Imagine tender, flaky fish bathed in a luscious lemon cream sauce—a dish that's surprisingly simple to create but tastes utterly divine.
Get ready to elevate your next meal with this easy-to-follow recipe and discover which fish varieties pair perfectly with this gourmet delight.
Ingredients
Okay, let's gather all of our ingredients; trust me, you'll wanna have them all prepped and ready to go so we ain't stuck running around mid-recipe!
You'll need about four fish fillets—aim for 5 to 6 ounces each and roughly half an inch thick. Now, grab 4 tablespoons of unsalted butter, a quarter cup of heavy or thickened cream, and one or two minced garlic cloves. You can always adjust this to your flavor, you know? A parmesan cheese component would balance well with future added zest.
Don't forget a tablespoon of Dijon mustard, one and a half tablespoons of lemon juice, and some salt 'n' pepper to taste! Trust me, the mustard and lemon elevate the lemon cream sauce!
Lastly, chop up one and a half tablespoons of eschallots—or shallots if you're in the US—and get some fresh parsley and lemon slices for serving.
Instructions
First, I'm gonna preheat my oven to 390°F—we're aiming for those perfect baking temps, you know! I think it's wise to arrange the fish fillets in a baking dish; make sure they're not too snug—we want them to cook evenly! Don't you worry about the fish smelling, just sprinkle both sides with salt and pepper. You can also layer thinly sliced potatoes in the dish like a potato gratin before adding the fish for a heartier meal.
Now, for the sauce, I'm throwing the butter, cream, garlic, mustard, and lemon juice into a microwave-safe bowl and microwaving it in bursts of 30 seconds, stirring in between.
- Sprinkle the shallots over the fish.
- Then, pour that creamy sauce all over the fish.
- Bake for 10–12 minutes, until the fish is *just* cooked.
After baking, I transfer the fish to plates, spoon over the sauce, and garnish with parsley and lemon wedges, if I'm feeling fancy! And you are done!
Recipe Notes
When it comes to the fish for this recipe, I've got some thoughts—any fillets or cutlets about 1/2-4/5″ thick are gonna work great because they cook super quickly in the oven. Ling, Tilapia, or Snapper are all perfect!
Now, frozen fish? Thaw it *completely*, and pat it super dry with paper towels. Seriously, get all that extra water out, or your sauce might be too thin.
For healthier options, you can swap the cream for evaporated milk – it's still pretty good. If you opt for light cream, just bump up the Dijon mustard by 2 teaspoons, got it?
Don't skip the shallots–they are called French Onions in Australia! But hey, if you ain't got 'em, use the white part of green onions instead. It just adds something special to the sauce I am trying to create!
Short Recipe Version
Baked Fish With Lemon Cream Sauce Recipe
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 20 minutes
Servings: 4
Ingredients:
- 1.5 lbs white fish fillets
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 1/4 cup lemon juice
- 2 tbsp butter
- 1 tbsp chopped parsley
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 lemon, sliced
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions:
- Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C).
- Place fish fillets in a baking dish.
- In a saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Add garlic and cook until fragrant.
- Stir in heavy cream and lemon juice. Bring to a simmer, then reduce heat and cook for 5 minutes, or until slightly thickened.
- Season with salt and pepper.
- Pour sauce over fish fillets. Arrange lemon slices on top.
- Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until fish is cooked through.
- Garnish with parsley before serving.
Nutrition Information (per serving, approximate):
- Calories: 350
- Protein: 40g
- Fat: 20g
- Carbohydrates: 5g