Fish Fantastic & Fast
Baked fish en papillote with sun-dried tomatoes, garlic, thyme, and lemon juice. Parchment packets lock in steam for flaky, tender fillets with almost no cleanup.
YIELD
4 servingsPREP
10 minCOOK
20 minREADY
30 minFish en papillote sounds fancy, but it’s really just fish steamed inside a sealed parchment pouch. The packet traps moisture and flavor so the fillets cook gently in their own aromatic steam.
Sun-dried tomato bits rehydrate as the fish bakes, releasing concentrated sweetness that balances the bright squeeze of lemon juice. Thyme and garlic round things out without competing. Use any thick, firm-fleshed fish here: halibut, sea bass, and orange roughy all hold up well inside the packet.
The key to a good seal is rolling the edges tightly. Start at one end and make small overlapping folds all the way around. When the packet puffs up in the oven and turns golden brown, you know the steam is doing its job.
Pro Tips
- Pat fish fillets dry before assembling. Surface moisture dilutes the seasonings and slows browning on the parchment.
- Aluminum foil works if you don’t have parchment, but add a couple extra minutes of baking time since foil conducts heat differently.
- Don’t open the packet to check early. Every time you break the seal you lose the steam that’s cooking the fish.
- Let packets rest one minute after pulling from the oven. The carryover heat finishes the center without overcooking the edges.
Variations
- Mediterranean: Swap tomato bits for sliced olives and capers with a drizzle of olive oil.
- Asian-inspired: Replace thyme with fresh ginger and a splash of soy sauce and sesame oil.
- Summer garden: Add thin-sliced zucchini and cherry tomato halves for a one-packet meal.
Ingredients
Directions
Preheat oven to 400~.
Cut 4 12” circles from kitchen parchment; fold each circle in half.
** Unfold circles and place fish pieces next to folds.
Top fish with tomato bits, lemon juice, thyme, garlic, salt and pepper, dividing equally.
Refold paper over fish so that cut edges meet.
Fold and roll cut edges up all the way around to seal packes securely.
Place on baking sheet; bake 10 to 12 minutes until packets are browned and puffed.
Transfer to plates; cut open to serve.
*Any thick-fleshed fish such as halibut, sea bass and orange roughy.
**Aluminum foil may be used in place of kitchen parchment.
Cut 4 12” squares of foil; proceed as with parchment circles, but bake for 12 minutes.
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