10+ White Fish Recipes to Try for Easy, Delicious Meals

White fish is pretty versatile and has a mild flavor, so it fits right into a bunch of meals. You can use cod, tilapia, halibut—whatever you’ve got on hand.

White fish recipes are usually easy to prepare, which makes them perfect for quick dinners or even when you want to make something a little special.

Cooking white fish lets you play with flavors without covering up that delicate taste. Whether you like baking, pan-searing, or grilling, there’s a way to enjoy this healthy protein that won’t take all night.

Trying out new white fish recipes is a nice way to keep your meals interesting and still keep things nutritious.

1) Baked Fish with Lemon Cream Sauce

You can whip up baked white fish with a creamy lemon sauce in just one dish. The sauce brings a fresh, zesty flavor that works well with flaky, tender fish.

It all cooks quickly, so it’s a lifesaver on busy nights. Start with something firm like cod or halibut.

The lemon cream sauce comes together with lemon juice, cream, and a few seasonings. Everything bakes together, so the fish stays juicy.

If you want more details, check out this baked fish with lemon cream sauce recipe.

Ingredients

• 4 white fish fillets (cod, halibut, or mahi mahi)
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon garlic, minced
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1 tablespoon olive oil or butter

Cooking Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C).
2. Place fish fillets in a baking dish and drizzle with olive oil.
3. Mix cream, lemon juice, garlic, salt, and pepper in a bowl.
4. Pour the sauce over the fish.
5. Bake for 15 minutes, until the fish flakes easily.
6. Serve warm with extra sauce on top.

2) Pan-Seared Cod with Garlic White Wine Sauce

Pan-searing cod gives you a flaky fish with a nice golden crust. Just cook it in a hot pan with some oil until it turns that perfect color.

The garlic white wine sauce brightens everything up. Cook the garlic gently, splash in the wine, and let it bubble away for a bit.

This dish comes together in about 30 minutes. It’s simple but feels like you put in a lot of effort.

Ingredients

• 4 cod fillets
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 cup white wine
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Fresh parsley for garnish (optional)

Cooking Instructions

1. Heat olive oil in a pan over medium-high.
2. Season cod with salt and pepper.
3. Cook cod 3-4 minutes per side, until golden and cooked through.
4. Set cod aside.
5. Sauté garlic in the pan for a minute.
6. Add white wine and simmer for 3 minutes to reduce.
7. Warm cod in the sauce.
8. Garnish with parsley if you’re feeling fancy.

3) Mediterranean Baked White Fish with Tomatoes and Olives

This Mediterranean-style baked white fish is fresh and simple. Combine flaky fish with tomatoes, briny olives, and a little red onion for extra punch.

Season with garlic and oregano to keep it bright. Everything bakes together, so it’s a breeze.

You’ll have dinner ready in about 25 minutes. It’s light but still feels satisfying.

Ingredients

• 1 lb white fish fillets (like cod or Barramundi)
• 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
• 1/2 cup black or green olives, sliced
• 1/4 cup red onion, thinly sliced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• Salt and pepper to taste

Cooking Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C).
2. Season fish with salt, pepper, garlic, and oregano in a baking dish.
3. Scatter tomatoes, olives, and onion around the fish. Drizzle with olive oil.
4. Bake for 20-25 minutes, until fish flakes easily.
5. Serve hot with bread or a salad.

Want more? Here’s a Mediterranean Baked White Fish recipe.

4) Fish Florentine with Creamy Spinach

Fish Florentine is one of those dishes that looks fancy but isn’t hard to pull off. Cook firm white fish until golden, then serve it over creamy spinach.

The spinach sauce is rich but not too heavy. It’s a nice way to sneak in some greens.

You can pan-fry the fish and make the spinach sauce on the side, so it’s pretty quick. The combo is surprisingly comforting.

Ingredients

• 4 firm white fish fillets (like cod or halibut)
• 2 cups fresh spinach
• 1/2 cup cream cheese
• 1/4 cup milk or cream
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 2 tbsp olive oil or butter
• Salt and pepper to taste

Cooking Instructions

1. Heat olive oil or butter in a pan over medium.
2. Season fish and cook 3-4 minutes per side, then set aside.
3. Sauté onion and garlic until soft.
4. Add spinach and cook until wilted.
5. Stir in cream cheese and milk until smooth.
6. Serve fish over the creamy spinach.

For a full version, check out Skinnytaste’s Fish Florentine.

5) Lemon Butter Baked White Fish

Lemon butter baked white fish is about as easy as it gets. Use cod, halibut, or mahi mahi—whatever’s in the fridge.

The butter and lemon bring out the best in the fish. Baking it in the sauce keeps it moist and flaky.

This recipe only takes 15 to 20 minutes. Fresh herbs like parsley make it even better.

Serve with veggies or rice for a quick, balanced meal. That sauce is rich but bright—hard to resist.

Ingredients

• 4 white fish fillets (about 6 ounces each)
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
• Juice of 1 lemon
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 teaspoon fresh parsley, chopped
• Salt and pepper to taste

Cooking Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C).
2. Melt butter in a saucepan over medium.
3. Add garlic, lemon juice, salt, pepper, and parsley.
4. Put fish fillets in a baking dish.
5. Pour sauce over fish.
6. Bake 15-20 minutes, until fish flakes easily.

For the full scoop, here’s a lemon butter baked white fish recipe.

6) Foil-Wrapped White Fish with Soy Sauce and Green Onions

Foil-wrapping white fish is a super simple way to keep it moist. Soy sauce and green onions add a savory kick.

Lay a fish fillet on foil, drizzle with soy sauce, and top with green onions. Wrap it up tight so none of the juices escape.

Bake at 450°F (230°C) for about 10-12 minutes. Open the foil carefully—hot steam!—and dig in.

Ingredients

• White fish fillets (tilapia or cod work well)
• Soy sauce
• Green onions, sliced
• Sesame oil (optional)
• Fresh dill or ginger (optional)

Cooking Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 450°F (230°C).
2. Place fish fillet on foil.
3. Drizzle with soy sauce and sesame oil if you want.
4. Sprinkle with green onions and any herbs or ginger.
5. Fold foil tight.
6. Bake 10-12 minutes until cooked through.
7. Open foil and serve.

7) Classic Fish Pie with White Fish

Classic fish pie is all about comfort. Usually, you use white fish like cod or haddock and mix it with a creamy sauce.

Sometimes a little smoked fish sneaks in for extra flavor. Top it with mashed potatoes and bake until golden and bubbling.

It’s a warm, hearty meal that doesn’t take much effort. Want a good recipe? Try this classic fish pie with white fish.

Ingredients

• 400g skinless white fish fillets (cod or pollock)
• 400g skinless smoked haddock fillets
• 500ml semi-skimmed milk
• 500g potatoes
• Butter
• Flour
• Hard-boiled eggs (optional)
• Salt and pepper

Cooking Instructions

1. Poach fish in milk over low heat.
2. Boil and mash potatoes with butter.
3. Make a white sauce with butter, flour, and the poaching milk.
4. Mix fish and chopped eggs into the sauce.
5. Pour into a baking dish and top with mashed potatoes.
6. Bake at 375°F (190°C) for 25-30 minutes until golden.

8) Coconut Fish Curry with White Fish

Coconut fish curry is a cozy, quick way to cook white fish. Creamy coconut milk and mild fish are a perfect match.

You’ll add lime, basil, and curry for a bright, warming flavor. It cooks up in about 30 minutes—no stress.

Cut up sustainable white fish into bite-sized pieces. The curry sauce uses coconut milk, garlic, ginger, and green chili for gentle heat.

Squeeze in some lime juice and toss in fresh basil at the end for a pop of freshness.

Ingredients

• 250g white fish, cut into bite-sized pieces
• 1 can coconut milk
• 1 lime, juiced
• 3 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1-inch piece ginger, grated
• 1 green chili, sliced
• 1 tablespoon curry powder
• Fresh basil leaves
• 1 tablespoon coconut oil
• Salt to taste

Cooking Instructions

1. Heat coconut oil in a pan over medium heat.
2. Toss in garlic, ginger, and chili. Let them cook for about 2 minutes.
3. Stir in curry powder and cook for another minute.
4. Pour in the coconut milk and let it come to a gentle simmer.
5. Add the fish pieces. Cook gently for 8-10 minutes until the fish flakes easily.
6. Squeeze in the lime juice and add salt to taste.
7. Take the pan off the heat and scatter fresh basil on top.
8. Serve hot with rice.

Want more details? Check out this coconut fish curry & rice recipe.

9) Roasted Cod with Burst Cherry Tomatoes

Roasted cod with burst cherry tomatoes is one of those dishes that feels way fancier than it is. The tomatoes burst open, making a light, juicy sauce that soaks right into the mild fish.

Start by roasting cherry tomatoes with garlic and a splash of olive oil. Let them get soft and jammy.

Then, lay the cod fillets right on top. The fish cooks gently, picking up all those bright tomato and herb flavors.

Ingredients:

• 4 cod fillets
• 1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• Salt and pepper
• Fresh basil or oregano (optional)

Cooking Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C).
2. Toss tomatoes with garlic, olive oil, salt, and pepper in a baking dish.
3. Roast tomatoes for 10 minutes.
4. Place cod fillets on top of the tomatoes. Season the fish with salt and pepper.
5. Roast everything for 12–15 minutes until the fish flakes easily.
6. Sprinkle with fresh herbs if you like.

10) Pan-Fried White Fish with Bread Crumb Coating

Pan-fried white fish with a bread crumb coating is such a classic. You get that golden, crunchy outside and the inside stays moist and flaky.

To make it, coat the fish in flour. Dip it in beaten egg, then cover it with bread crumbs or panko.

Panko gives extra crunch, if you’re into that.

Heat a bit of oil in a pan. Fry the fish on each side until it’s golden brown—usually just a few minutes per side.

Ingredients

• White fish fillets (like cod or tilapia)
• 1 cup flour
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 1 cup bread crumbs or panko
• Salt and pepper
• Oil for frying

Cooking Instructions

1. Sprinkle salt and pepper over the fish.

2. Set out three shallow bowls: one with flour, one with beaten eggs, and one with bread crumbs.

3. Coat the fish in flour first.

4. Next, dip it in the egg, then cover it with bread crumbs.

5. Heat some oil in a pan over medium-high—aim for about 350°F (175°C).

6. Fry the fish for 3 to 4 minutes on each side. Watch for a golden crust and make sure it’s cooked through.

7. Take the fish out and let it drain on paper towels.

8. Serve it warm.

If you want to dig deeper, check out this easy pan-fried fish recipe here.