly sliced into 8 pieces
Instructions
- Cut four pieces of heavy duty aluminum foil or parchment paper, about 15 inches long (if using regular aluminum foil, double it). Note: use foil only if grilling - if baking you can use either foil or parchment.
- Divide onions and green beans between the pieces, layering onions on top and green beans next.
- Drizzle olive oil on vegetables and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
- Layer a fish fillet on top of each vegetable pile. Combine butter, garlic, salt, pepper, and optional red pepper flakes and spoon over fish, dividing evenly.
- Top each pile of fish and vegetables with two thin slices of lemon and wrap foil or parchment around ingredients, folding edges to seal well.
- To Grill: Preheat grill to medium high and place fish packets directly on grill. Close cover and cook 1/2-inch fillets about 15 minutes (until fish flakes easily with a fork). No need to turn. Note: Cook thicker fillets longer as needed.
- To Bake: Place packets on a baking sheet in a 400 degree oven for about 20 minutes, or until done.
- Slowly unwrap packets, being careful of steam, and serve right in the packets on individual plates.
Notes
Nutrition
Other Easy Dinners You May Like:
Sriracha Beef and Vegetable Rice Bowls
Baked White Fish with Parmesan-Herb Crust (ready in 20 minutes)
Grilled Shrimp and Vegetable Tacos with Chipotle-Yogurt Sauce
Karen says
CanI put these together then freeze them and bake later? If so can they be baked frozen - how long in oven?!?
Jami says
I haven't tried that, Karen, but it seems like it should work! This article gives guidelines (you just wouldn't need to season it in the middle): https://www.livestrong.com/article/488587-how-to-cook-frozen-fish-in-foil/
Dorothy says
This was a great recipe. Had all ingredients on hand oh, and nothing I had never heard of. Will be making this again.
Jami says
Wonderful, Dorothy. I love the flavors yet such a simple recipe. 🙂