• Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

An Oregon Cottage logo

  • Recipes
    • Best Desserts
    • Easy Salads
    • Easy Side Dishes
    • Homemade Breads
    • Sourdough
    • Homemade Soups
    • Pantry Basics Recipes
    • Simple Dinner Recipes
    • Simple Slow Cooker Recipes
    • Simple Snacks
  • Canning & Preserving
    • Canning Recipes
    • Dehydrator Recipes
    • Freezing Produce
    • Fermented Food Recipes
  • Gardening
    • Yard & Garden Tour
    • Vegetable Garden
    • Flowers, Beds & Borders
    • Gardening Tips
    • Ultimate Vegetable & Fruit Guides
  • DIY & Remodeling
    • 1900 Farmhouse
    • 1982 Ranch-turned-Cottage
    • Easy Handmade Gifts
  • Shop
    • Flexible Planner, Cookbooks, Ebooks & More
    • An Oregon Cottage's Amazon Shop
    • Shopping and Gift Guides
menu icon
go to homepage
search icon
Homepage link
  • Home
  • Recipes
  • Organic Gardening
  • DIY & Remodeling
    • Email
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • YouTube
  • ×

    Get my newsletters + access to a library full of printables!

    Home » Whole Food Recipes » Simple Dinner Recipes

    July 27, 2022 | By Jami

    Healthy Lemon Vegetable Fish Packets To Grill or Oven Bake ( Using Foil or Parchment)

    Jump to Recipe

    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!

    lemon vegetable fish packets cooked and opened

    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 and in the winter it's easy to bake the fish 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!

    Lemon Vegetable and Fish Packets

    Lemon Vegetable Fish Foil Packets layering onions and green beans

    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 or parchment paper(NOT wax paper)

    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.

    Lemon Vegetable Fish Foil Packets-fish fillet

    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.

    Lemon Vegetable Fish Foil Packets with lemon

    5. Add lemon slices to each fillet and wrap vegetables and fish with foil or parchment, sealing the edges.

    Lemon Vegetable Fish Foil Packets-folded foil packet

    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.
    Lemon Vegetable Fish Foil Packets grilled

    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

    How do you substitute other fish in foil packets?

    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.

    Is it safe to cook fish in aluminum foil?

    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!

    How do you seal fish in aluminum foil?

    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.

    Is it better to cook fish in parchment paper or foil?

    The choice is yours! You can use either foil or parchment to cook 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

    Lemon Vegetable Fish Foil Packets grilled
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    4.69 from 16 votes

    Healthy Lemon Vegetable Fish Packets to Grill or Bake (Foil or Parchment)

    Vegetable and fish packets turn out perfect every time - and the flavors of garlic, lemon and seasonings are incredible. An easy weeknight meal everyone will love.
    Prep Time10 mins
    Cook Time15 mins
    Total Time25 mins
    Course: Dinner
    Cuisine: American
    Yield: 4 servings
    Author: Jami Boys

    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).
    • 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

    You can substitute green beans with other seasonal veggies: asparagus, thinly sliced carrots, sliced sweet peppers, chopped cabbage, or kale (or anything you think would be good!).

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1packet | Calories: 228kcal | Carbohydrates: 8.9g | Protein: 23.7g | Fat: 11.9g | Saturated Fat: 5.2g | Cholesterol: 65mg | Sodium: 667mg | Fiber: 3.1g | Sugar: 2.4g
    Did you make this recipe?Mention @anoregoncottage or tag #anoregoncottage!
    Pin this arrow
    delicious lemon veggie fish packets

    Other Easy Dinners You May Like:

    Bowls full of beef, vegetables and rice

    Sriracha Beef and Vegetable Rice Bowls

    Baked White Fish with Parmesan-Herb Crust

    Baked White Fish with Parmesan-Herb Crust (ready in 20 minutes)

    Grilled shrimp and vegetable tacos make an easy family meal

    Grilled Shrimp and Vegetable Tacos with Chipotle-Yogurt Sauce

    Chicken-Spinach Frittata with Asparagus and Feta - An Oregon Cottage

    Chicken-Spinach Frittata with Feta & Tomatoes

    About Jami

    Since 2009 Jami Boys has been helping readers live a simple homemade life through whole food recipes, doable gardening, and easy DIY projects on An Oregon Cottage. From baking bread, to creating a floor from paper, to growing and preserving food, Jami shares the easiest ways to get things done. She's been featured in Cottages and Bungalows, Old House Journal, and First for Women magazines as well as numerous sites like Good Housekeeping, Huffington Post, and Apartment Therapy.

    Primary Sidebar

    Jami Boys headshot

    Hi, I'm Jami and I'm so glad you're here! My goal is to help you live a simple homemade life on your terms: cooking delicious real food, painless gardening, and making easy things that are totally worth your time. 

    Read More →

    Popular Posts

    • Easy, Soft 100% Whole Wheat Sandwich Bread Tutorial
    • Roasted Cabbage Wedges with Onion Dijon Sauce
    • Easy Sourdough Artisan Bread Recipe (Ready in 1 Day)
    • Original Brown Paper Floor Tutorial: A DIY Alternative to Wood Floors
    • How To Freeze Green Beans The Easy Way Without Blanching
    • 5 Reasons To Grow Cucumbers On A Trellis (And Taking Up Less Space Isn't One Of Them)

    ALL OUR CATEGORIES

    • Mail
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • YouTube

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    About

    • Privacy Policy & Disclosure
    • Terms of Use & Disclaimer

    Newsletter

    • Sign Up! for emails and updates

    Contact

    • Contact
    • Collaboration & Advertising

    Disclosure: As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Disclaimer: All Content Provided On An Oregon Cottage Is For Informational Purposes Only. The Owner Of This Blog Makes No Representations As To The Accuracy Or Completeness Of Any Information On This Site Or Found By Following Any Link On This Site.

    Copyright © 2009-2023 An Oregon Cottage | No Content On This Site, Including Text And Photos, May Be Reused In Any Fashion Without Written Permission.