This simple baked walleye recipe with garlic lemon butter sauce and herbs makes the perfect easy, healthy and delicious meal. Serve it with some veggies or rice and a big green salad and dinner is on the table in about 20 minutes!
Simple baked white fish is an easy, healthy meal that’s perfect for any night of the week. I love to use fresh walleye fillets when I can find them. Native to the Great Lakes, walleye is a very popular fish in the midwest region during the summer season.
The filets are simply baked in the oven, then drizzled with a delicious lemon butter sauce and generously topped with fresh herbs. With minimal prep time, this recipe is so fast and easy, using just fresh fish and a handful of simple ingredients. If you’re a seafood lover, you’ll be making this over and over again!
For another delicious Great Lakes fresh water fish recipe, try this Oven-baked Panko Crusted Whitefish.
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What is walleye?
Walleye is a freshwater fish that’s native to the lakes and rivers of North America and very popular in the Great Lakes region. This mild-flavored white fish is a member of the perch family and other names include blue pike, dory, pickerel or yellow pike perch. Walleye has a delicate flavor that’s best complimented with simple seasoning.
Ingredients and substitutions
- Walleye filets – during the summer in the midwest, it’s easy to find fresh water fish at the farmer’s market or grocery store. If walleye isn’t available where you live, this very easy recipe will work with any type of mild flaky white fish. Grouper, pollock, sea bass or halibut would also be a perfect choice.
- Butter – this makes up the base of the sauce.
- Garlic – fresh garlic cloves are grated into hot, melted butter to infuse it with flavor. You can also substitute ⅛ teaspoon of garlic powder for fresh garlic.
- Lemon – fresh lemon juice and zest.
- Herbs – fresh parsley, cilantro, dill, tarragon or a mix of any soft herbs you like.
Method
Pat the fish filets dry with paper towels and place them in a shallow baking pan or baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Brush the filets with olive oil and season to taste with salt and freshly cracked black pepper. Bake in a 400 degree oven for 10-12 minutes or until it’s opaque and the fish flakes easily with a fork.
Cook time will vary depending on the thickness of your fish fillets. Be careful not to overcook delicate fish as it can dry out quickly. The easiest way to check for doneness is to use an instant read thermometer. It’s done when it reaches an internal temperature of 145 degrees.
While the fish cooks, melt butter in a small saucepan over low heat. Just when it becomes to foam, remove it from the heat. Use a microplane or zester to grate in a glove of garlic. Add the zest and juice of half a lemon and half of the chopped herbs to the warm butter, cover it with a lid and let it infuse while the fish is finishes cooking.
Thinly slice the other half of the lemon and arrange on the serving platter along with some fresh parsley. Place fish fillets on a bed of lemon slices and herbs. Spoon lemon garlic butter sauce over the top and sprinkle fish with additional fresh herbs.
Serve immediately with your choice of sides.
FAQs, tips and variations
Yes. Change up the flavor profile and sprinkle some cajun or old bay seasoning on top of the fish instead of salt and pepper.
The fish is done when it reaches 145 degrees in the thickest part of the filet. If your fillets are on the thinner side, check the internal temperature with an instant read thermometer after 9 minutes. It should be opaque and flake easily with a fork. Don’t overcook it!
Yes. If using frozen fish, make sure it’s completely defrosted. If your fish is vacuum sealed, remove it from the packaging and place in a shallow dish to thaw in the refrigerator overnight. It’s important to remove fish from vacuum sealed packaging before defrosting in the fridge to avoid bacterial growth. For a quick thaw, submerge the packaged fish in cold water until it’s completely defrosted. Do not use the microwave, it will cook the delicate fish and ruin the texture!
Store leftover fish in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to two days. I do not recommend freezing.
Serving suggestions
- Serve baked white fish with boiled, roasted or Crispy Smashed Potatoes, white, brown or wild rice.
- Sauteed broccolini, green beans, asparagus or a big green salad.
More easy seafood recipes you will love
Baked Walleye with Lemon Garlic Butter and Herbs
Ingredients
- 24 oz walleye fillets or other mild white fish
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 1 large garlic clove or two small
- 1 lemon zest and juice of half, rest sliced for serving
- ¼ cup chopped fresh parsley or soft herbs of choice
- salt and black pepper to taste
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees f.
- Pat fish fillets dry with paper towels and place in a shallow baking dish or baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
- Season fish fillets to taste with salt and pepper and lightly brush with olive oil.
- Bake for 9-11 minutes or until the fish is opaque and flakes easily with a fork. The internal temperature should read 145 degrees in the thickest part of the fillet.
- While the fish is cooking, melt butter over low heat in a small saucepan. When the butter starts to foam, remove pan from the heat. Grate in garlic and zest of half a lemon. Stir in juice from half a lemon and about half of the chopped fresh herbs.
- Thinly slice the other half of the lemon and arrange on a serving platter with more whole fresh herbs. Lay fish fillets on top and drizzle with lemon garlic butter sauce and sprinkle with remaining chopped fresh herbs.
Marc Mausolf
Was bomb, kids loved it. Used the rest of the butter sauce on sliced cooked zucchini.
Jessica
So glad you and your family loved it. Thank you!
MaryAnn
This baked walleye was so delicious!! Followed the recipe exactly! Loved the lemon garlic butter sauce!! Perfect!! 😋😋
Jen Sim
The walleye came out perfectly flaky and tender, and the sauce was delicious. I served it with some roasted potatoes and green beans, and it was a hit with my family.
Jazz
So fresh and flavorful! This fish was perfect for our light dinner this Monday and I already plan to make it again next week! Thank you!
Kaluhi Adagala
This was a really simple and wholesome recipe that allowed the ingredients to shine and come through! I especially enjoyed how the lemon made the fish notes come alive! I will be making this again!
Robin
I’d just purchased a bunch of Italian Parsley without an idea what to do when I encountered your recipe. This is my kind of dish – easy to prepare but so full of flavor! I’ll definitely be making it again soon.
Marta
I love that you’re motivating me to cook fish I haven’t worked with since culinary school. I forgot how amazing walleye is and how simple ingredients like lemon, garlic, butter, and herbs can make it even more delicious. Thank you for taking me back down culinary lane with this tasty recipe!