Oven-baked trout is a simple, light, and refreshing dinner recipe to try at home. Learn how to prepare, season, and cook trout in the oven.
How do you cook trout? First, place the fish on an aluminum foil-lined baking sheet, season it, wrap it in its foil, place it in the oven for 20 minutes at 400°F. When it’s cooked, carefully open the wrapped trout, plate the fish, and enjoy!
Simple roasted trout requires a few simple ingredients and less than 20 minutes to cook. This article covers everything you need to know to make easy trout for dinner tonight.
How to choose the best trout at the store
With a few simple tricks, you can choose the freshest best-tasting fish at the store without fear. Here’s what to keep in mind when buying trout for this simple recipe.
First, talk with the man selling the fish. Ask when the fish came in and from where. This will give you an immediate sense of the freshness of the catch. Whenever possible, buy fish that landed in the store that day.
The second thing to pay attention to is how the fish looks. Note the skin. It’s best to choose trout with the skin still on it because the skin is a great indication of the freshness and state of the fish.
Opt for a fillet with shiny, moist-looking skin. In addition, take a look at the fish’s eyes if they’re intact still. The eyes should be clear and bright, not cloudy or dull looking.
The flesh should also be firm and tight, without any gaps or dry-looking patches in the flakes.
And finally, ask for a sniff. The smell is an instant tell-tale sign of freshness. The fish should not smell fishy. It should smell like almost nothing, with a hint of ocean.
How much trout per person?
With most fish and meat, the good rule of thumb is to buy about a half-pound of protein per person. So to feed two people, one pound of fish should be sufficient if you’re including a side dish or two.
To feed four adults, go for two pounds. This recipe for oven-baked trout is written to feed two. However, it can easily be scaled up or down to suit your needs. A smaller piece of trout will cook more quickly, while a larger fillet will need extra time in the oven. When in doubt, check your fish often to avoid overcooking.
How to make oven-roasted trout
Once you’ve brought home your carefully-inspected, fresh, and healthy portion of trout, it’s time to start cooking. HEre’s what you need to know to make perfect trout in the oven for dinner tonight.
Ingredients
Because trout has such a delicate and delicious flavor and meaty texture, you don’t need many extra ingredients to turn it into a wonderful dish.
Here are the simple ingredients you need to make oven-roasted trout for two at home:
- 1 pound trout fillet
- 2 sprigs fresh parsley
- 1 lemon
- Olive oil
- Salt to taste
- Pepper to taste
Prepping the trout
Step 1: Check the trout for scales
Before you place the trout on a baking sheet, check and double-check that the fillet has no scales. Usually, your fishmonger has done this for you. However, it’s easy to overlook a small fish scale hiding in the fresh. And there’s nothing less pleasant than taking a big bite of homemade oven-baked trout only to bite into a hard, nasty scale.
If you do come across a scale in the fillet, use a set of tweezers if you’re having trouble removing the scale with your hands.
Step 2: Place the trout on a baking sheet
Line a large rimmed baking sheet with a large piece of aluminum foil. The foil piece should be slightly larger than the trout.
Next, place the trout on the aluminum foil. The skin side should face the foil. Cooking trout in an aluminum foil packet helps trap in moisture to keep the fish flesh juicy and tasty, rather than dried out.
Step 3: Season the trout
Drizzle olive oil on both sides of the trout. Then sprinkle with salt and pepper. Slice the lemon into thin rounds and cover the fish with lemon slices, then the fresh sprigs of parsley. These will infuse the fish with flavor as it cooks in the oven.
Step 4: Wrap things up
Next, use the excess aluminum foil to wrap the trout and keep everything in place. Crimp the edges of the foil over each other to seal the packet closed. The idea is to keep all of the lemon juice and steam inside this packet as it cooks.
Cooking the trout
Step 1: Preheat the oven
Preheat the oven to 400°F (or 205°C).
Step 2: Cook the trout
When the oven reaches the temperature, place the baking sheet inside. Cook the trout for 10 to 20 minutes, depending on the size of your fillet.
After 10 minutes, take the baking sheet out and check the fish. Use a fork to gently prod the flesh in the thickest part of the fillet. It should be tender and flake easily when it is done cooking.
If your trout is fully cooked, it’s ready to serve. Otherwise, return the baking sheet to the oven and check in another 5 to 10 minutes.
Step 3: Plate the trout
Once the trout is done cooking, remove the baking sheet from the oven and place it on the table. Carefully open the aluminum package – watch out because hot steam will come out of it!
Plate the trout and baste it with the leftover juices. Enjoy!
What temperature should I cook trout to?
According to FoodSaftey.Gov, fish like trout is considered safe to eat when it registers 145°F on an internal thermometer.
What does trout taste like?
As far as seafood goes, trout is a fairly mild choice. This makes it a great option for anyone new to eating or cooking fish. It doesn’t have an overly fishy flavor or aroma. It also has a meaty texture that many compare to chicken. For these reasons, oven-baked trout is a great option if you want to get into seafood but don’t feel like going all in at once.
Do you remove trout skin before cooking?
You can cook trout either with or without the skin. Ultimately, it i’s all a matter of personal preference.
However, the trout’s skin is both edible and delicious. It adds an extra flavor and textural component to your plate without any extra seasoning!
However, some people don’t enjoy eating the skin of trout or other seafood. If that’s the case, you can have the skin removed by your fishmonger or carefully separate the skin from the fish at home. You can also cook the fish with the skin on then remove it after roasting. The skin will easily separate from the flesh when it’s cooked.
What to serve with oven-baked trout
Round out a meal of oven-baked trout with some light side dishes. For a filling and hearty grain option, serve your fish with couscous, rice, or quinoa. For vegetables, add roasted squash, cauliflower, or broccoli. Ultimately, you can pair this simple seafood recipe with any of your favorite side dishes.
You can also serve up trout sandwiches or wraps. This healthy and light recipe also works well as a salad topper for some extra protein.
Oven-Baked Trout
Equipment
- Aluminum foil or parchment paper
- Baking sheet
- Fish spatula
Ingredients
- 1 pound trout fillet
- 2 sprigs fresh parsley
- 1 lemon
- Olive oil
- Salt to taste
- Pepper to taste
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F (or 205°C).
- Check the trout fillet for scales and remove any.
- Line a large rimmed baking sheet with a large piece of aluminum foil. The foil piece should be slightly larger than the trout.
- Place the trout on the aluminum foil. The skin side should face the foil.
- Drizzle olive oil on both sides of the trout. Then sprinkle with salt and pepper. Slice the lemon into thin rounds and cover the fish with lemon slices, then the fresh sprigs of parsley.
- Use the excess aluminum foil to wrap the trout and keep everything in place. Crimp the edges of the foil over each other to seal the packet closed.
- Bake the trout for 10 to 20 minutes, depending on the size of your fillet.
- After 10 minutes, take the baking sheet out and check the fish. Use a fork to gently prod the flesh in the thickest part of the fillet. It should be tender and flake easily when it is done cooking.
- If your trout is fully cooked, it’s ready to serve. Otherwise, return the baking sheet to the oven and check in another 5 to 10 minutes.
- Serve your trout by opening up the foil packet at the table and wowing your guests.
