Almond Crusted Baked Halibut Fillets with Basil Butter

Every spring we start eating more fish than we had through the cold months. Do you do that as well? I presume it’s because everything about fish screams light.

Light in color. Light and flaky in texture. Light flavor of the sea. Light on the waistline.

I even find that most types of fish taste best when prepared with a light seasoning, and are lightly cooked… not dried out.

Baked halibut is a fabulous spring dish, because it has such a luxurious taste and texture, and needs only a kiss of flavor to make it shine.

I like to deliver that kiss with a touch of butter.

Butter is a perfect complement to all types of light, flaky fish, yet I find it really does wonders for halibut.

In today’s easy 5-Ingredient Baked Halibut with Basil Butter Recipe, I used spreadable Land O Lakes® Butter with Olive Oil & Sea Salt. This fabulous go-to butter spread offers rich buttery flavor that is easy to shmear right out of the refrigerator. With real ingredients: butter, olive oil and sea salt, it’s a wonderful spreadable butter option, without any fillers or preservatives. (So it’s also gluten-free!).

I pureed Land O Lakes® Butter with Olive Oil & Sea Salt with fresh basil leaves and a little garlic. Then I spread just a teaspoon over the top of each halibut fillet.

I sprinkled each fillet with a light dusting of almond meal to create a crusty, nutty top and then I popped them in the oven.

The secret to cooking perfect baked halibut, with a moist flaky interior and crunchy top, is to cook it for a short time on high heat. I baked the fish for 5 minutes, then cranked the heat up to broil and broiled it another 4 to 5 minutes. Just long enough to toast the top.

Halibut is a rich, yet delicate fish. It would be a travesty to overcook it, so make sure to set the timer.

Baked Halibut with Basil Butter

Ingredients

4 fresh halibut fillets (about 1 1/2 pounds total)
1/4 cup Land O Lakes® Butter with Olive Oil & Sea Salt
2 tablespoons packed fresh basil leaves, roughly chopped and packed
1 small garlic clove
3 tablespoons almond meal (ground almonds)
Salt and pepper

Directions

Preheat the oven to 400° F. Line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper and set the halibut fillets on top.

Place the Butter with Olive Oil & Sea Salt in a small food processor and add the fresh basil and garlic. Puree until smooth. (Or place the ingredients in a bowl and puree with an immersion blender.)

Dollop 1 teaspoon of basil butter on each halibut fillet, then spread the butter over the surface with a spatula. Refrigerate the rest of the basil butter until ready to serve. Salt and pepper the fillets. Sprinkle approximately 2 teaspoons of ground almond meal over the top of each piece.

Place the baking sheet in the oven on the middle rack. Bake for 5 minutes. Then set the oven temperature on high broil. Broil the fillets for another 4-5 minutes, until the tops are slightly golden. Do not over cook! The tops should be a little crispy, but the inside of each halibut fillet should be moist and flaky. Serve the baked halibut warm with a dollop of basil butter on top. 

A Spicy Perspective has partnered with Land O’Lakes for an exclusive endorsement of Land O Lakes® Butter for their Kitchen Conversations blogger program. This blog post is sponsored by Land O’Lakes.