We love eating fish! Some of our other favorite easy fish recipes are this Easy Pan Fried Trout, my Hot Smoked Salmon, and this super quick and delicious 15 Minute Pan Seared Salmon. Today’s catch of the day is rainbow trout. Oven-baked rainbow trout makes a quick and delicious fish dinner main dish. It’s made with very basic ingredients but is incredibly easy to make and still looks impressive! Seriously, doesn’t it just look like something a high-end chef would prepare? Our family loves eating fresh fish, especially if Paul has gone fly-fishing and caught it himself. One of my favorite ways of preparing it is to bake or grill the whole fish. Fresh lemon, herbs, and garlic infuse the delicate flesh of the rainbow trout while it’s roasting. Cooking the trout in a foil pouch keeps it moist and flavorful. Next to my easy pan-fried trout, this is one of my favorite simple fish recipes. It’s actually delicious with any type of fish if you don’t happen to have access to fresh rainbow trout. I’ve included easy-to-follow instructions to help you fillet the fish once it has cooked when the bones are significantly easier to remove! I wanted to include this oven-baked trout recipe as part of my American Eats series, which represents the state of Idaho, since I grew up fishing for rainbow trout in Island Park, Idaho, with my dad. In this series, I’m cooking my way across the United States, one state at a time, making the foods and exploring the flavors that each state is best known for. Be sure to check out all of the other states in the series, and feel free to leave a comment with a suggestion for yours!
Why we love cooking Rainbow Trout
Mix up the herbs and citrus flavors to your personal preference. We’ll use fresh trout that’s filled with healthy omega-3! This super quick and easy recipe only takes 20 minutes from start to finish.
Baked Trout Recipe ingredients
Scroll down to the recipe card below this post for ingredient quantities and full instructions.
Rainbow Trout – Gut and clean the fish, and leave the heads on. Oil – I like to use olive oil, but you can use canola oil or another cooking oil if you prefer. Lemon and Garlic – Use fresh lemon slices and fresh garlic that you slice yourself for the best flavor. Herbs – Use fresh herbs like Dill and Parsley, Rosemary, or Thyme. You can change them up to suit your preference. Salt & Pepper – Kosher Salt and Freshly Ground Black Pepper will season your trout fillets and enhance all those wonderful herbs and citrusy flavors!
Baked Trout substitutions and variations
Use a different herb like Parsley, Rosemary, or Thyme. Add some other flavors like dijon mustard, red chili flakes, or Make this recipe with the heads cut off if you don’t like the look of whole fish. I rather enjoy the presentation though. Use dried herbs instead of fresh ones if you don’t have fresh ones on hand. Just use ¼ teaspoon of whatever herb you choose for each fish. Grill the trout instead, using the same approach. Just preheat the grill to medium-high heat, then place the foil-wrapped fish over indirect heat (i.e., not directly over the flame), and close the lid. Cook for 10-15 minutes until it flakes easily.
How to make Baked Trout
Prepare oven and fish. Preheat your oven to 400 degrees F. Tear off a large piece of heavy-duty aluminum foil big enough to go completely around both rainbow trout fillets and set it on a baking sheet pan. Add oil. Place trout on foil and drizzle each trout with 1-2 teaspoons of olive oil. Season. Season the inside and outside of the trout with salt and pepper. Add other seasonings. Place a few slices of lemon, one sliced clove of garlic, and a couple of sprigs of fresh dill, or the herb of your choice, inside each of the trout. Fold in foil. Fold the foil over the fish, crimping the edges well to create an envelope for the fish to bake in.
How long to bake trout
Bake. Bake for 10-15 minutes, checking the foil packets after 10 minutes to see if the fish is done. It will be opaque and flake easily when pressed with a fork when done.
Baked Rainbow Trout tips for success
You can use parchment paper instead of foil to wrap your whole trout in if you prefer. Make a couple of cuts along the thickest part of the fish on each side to help the heat penetrate the flesh of the fish, allowing for even cooking. Cut at an angle down, almost to the bone.
How to store this Baked Trout Recipe
You can store the baked trout in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. I usually try and consume the fish the day of or the next day. I don’t like it sitting for too long.
More Easy But Impressive Fish Recipes
Baja Fish Tacos Garam Masala Salmon (Guide on How To Cook Salmon) San Francisco Seafood Stew New England Fish Chowder Grilled Whole Fish
More States I Have Visited in my American Eats Series
Alabama • Alaska • Arizona • Arkansas • California • Colorado • Connecticut • Delaware • Florida • Georgia • Hawaii • Idaho • Illinois • Indiana • Iowa • Kansas • Kentucky • Louisiana • Maine • Maryland • Massachusetts • Michigan • Minnesota • Mississippi • Missouri • Montana • Nebraska • New Jersey • New York • Oregon • Puerto Rico • South Carolina • South Dakota • Texas • Utah • Wisconsin
Macadamia Nut Crusted Mahi-Mahi
Brown Sugar Soy Sauce Salmon
Grilled Thai Pork Tenderloin with Coconut Lime Peanut Sauce
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