From start to finish, garlic butter steelhead trout (or salmon), cooked in foil is the easiest trout recipe in the world. I’ve most likely claimed this before on this blog, but I swear this is really the one. Baking fish in foil with garlic, butter, and lemon is an easy, winning combo that yields a juicy buttery flavor. While the prep work takes minutes, the cleanup only takes seconds.
Steelhead trout is very similar to salmon in appearance, however, steelhead trout tends to be a little stronger in flavor. Not to be confused with rainbow trout, which tends to be lighter and color and milder in flavor in my experience.
The cook-in-foil method is incredibly easy because there is minimal cleanup. I’m talking done-in-25-minutes easy. Drizzle/spread trout or fish of your choice with lemon, softened butter, fresh minced garlic, and fresh herbs, and season with salt and pepper. Seal in an aluminum foil packet and bake for 15-17 minutes.
Ingredients
- Steelhead trout filet, skin removed optional: once the fish is done cooking, the skin will easily separate from the meat. You can also remove the skin prior to cooking if you prefer. You can also make this with salmon.
- 2 tablespoons butter
- Lemon: I like to reserve lemon for just before serving as well. It’s hard to beat a fresh squeeze of lemon on finished fish.
- Garlic: fresh garlic is a must. Do not attempt to substitute with anything pre-minced or garlic powder.
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities below.
How to Cook Fish in Foil
Step 1.
Preheat oven to 375°F.
Step 2.
Roll out a sheet of aluminum foil that is roughly 8 inches longer than the filet. If your filet is larger/wider, you can crimp together two pieces of foil so you have more foil to work with. Spray with cooking oil.
Step 3.
Place the trout filet in the center of the foil. Fold up all 4 sides of the foil. Season trout liberally with salt and pepper and then squeeze juice from half a lemon over the fish.
Step 4.
Soften butter in a microwave-safe bowl. Stir in fresh minced garlic and parsley. Spread over the trout until evenly coated with a thin layer. You can alternatively melt the butter and pour it over the fish. Top with a sliced lemon wheel.
Step 5.
Fold the long sides of the foil over the trout, covering completely, and seal it tightly. Fold the ends over and seal into a closed packet. Place directly on oven rack or on a baking sheet and bake until cooked fully through, about 15-20 minutes.
Step 6.
Optional step: Open the foil exposing the top of the trout and broil for the last 1-2 minutes, for a browned top.
Tips & Tricks
- There are a few methods when it comes to covering the fish in garlic butter. If you soften the butter into a soft paste, you can evenly spread it on top of the filet. It’s a great way to ensure the fish is entirely covered. Melting the butter entirely works, too.
- This foil method will work for just about any fish and any topping. I’ve done it with cod, haddock, salmon, and of course trout. If your fish is on the larger side, you can crimp together two pieces of foil so you have a larger surface area.
Frequently Asked Questions
Steelhead trout is very similar to salmon in appearance and flavor, yet slightly more mild in terms of taste. Salmon makes a great substitute for steelhead trout.
Rainbow trout is different in flavor, appearance, and texture. I would substitute salmon for rainbow trout if you’re trying to create a similar flavor profile to steelhead trout.
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Garlic Butter Steelhead Trout in Foil Recipe
- Prep Time: 10 mins
- Cook Time: 20 mins
- Total Time: 30 mins
- Yield: 2 1x
- Category: Dinner
- Cuisine: American
Description
Simple steelhead trout recipe baked in foil with garlic, lemon, butter, and fresh herbs.
Ingredients
- 1 pound steelhead trout filet, skin removed optional
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1/2 a lemon, juice squeezed
- 1–2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 teaspoons parsley, minced
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°F.
- Roll out a sheet of aluminum foil that is roughly 8 inches longer than the filet. If your filet is larger/wider, you can crimp together two pieces of foil so you have more foil to work with. Spray with cooking oil.
- Place the trout filet in the center of the foil. Fold up all 4 sides of the foil. Season trout liberally with salt and pepper and then squeeze juice from half a lemon over the fish.
- Soften butter in a microwave-safe bowl. Stir in fresh minced garlic and parsley. Spread over the trout until evenly coated with a thin layer. You can alternatively melt the butter and pour it over the fish. Top with a sliced lemon wheel.
- Fold the long sides of the foil over the trout, covering completely, and seal it tightly. Fold the ends over and seal into a closed packet. Place directly on oven rack or on a baking sheet and bake until cooked fully through, about 15-20 minutes.
- Optional step: Open the foil exposing the top of the trout and broil for the last 1-2 minutes, for a browned top.
Notes
This recipe can be made with steelhead trout or salmon. Both are delicious.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1
- Calories: 357
- Sugar: 0.4g
- Sodium: 79mg
- Fat: 17.2g
- Saturated Fat: 3.7g
- Carbohydrates: 1.9g
- Fiber: 0.5g
- Protein: 45.7g
- Cholesterol: 15mg
Keywords: trout recipes, fish in foil, steelhead trout recipes
This was my first time coming steelhead trout, and it turned out delicious! I used a 2-lb fillet of trout, skin-on, and used 2x the recipe. I didn’t have fresh lemon, garlic, or parsley, so I used lemon juice, jarred minced garlic, and dried parsley and seasoned liberally with salt and pepper. The fruit was tender and flaky after about 20 minutes, and was perfect with the garlic butter on top. My family loved it, and they are not garlic lovers! As a bonus, this was the first time I’ve been able to cook fish without the house smelling fishy, which was fantastic!
★★★★★
This was our first time eating steelhead trout. This recipe made us a fan. I added some dill with the butter and garlic. This will def be my go to recipe. Thank you for sharing.
★★★★★
Fantastic recipe! I did not have parsley so I used some dried sage, and it worked really well. I also did not have any foil, so I ended up using some parchment paper – still worked! Overall, really moist and delicious steelhead.
★★★★★
So delicious!! I had a large 2 serving piece of trout and cooked it for 25 mins and its absolutely perfect.
★★★★★
I grew up in Idaho catching Brook and Rainbow trout. Friends and family went steelhead fishing further into the mountains. The State of Idaho is a large producer of farm raised trout in natural waters flowing from the aquifer to the Snake River.
This recipe allows me to taste those memories again. Thank you for it.
★★★★★
can you put it on a smoker/grill
This was absolutely a great recipe!!
★★★★★
This was excellent. It took minutes to make. I thinly sliced vidalia onions and topped the trout with them and the lemon garlic parsley butter sauce. I broiled it at the end for a few minutes. Will defintely make this again.
I will never bake steel head again – the method in this recipe makes a piece of fish that is really excellent. I’m going to try it with salmon…and other kinds of fish.
★★★★★
I have 2 fillets. Can I put them in the same packet or do they need to be seperate?
I may split them up for even cooking and best results.