Baked Steelhead Trout

This juicy baked steelhead trout is a delightfully easy main course, especially when baked in a foil packet with tasty garlic butter sauce. This simple fish dinner is cooked to perfection in rich, tasty sauce and topped with sliced lemons to make the trout taste amazing!

Jump to:

• ❤️ Why I Love This Recipe
• 🥘 Ingredients
• 🧂 Substitutions & Additions
• 🔪 How To Bake Steelhead Trout
• 💭 Angela's Pro Tips & Notes
• 🥡 Storing & Reheating
• 🐟 More Amazing Fish Recipes
• 📖 Recipe Card
• 💬 Reviews

This baked steelhead trout with lemon garlic butter sauce is one of the easiest recipes you could ever make. The steelhead trout is covered in fresh lemon juice, luscious butter, and tons of fresh minced garlic then wrapped up in a foil packet and baked to perfection. What’s not to love?

Steelhead trout looks similar to salmon in that it’s a pink, firm-fleshed fish but it’s leaner, with a more pronounced flavor. If you have access to fresh steelhead trout, I highly recommend using that!

Cooking the trout in the foil packet not only steams the fish perfectly, but also makes clean-up a breeze. All you have to do is throw out the foil. That makes this recipe a perfect easy weeknight meal – and it tastes like you’ve spent hours on it.

❤️ Why I Love This Recipe

• A Healthy Dinner. Baked fish is my go-to for light, healthy dinners that can be made without much effort.
• Amazing Sauce. The combination of lemon, butter, and garlic with the steelhead trout is out of this world delicious!
• Quick Main Course. The trout only takes 5 minutes to prep and about 16 minutes to cook. Let it rest for 5 minutes and you have a fantastic main course in no time.

🥘 Ingredients

Steelhead trout is a great fish that’s a favorite to catch amongst anglers. You can also sometimes find steelhead trout in grocery stores that carry specialty fish or fish markets.

• 1 tablespoon Olive Oil – This will coat the aluminum foil to prevent the trout from sticking to the baking sheet. You can also use any oil you have on hand.
• 1 ½ pounds Steelhead Trout – Wash, rinse, and descale the trout before baking it! You’ll also want to go through and pick out any fine bones that you may see.
• 2 large Lemons – For this recipe, juice one of the lemons and then thinly slice the second lemon to lay on top of the steelhead trout.
• ½ teaspoon Salt & Pepper – Or season the trout according to your taste preferences! I prefer freshly ground black pepper for this recipe.
• 2 teaspoons minced Garlic – 2 teaspoons of minced garlic is equal to about 2 garlic cloves, depending on size.
• 3 tablespoons Butter – Slice the butter into ½ tablespoon pats to put over the top of the trout. Use a good high-fat butter here, like Kerrygold brand.

🧂 Substitutions & Additions

I absolutely love this steelhead trout as is, but it can be seasoned in so many ways! Here are few variations:

• Fresh Herbs – Herbs like parsley, dill, thyme, and oregano would all go wonderfully with the trout! You can mince the herbs and sprinkle over the top of the trout or put whole sprigs overtop the lemon slices and remove before serving.

• Cajun – For a Louisiana kick, sprinkle on 1 teaspoon of a good Cajun seasoning like Tony Chachere’s or Slap Ya Mama! instead of salt & pepper.

• Old Bay – Old Bay is another seasoning that will pair wonderfully with the steelhead trout! Substitute for the salt & pepper for that classic East Coast flavor!

• Honey Sriracha – Melt the butter and mix with the minced garlic and 1 tablespoon each (or more, according to taste) of honey and sriracha sauce. Season the trout with the salt & pepper, then pour over the sauce, seal the foil, and bake!

🔪 How To Bake Steelhead Trout

We’ll be baking the trout in an aluminum foil packet, which helps to steam the fish to perfection and keep it moist. I prefer to use aluminum foil, but you can also use parchment paper to make the packet.

1. Prepare. Start the recipe by preheating your oven to 400°F (205°C). Then, arrange two long sheets of aluminum foil on a large, rimmed baking sheet and use 1 tablespoon of olive oil to coat the aluminum foil, where the trout will sit. You want enough foil to be able to fully wrap and seal the trout.
2. Season trout fillets. Once you have the foil prepared, place your 1 ½ pounds of steelhead trout fillets on the oiled portion of the foil. Then, squeeze one lemon overtop, using your hand or a mesh strainer to catch the seeds. After juicing the lemon, season the trout with ½ teaspoon each of salt and pepper (or to taste). Next, spread 2 teaspoons of minced garlic over the tops of the fillets and place 1 sliced lemon and 3 tablespoons of sliced butter pats on top of the garlic.

Bake Until Flaky & Serve

1. Bake trout fillets. Next, seal the fillets securely in the foil, making a packet. Once you’ve created a foil packet, bake in the middle of your oven’s center rack for 14 to 16 minutes, then use a fork or thermometer to check for doneness (See Note).
2. Rest and serve. Once the trout is cooked to your liking, allow the fillets to rest for about 5 minutes before serving.

This trout makes for a perfect light dinner or hearty lunch. Pair with roasted or mashed potatoes and a green veggie like creamed kale or sautéed broccolini.

You can also serve the trout over greens with your favorite toppings for an amazing light meal. Enjoy!

💭 Angela's Pro Tips & Notes

• Cooking times vary based on thickness of the steelhead trout fillet. Depending on the size and thickness of your trout, you may need to cook the trout less or more to reach your desired level of doneness.
• Can’t find steelhead trout? Hearty fish like salmon, bass, or even halibut will work fantastically in this recipe! Salmon is especially well-suited for the lemon garlic butter sauce.
• Wild caught fish like this steelhead trout will cook more quickly! Wild caught trout has less fat content than farmed fish, so they’ll be done much faster than a farmed fish fillet. Make sure to watch the fish closely if it’s your first time cooking wild caught steelhead trout.
• Cook the trout according to your preference using a thermometer! I prefer my steelhead trout baked to a rarer temperature, at about 120°F-125°F (49°C- 52°C). For a medium trout fillet, cook to about 130°F (55°C). If you prefer a well-done steelhead trout fillet, cook to about 145°F (63°C).
• Caught this steelhead trout yourself? If you caught the trout fresh and want to cook it rarer, I recommend freezing the trout for about 24 hours before baking it. This will kill any parasites that may be living in the trout, and it’ll still taste fresh!

🥡 Storing & Reheating

Leftovers will keep in your fridge for about 3 days when properly stored in an airtight container or storage bag.

You can freeze the steelhead trout for up to 1 month for extended storage. Wrap the fish in a sheet of plastic wrap and then transfer to a freezer-safe, airtight container or heavy-duty freezer storage bag.

Reheating

I like to reheat trout in the oven, so it doesn’t get rubbery! Preheat your oven to 275°F (135°C) and then transfer the leftover trout to a baking dish covered with foil.

Bake for 10 to 15 minutes, or until the trout has is heated to your satisfaction.

🐟 More Amazing Fish Recipes

• Pan Seared Swordfish
• Lemon Butter Baked Cod Fish
• Salmon with Dill Sauce
• Blackened Cod
• Baked Flounder
• Grilled Haddock

📖 Recipe Card