Broiled Fish Fillets With Mustard Butter

Fish Fillets with Mustard Sauce
Philippe Desnerck/Photolibrary/Getty Images
Prep: 5 mins
Cook: 10 mins
Marinate: 15 mins
Total: 30 mins
Servings: 5 to 6 servings

Broiling fish fillets is a quick, easy, and delicious way to prepare fish, especially when it is dressed with a mustard-butter sauce. Haddock and halibut are excellent in this recipe, but you can use salmon, cod, or just about any type of fish, as long as you alter the cooking time regarding thickness.

Whether using fresh fish from the market or defrosted frozen fillets from your freezer, you'll have a great dinner in a snap since the recipe takes just 30 to 40 minutes, from start to finish—and that includes the marinating time. Serve the fillets with baked potatoes or a rice dish, along with roasted Brussels sprouts or your favorite side vegetables. The sauce is also delicious drizzled over roasted or steamed vegetables, or on chicken or pork, so save any leftover sauce in the fridge for later and reheat as needed.

Ingredients

  • 2 pounds fish fillets, such as haddock, cod, or pollock, thawed if frozen

  • 3 cups water

  • 3/4 cup plus 3 tablespoons lemon juice, divided

  • 6 tablespoons (3 ounces) unsalted butter

  • 1 1/2 tablespoons Dijon mustard, or similar gourmet mustard

  • 3/4 teaspoon salt

  • 1/2 teaspoon paprika

  • 1/8 teaspoon black pepper

  • Fresh parsley, for garnish, chopped

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

  2. Cut the fillets into serving-size portions, about 6 ounces each.

  3. Place the fillets in a single layer in a shallow baking dish, about 12 by 8 by 2-inches. Combine the water and 3/4 cup of the lemon juice and pour it over the fish. Cover the dish and let the fish marinate in the refrigerator for 15 minutes.

  4. In a saucepan, combine the butter, the 3 tablespoons of lemon juice, the Dijon mustard, salt, paprika, and pepper. Heat until the butter is melted. Set aside.

  5. Heat the broiler and grease a broiler pan generously.

  6. Arrange the fish fillets on the broiler pan. Brush them liberally with the mustard and butter mixture.

  7. Broil the fish fillets about 4 inches from the heat source for 5 to 6 minutes if 1-inch thick; longer if thicker. Flip them carefully so they don't fall apart. Again brush generously with the mustard sauce and broil 4 to 6 minutes longer, or until the fish flakes easily when tested with a fork.

  8. Arrange the fish fillets on a serving plate and sprinkle them with the parsley. Gently reheat the remaining mustard-butter sauce and spoon it over the fish. 

  9. Serve hot and enjoy.

Time for Cooking Fish

The cooking time for the fish depends on how thick the fillets or steaks are. For fillets measuring about 1 inch at their thickest, cook for about 5 minutes on each side. A good rule of thumb is 10 minutes total for each inch of fish thickness.

How to Store

Refrigerate any leftover fish, covered or in a sealed container. You can reheat it in the microwave with an added dollop of sauce, just be careful not to overcook. It's best to eat the fish within one to two days.

Glass Bakeware Warning

Do not use glass bakeware when broiling or when a recipe calls to add liquid to a hot pan, as glass may explode. Even if it states it's oven-safe or heat resistant, tempered glass products can, and do, break occasionally.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
276 Calories
13g Fat
3g Carbs
36g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 5 to 6
Amount per serving
Calories 276
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 13g 17%
Saturated Fat 8g 38%
Cholesterol 173mg 58%
Sodium 642mg 28%
Total Carbohydrate 3g 1%
Dietary Fiber 1g 2%
Total Sugars 1g
Protein 36g
Vitamin C 6mg 31%
Calcium 44mg 3%
Iron 2mg 13%
Potassium 865mg 18%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)