This Baked Flounder recipe with lemon butter is one of the easiest and most foolproof ways to cook fish for dinner. This approachable 15-minute recipe uses simple ingredients and a classic lemon butter sauce, which is sure to win over the entire family.
Love baked fish? Also try my Lemon Butter Baked Grouper, Baked Blackened Mahi Mahi, Parmesan Panko Crusted Salmon, Lemon Pepper Tilapia & Blackened Baked Swordfish.
Baked Flounder recipe with Lemon Butter
This Baked Flounder recipe with lemon butter is one of the easiest and most approachable ways to cook fish for dinner. This 15-minute dinner is made with easy-to-find ingredients like lemon, butter, and garlic, keeping the flavors mild and easy to love, even for fish skeptics. Baking this fish keeps is super simple to prepare, with only a few minutes of hands-on prep time. The lemon butter sauce keeps the fish moist, making this recipe perfect for beginners. Clean up is also a breeze!
Flounder is an easy-to-find, affordable fish with a delicate, mild flavor. You can easily find it in the freezer section of the grocery store, and it's the kind of fish even those who don't love fish might like.
This Baked Flounder recipe has mild flavors that work well with so many side dishes! Serve it with Garlic Baked Green Beans and Roasted Baby Potatoes for an easy dinner anyone will love.
Lemon Butter Baked Flounder recipe from Running in a Skirt Share on X
Why You'll Love this Baked Flounder recipe...
- Baked Flounder with lemon butter is tender, flaky, buttery, and so delish.
- It's a fabulous, easy way to prepare fish that can be on your table in just 15 minutes with simple, unfussy ingredients.
- This flounder recipe is healthy, with just over 180 calories per serving and 22 grams of protein. Grouper is a fabulous high-protein, low-calorie food.
- It tastes so good! The mild taste of grouper is great for folks who don't love fish, and even for children, because it's not overly fishy.
- This is a great starter recipe if you are just getting into making fish at home.
Ingredients:
Here's an overview of what you'll need to make this Baked Flounder recipe, but keep scrolling for the full recipe amounts.
- Flounder Fillets: You'll need four 6-ounce flounder fillets for this recipe. Look for fresh or frozen flounder fillets. If the flounder fish is frozen, thaw it in the fridge overnight. You'll need 4-6 ounce portions, without the skin. To prepare the fish, pat it down with a paper towel. If you can't find flounder, snapper, or tilapia is a good substitute.
- Butter: A little butter goes a long way, creating a simple lemon-butter-garlic sauce that pairs perfectly with the fish and keeps it nice and moist during cooking. You will need to melt the butter before making this baked grouper recipe. Melted butter is a great addition to baked grouper. You can also use half butter and half extra virgin olive oil.
- Garlic Powder: Add more flavor to the dish with garlic powder
- Lemon: You'll need one lemon to make this. Fresh lemon brings out the fish's flavors. If you really love lemon, you can also use the lemon zest.
- Seasoning Salt OR Smoked Paprika: The fish benefits from a mild seasoning blend made for fish. A few of my favorites are this one and this Everglades Fish & Chicken, which is from South Florida (I LOVE this stuff and use it on everything.) You can also make this with smoked paprika, which adds warmth to the fish. You can also use blackened or Cajun flavors with my Homemade Blackening Seasoning or Homemade Cajun Seasoning. You can also use what you already have in the pantry. You can also use oregano or thyme.
- Kosher Salt & Black Pepper
- Garnish: fresh herbs like fresh parsley and lemon wedges
Instructions:
This is an overview of the full instructions for making this Baked Flounder; the full, detailed, printable recipe is below in the recipe card.
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Spray a baking dish or rimmed baking sheet with cooking spray.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the melted butter, lemon juice, garlic powder, fish seasoning, salt, and pepper.
- Pour the butter mixture evenly over the fillets, then use a spoon or brush to ensure they are well coated.
- Bake the fish for 8-12 minutes, or until the fish is opaque and flakes with a fork. Cooking time will vary depending on the thickness of the fish. See the post for details on how to know when the fish is done.
- Serve the lemon garlic flounder immediately, garnished with parsley.
When is the Fish Done?
The fish is done when it turns white and easily flakes with a fork. Cooking time can vary due to the oven and the thickness of the fish. The FDA recommends cooking fish to an internal temperature of 145 degrees Fahrenheit using a meat thermometer. I pull mine out a bit before then, when it is 135-140, so it doesn't get tough, but do that with caution.
Baked Flounder Variations
I love this Baked Flounder recipe as written, but here are some fun variations.
- Add Some Cheese: Sprinkle on a bit of Parmesan cheese for even more flavor.
- Mix Up the Spices: You can change out the herb blend for flavors like my Italian Seasoning Blend, Herbs de Provence, or even Mexican Spice Mix.
- Make it Blackened: Make it even more flavorful by blackening or Cajun-ing it with my Homemade Blackening Seasoning or Homemade Cajun Seasoning.
FAQ
Storage & Leftovers
Fish is best enjoyed fresh, but you can store leftover flounder in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheating in the air fryer is recommended for the best results.
Freezing
I don't recommend refreezing the fish after cooking it. It will thaw out soggy if you put it in the freezer.
What temperature should I bake flounder at?
I bake mine at 400 degrees for fast, even cooking. It takes about 10 minutes to bake at that temperature, depending on the thickness of the fish. I cook salmon at a lower temperature because the fish is more delicate.
Is flounder good in the oven?
Yes! Flounder is an easy fish to bake in the oven. Preparing it with a lemon butter sauce is a foolproof way to bake the fish, while still keeping it moist.
Baked Flounder Recipe
This Baked Flounder recipe is so simple, healthy, and delicious. This fuss-free, easy dinner idea is exactly what we busy moms need. Baked fish is perfect for busy families because it's mostly hands-off and easy to clean up. I hope you love it as much as we do. This is one of our favorite fish recipes.
You can easily turn this into a fresh salad, pasta dish, fish bowl, fish tacos, or wrap, or serve it with a few sides on a traditional dinner plate. My favorite ways to eat it are with veggies, like roasted broccoli, and with starches, like roasted potatoes. Here are a few other ideas to round out your meal.
Serving Suggestions:
- Air Fryer Roasted Vegetables
- Roasted Garlic Parmesan Asparagus
- Roasted Garlic Green Beans
- Healthy Broccoli Slaw
- Cheesy Grilled Potatoes in Foil
- Oven Roasted Mushrooms and Broccoli
- Parmesan Ranch Cauliflower
- Roasted Potatoes and Broccoli
- Kale Caesar Salad
- Healthy Cole Slaw
- Lemon Garlic Kale
More Easy Baked Fish Dinners to Try:
- Lemon Butter Grouper
- Baked Blackened Cod
- Blackened Swordfish
- Blackened Mahi Mahi
- Blackened Salmon
- Lemon Pepper Tilapia
- Panko Parmesan Crusted Halibut
- Tilapia Veracruz
- Seared Ahi Tuna Tacos
- Healthy Mahi Mahi Fish Tacos
- Teriyaki Salmon Bowls
- Pesto Salmon
- Foil Packet Fish
- Salmon with Greek Yogurt Dill Sauce
- Everything But the Bagel Salmon
If you make this Baked Flounder, I’d love to hear what you think! Leave a comment and a star rating ★ below. Make sure to follow me on Instagram, Pinterest, and Facebook, too!
Lemon Butter Baked Flounder
Ingredients
- 4 flounder fillets, pat dry with paper towels
- 2 tablespoons melted butter, cooled
- 1 lemon, juiced
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon fish seasoning or smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- garnish: parsley
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Spray a baking dish with cooking spray.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the melted butter, lemon juice, garlic powder, fish seasoning, salt, and pepper.
- Pour the mixture evening over the top of the fillets, use a spoon or brush to make sure they are coated well.
- Bake the fish for 8-12 minutes, or until the fish is oquaque and flakes with a fork The fish cooking time will vary due to the thickness of the fish. See the post for details on how to know when the fish is done.
- Serve immedialy, garnished with parsley.
Notes
Nutrition
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