20-Minute Baked Flounder recipe

This baked flounder recipe is the perfect weeknight meal. It’s easy, wholesome, and ready in just 20 minutes!

New to Fish? Start With a Baked Flounder Recipe.

Whether you’re new to eating fish or cooking it—or both—this baked flounder au gratin is the perfect starting point. Flounder is a very mild white fish with a flaky texture and a clean flavor; it’s not fishy at all! And the crispy topping adds a pop of extra flavor with thyme and parmesan, making it easy for newbies to enjoy. Easy to prep and cook, this flounder takes about 20 minutes to bring together and pairs with most veg and starch sides. So, if you’re looking to incorporate more fish into your diet, this is a fantastic starting point.

For more useful info, check out my Fish & Seafood Guide.

Ingredients to Add to Your Shopping List.

• Flounder fillets
• Olive oil
• Panko breadcrumbs
• Parmigiano Reggiano cheese
• Sea salt
• Cracked black pepper
• Fresh parsley
• Lemon wedges

How to Bake Flounder.

Baking fish can be nerve wracking because it overcooks so easily, and once fish is overcooked, it’s impossible to enjoy. Flounder fillets aren’t thick like salmon or sea bass, so you want to keep a close on eye on it if you’re new at cooking fish. Here’s how to make this baked flounder recipe:

1. Preheat the oven to 400° F.
2. Put the flounder onto a parchment-covered sheet pan or lightly oiled baking dish and gently blot them with a paper towel to absorb excess moisture.
3. Let the fillets come to room temperature—this should take about 15 minutes. This will help you get a more even cook.
4. Hit the fillets with a sprinkle of salt and pepper, then brush the tops of the fillets with olive oil.
5. Combine the panko breadcrumbs, grated cheese, a pinch of salt, and dried thyme in a small mixing bowl. Then add the rest of the olive oil to the crumb mixture, and mix it with a fork until the crumb mixture becomes buttery, crumbly, and golden.
6. Sprinkle the crumb mixture over the fillets and lightly press the crumbs down onto the fillets.
7. Bake the fish for 10-12 minutes. The fish should be opaque, flake easily with a fork, and have an internal temperature of 145° F.
8. Finish the fillets off with some freshly chopped parsley and serve with lemon wedges for spritzing.

Useful Tools for This Recipe:

• Sheet pan
• Parchment paper
• Sharp knife
• Cutting board
• Mixing bowl
• Measuring cups and spoons
• Cheese grater

Recipe tips + tricks.

1. For a little extra indulgence, use melted butter instead of olive oil.
2. This recipe works with any white fish fillets, though cooking time will vary. Thicker fillets will take a bit longer.
3. Italian breadcrumbs will work in place of panko.

Have You Made This Recipe?

If you enjoyed this recipe, please consider leaving a STAR rating & commenting below with feedback!

You can also show off your creations on Instagram by tagging @killing__thyme

Sides to Serve With This Baked Flounder Recipe:

• Herb and Garlic Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes
• Easy Dinner Side Salad with Lemon Juice
• Baked Crispy Smashed Potatoes with Garlic and Rosemary
• Beer Butter Mushrooms
• Best Oven-Roasted Broccoli with Nutritional Yeast

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4.97 from 27 votes

20-Minute Baked Flounder au Gratin

By: Dana Sandonato

This crispy and flavorful Baked Flounder Au Gratin is the perfect weeknight meal. It's easy, wholesome and ready in 20 minutes!

Prep Time: 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes minutes

Total Time: 20 minutes minutes

Servings: 4

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Ingredients 

1x2x3x

• ▢ 4 6 oz flounder fillets, No flounder? You could use any white fish for this recipe.
• ▢ 2 TBSP extra virgin olive oil, divided
• ▢ 1 cup panko breadcrumbs
• ▢ 2/3 cups freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese
• ▢ 1/2 tsp kosher salt
• ▢ A few grinds of cracked black pepper
• ▢ 1 tsp dried thyme, You could also use a dried Italian herb mix
• ▢ Chopped fresh parsley, for garnish
• ▢ Lemon wedges, for serving

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Instructions 

• Preheat the oven to 400° F.
• Place the flounder fillets on a parchment-covered sheet pan or lightly oiled baking dish. Lightly blot them with a paper towel to absorb excess moisture and let the fillets come to room temperature by leaving them out for about 15 minutes before placing them in the oven. (This will help you get a more even cook.) Season the fillets with a sprinkle of salt and pepper, then brush the tops of the fillets with 1 TBSP of the olive oil.
• In a small bowl, combine the panko breadcrumbs, grated cheese, a pinch of salt, and dried thyme. Add the rest of the olive oil to the crumb mixture and mix with a fork until the crumb mixture becomes buttery, crumbly, and golden in color.
• Sprinkle the crumb mixture over the fillets and lightly press the crumb mixture down into the fillets.
• Bake the fish for 10-12 minutes, or until the fish is opaque, flakes easily with a fork, and reaches an internal temperature of 145° F.
• Garnish with freshly chopped parsley and serve with lemon wedges for spritzing.

Nutrition

Calories: 439kcal | Carbohydrates: 3g | Protein: 32g | Fat: 9g

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