Poisson en papillote, or fish baked in parchment paper, is an easy, warm weather dinner that comes together in 30 minutes! My version is delicious and impressive, featuring moist halibut fillets topped with lemony corn and olive salsa served alongside tender, melt-in-your-mouth zucchini.
Have you ever tried baking fish in parchment paper? It's such a simple and tasty way to prepare fish, especially for a weeknight dinner! All you do is place the fillet on a sheet of parchment, add any aromatic ingredients you'd like, seal it up like a packet, and bake on a baking sheet.
Each fillet steams in its own pouch, keeping it moist and tender. To keep things light and fresh, I'm cooking the fish with thinly sliced zucchini and a quick olive and corn salsa. For more summery fish dishes, try my seared tuna salad, salmon crudo, roasted branzino, or salmon pasta without cream.
Ingredient Notes
Halibut: Halibut has a firm, meaty texture that is an excellent option for baking. I'll often buy frozen wild halibut fillets, then thaw them the night before cooking. If using frozen fish, thoroughly pat it dry to remove excess moisture.
Lemon: I'm a huge fan of using the "pulp" of the lemon rather than just the juice. Here, we cook down chopped lemon with olives and corn to make a delicious "salsa"-like topping. To reduce any bitterness, I recommend removing the peel and pith of the lemon.
TIP: I like to make a simmer pot with the leftover lemon rinds to reduce waste and make the house smell nice. In a small pot, add a few cups of water along with the lemon rinds and a splash of vanilla. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer over very low heat for 30 - 60 minutes.
Corn: I call for ¼ cup of corn kernels, which I recognize is a relatively small amount, but you only need a little bit to balance the saltiness of the olives and the acidity of the lemon.
I often have frozen corn around, so it's easy to throw some in. However, if you're using fresh corn, it's about ½ of a cob; to minimize waste, you can just throw in all of the corn from a full cob.
Zucchini: I've made the recipe with both zucchini and green beans. The zucchini gets soft and tender, while the green beans stay crisp. You can choose what you'd like, depending on your desired texture! Leftover zucchini? Try my zucchini risotto!
For a full list of ingredients and their quantities, please refer to the recipe card.
How to Make Poisson en Papillote
Step 1 - Prep: Season the zucchini and fish with salt and pepper. Toss the zucchini with a drizzle of olive oil as well.
Step 2 - Start the salsa: Saute the garlic and chopped lemon for a couple of minutes until the lemon juice starts to evaporate.
Step 3 - Finish the salsa: Add the corn and olives, and saute for another couple of minutes to meld things together. Off the heat, stir in a pinch of red pepper flakes and honey, and season to taste.
Step 4 - Make the packet: Cut two sheets of parchment paper, each measuring 12 inches by 12 inches. Divide the zucchini evenly and arrange each half on the top third of the parchment sheet, leaving at least two inches of margin on the edges for sealing.
Place a fish fillet on top of the zucchini on each sheet, and spoon half of the salsa on top of the fish.
Step 5 - Seal: Fold the empty bottom part of the parchment paper over the fish to cover it. Starting at one edge, fold and crimp the edges tightly together to seal the packet, ensuring no gaps are left.
This will help to trap steam and cook the fish evenly. Transfer each packet to a baking tray.
Step 6 - Bake and serve: Bake for 8 - 12 minutes, or until the fish is cooked through. Depending on the thickness of the fish, the cooking time can vary.
Unseal each parchment packet, garnish with fresh herbs, and serve immediately.
Expert Tip
For best results, use a cooking thermometer (I love my thermapen) to check when the fish is done. I like to just poke it through the parchment paper to check doneness (130℉/54℃ to 135℉/54℃) so that I don't have to unwrap the packet.
Storage and Make-Ahead Instructions
Recipe FAQs
You can make the corn salsa 1 - 2 days in advance and store it in the fridge. A couple of hours before the party, you can assemble the packets and keep them in the fridge. Just before your dinner guests are ready to eat, bake the fish then serve while hot.
You'll need to unwrap the packet, and use a fork to prod the fillet; if it's no longer translucent and the flesh flakes easily, it's done.
Absolutely! Try bronzino, red snapper, or Chilean sea bass.
This is great with my peas pulao, alfredo sauce without cream, or radicchio and apple salad!
Other recipes you might like:
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Poisson en Papillote
Equipment
Ingredients
- 8 ounces zucchini (about 1 medium squash), or 6 ounces green beans | see notes**
- Salt and pepper
- 1 ½ tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
- 1 lemon
- 2 garlic cloves
- ¼ cup Castelvetrano olives
- 2 (6-ounce) halibut fillets, at least ½-inch thick
- ¼ cup corn kernels, fresh or frozen
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1 teaspoon honey
- 2 tablespoons finely minced fresh parsley
Instructions
- Set a rack in the bottom of third of the oven and preheat to 425℉ / 218℃.
- Prep the vegetables: If using zucchini, thinly slice 8 ounces zucchini (about 1 medium squash) into ⅛-inch rounds. If using green beans, trim and keep whole. Finely mince 2 garlic cloves. Finely chop ¼ cup Castelvetrano olives. Slice 1 lemon in half. Cut one of the halves into lemon wedges for serving and set aside. With the remaining half, remove the peel and pith of the lemon, revealing just the flesh. Finely chop the flesh and discard any seeds.
- Arrange the vegetables: Cut out 2 (12-inch by 12-inch) squares of parchment. Add half of the sliced zucchini or green beans in an even layer to the top third of each sheet, leaving a couple of inches of room on the top and sides for sealing. Drizzle with ½ tablespoon olive oil and a pinch of salt and pepper.
- Arrange the fish: Pat 2 (6-ounce) halibut fillets dry, then season with ¼ teaspoon salt per fillet and a generous grind of black pepper. Arrange each on top of the vegetables.Note: I use Diamond-Crystal kosher salt. If using any other type of salt, use ⅛ teaspoon.
- Make the corn and olive salsa: Set a small saucepan over medium heat with the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Add the finely chopped lemon and 2 garlic cloves, and saute until the garlic is fragrant and the lemon juice has started to reduce, about 2 - 3 minutes.Add ¼ cup Castelvetrano olives and ¼ cup corn kernels, and increase the heat to medium-high. Saute for an additional 2 - 3 minutes to meld the flavors.Remove from the heat, and stir in ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes and 1 teaspoon honey. Season to taste.
- Bake: Top each fillet with half of the salsa (don't worry if it spills over!). Carefully fold and crimp the edges of the parchment paper, starting from one side and moving around to the other, to seal the packet tightly. Place packets on a large baking sheet.Bake in the oven until the fish is cooked through, about 8 - 12 minutes. Note: If using a thermometer, I like to just poke it through the parchment paper to check doneness (130℉/54℃ to 135℉/54℃) so that I don't have to unwrap the packet. Otherwise, unwrap the packet, and use a fork to prod the fillet; if it's no longer translucent and the flesh flakes easily, it's done.
- Serve: Place each packet on a plate, gently unwrap, top with 2 tablespoons finely minced fresh parsley, serve with lemon wedges, and enjoy!
Video
Notes
Nutrition
The nutritional information on this website is only an estimate and is provided for convenience and as a courtesy only. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
I've never baked anything in parchment so this was a fun opportunity to try out this technique! The fish was light yet packed with flavor, and the recipe was easy to follow. Thanks Karishma!
So glad you enjoyed! Thanks for leaving a review 🙂