This Baked Grouper recipe with lemon garlic butter is the perfect easy fish recipe that's filled with flavor and is good for you. This fuss-free family dinner is made with just 4 ingredients, and in less than 20 minutes. You will love this restaurant-quality meal at home.
Love baked fish? Also try my Baked Blackened Mahi Mahi, Parmesan Panko Crusted Salmon, Lemon Pepper Tilapia & Blackened Baked Swordfish.
Baked Grouper recipe
This Baked Grouper recipe is simple, easy, and healthy. The addition of a lemon butter garlic sauce adds lots of flavor and moisture to the fish, without a lot of fuss. It bakes effortlessly in the oven while you prepare your side dishes and before you know it, you have a fabulous, healthy family dinner on the table. Baking fish like grouper is a great way to cook it without making much of a mess, or messing it up. If you are looking for easy seafood recipes, this is a great one.
As a former Florida resident, I have a soft spot for grouper, which is often found on the menu in Florida, especially along the Gulf Coast where I now vacation. It's a thick, dense white fish that has a very mild flavor and firm texture. It's lean, rich in protein, and low in calories. If you can find it, it's a wonderful fish to enjoy! It's made in so many different ways in Florida, but this recipe keeps it simple letting the fish shine through with just the lemon butter garlic sauce.
If you want to eat more fish, this mouthwatering and unique recipe is a great way to go!
Lemon Butter Garlic Baked Grouper recipe - healthy & tasty! Share on XWhy You'll Love this Baked Grouper recipe...
- This Baked Grouper recipe with lemon garlic butter is tasty and fresh!
- It's a fabulous EASY way to prepare fish that can be on your table in just 20 minutes with just four ingredients.
- The recipe is for grouper, but you can substitute any other firm white fish like mahi mahi, sea bass, cod, halibut, or snapper.
- This grouper recipe is healthy - coming in at just over 200 calories per serving with a whopping 33 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 children because it's not extra 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 Grouper recipe, but keep scrolling for the full recipe amounts.
- Grouper Fillets: You'll need four about 6-ounce grouper fillets for this recipe. Look at your fish counter for fresh grouper. It should be firm and not smell fish. If they don't have it, sometimes you can find frozen grouper in the frozen fish section. I've found it kept at Publix. You can also half the recipe to make two servings as shown below. Grouper isn't as readily available as some other fish, so if you can't find it you can also make this with other firm white fishes like cod, halibut, red snapper, haddock, sea bass, or even a thicker peice of sea bass. To prepare the fish, pat it down with a paper towel.
- Butter: A little butter goes a long way to create a simple lemon butter garlic sauce that pairs perfectly with the fish and keeps it nice and moist when cooking it. You will need to melt the butter to prepare it for making this baked grouper recipe. The melt butter is a great addition to the baked grouper.
- Minced Garlic: Use minced garlic to add more flavor to the dish.
- Lemon: You'll need one lemon to make this. To prep the lemon, cut it in half. Cut half of the lemon into wedges to use as garnish when serving and use the other half of the lemon for lemon juice for the lemon garlic butter sauce.
- Seasoning Salt: 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 blackened or cajun with my Homemade Blackening Seasoning or Homemade Cajun Seasoning. You can also use what you already have in the pantry.
- Salt & Pepper
- Garnish: fresh herbs like fresh parsley
Instructions:
This is an overview of the instructions to make this Baked Grouper recipe, but the full detailed printable recipe is below in the recipe card.
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Spray a baking dish with cooking spray.
- Cut the lemon in half. Cut half of the lemon into wedges to serve with the fish and use the other half for juice for the recipe.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the butter, minced garlic, and the juice from half of the lemon.
- Place the fish in the baking dish and brush with the lemon garlic butter mixture.
- Sprinkle the fish with seasoning salt plus salt and pepper.
- Bake the fish for 10-16 minutes until the fish is opaque and easily flakes with a fork. The FDA recommends cooking your fish to an internal temperature of 145 degrees measured by a meat thermometer, although I think it tastes best slightly undercooked but that does come with a slight food safety risk.
- Serve with the extra lemon wedges and fresh parsley.
Variations
I love this Baked Grouper recipe as written, but here are some fun variations.
- Add Some Cheese: Add a sprinkle of parmesan cheese on top for even more flavor.
- Mix Up the Flavors: 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 this even more flavorful by making it blackened or cajun with my Homemade Blackening Seasoning or Homemade Cajun Seasoning.
FAQ
Storage & Leftovers
While fish is enjoyed best fresh, you can store leftovers in an airtight container for up to three days. Reheat carefully in the oven or microwave only enough to warm it or you risk making it tough and overcooked.
Freezing
I would not recommend freezing the cooked grouper. I would thaw out hard and chewy.
How healthy is grouper?
Grouper is a healthy, low-fat, low-calorie, and high-protein fish. It is filled with nutrients like omega-3 fatty acids, vitamin D, vitamin B6, and potassium. Grouper is a higher mercury fish though, so it is recommended not to eat it more than once a week.
What does grouper taste like?
Grouper has a mild, subtle, slightly sweet flavor and doesn't taste too fishy. It's similar to bass or halibut and comes apart in large chunky flakes almost like a crab. It's best made with simple preparations like this baked grouper but is also deliciously grilled or broiled.
Baked Grouper recipe is Simple & Delicious
This Baked Grouper recipe is so good! I'm a firm believer that cooking fish at home doesn't have to be hard, and this is the perfect simple yet super tasty recipe to try. I'm also all about any recipe that has more hands-off time, like baked fish recipes, because I'm often wrangling two kids while making dinner.
Whether you are vacationing along the coast and see fresh grouper in the store, or happen to find fresh or frozen grouper at home, this is the perfect easy way to prepare it. I hope you enjoy it as much as I do. Here are some simple and tasty side dishes to round out your meal.
Serving Suggestions:
- Roasted Potatoes and Broccoli
- Grilled Asparagus in Foil
- Grilled Zucchini in Foil
- Cheesy Ranch Potatoes
- Lemon Garlic Kale
- Roasted Baby Red Potatoes
- Creamy Gnocchi Pesto
- Lemon Pesto Pasta
- Parmesan Ranch Cauliflower
- Roasted Lemon Garlic Broccoli
- Oven Baked Parmesan Garlic Potato Wedges
- Roasted Garlic Parmesan Asparagus
- Roasted Garlic Green Beans
Lemon Butter Garlic Baked Grouper recipe - healthy & tasty! Share on X
More Healthy Baked Fish Recipes to Try:
- Blackened Mahi Mahi
- Blackened Swordfish
- Pistachio Crusted Salmon
- Blackened Salmon
- Parmesan Panko Salmon
- Garlic Parmesan Crusted Halibut
- Lemon Pepper Parmesan Tilapia
- Teriyaki Salmon Bowls
- Easy Pesto Salmon
- Foil Packet Fish
- Salmon with Greek Yogurt Dill Sauce
- Everything But the Bagel Salmon
If you make this Baked Grouper recipe, 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!
Baked Grouper with Garlic Lemon Butter
Ingredients
- 4 grouper fillets, about 6 ounces each
- 2 tablespoons butter, melted
- 2 teaspoons minced garlic
- 1 lemon
- 1 teaspoon seasoning salt
- salt & pepper
- garnish: fresh parsley
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Spray a baking dish with cooking spray.
- Cut the lemon in half. Cut half of the lemon into wedges to serve with the fish and use the other half for juice for the recipe.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the butter, minced garlic and the juice from half of the lemon.
- Place the fish in the baking dish and brush with the lemon garlic butter.
- Sprinkle the fish with seasoning salt plus salt and pepper.
- Bake the fish for 10-16 minutes until the fish is opaque and easily flakes with a fork.
- Serve with the extra lemon wedges and fresh parsley.
Notes
Nutrition
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Ramona says
This dish looks so delicious. I've never had grouper before. What does it taste like and what is its texture like?
Jacqueline Debono says
Simple recipes like this are absolutely the best way to enjoy fresh fish. We love grouper and this is a lovely recipe for it! Will make again and again!
Cathleen says
This looks amazing!! I have been looking for a recipe just like this, so I am so glad that you shared it! I'm making it tomorrow, thanks so much for the recipe 🙂
Kathryn says
The lemon butter sauce alone is fabulous. This is such a great way to cook grouper and the creaminess really hit the spot!
Mikayla says
So easy to make and it tasted great! I love a recipe for fish that is minimal and I can put together quickly!
Colleen says
We love this simple and delicious recipe. It turned out perfectly. Thank you!
DK says
Yes! I was looking for a good fish recipe and this baked grouper was excellent! So flakey and delicious!
Katie Crenshaw says
My grouper turned out delicious. It was the perfect amount of lemon and butter to add for flavoring.
Juyali says
Simple yet delicious. Served it with rice and a green salad. Just a perfect meal. Thanks!
Megane says
Absolutely delish! This will be a regular for sure. Thanks for another amazing meal.