Baked Haddock with Breadcrumbs (Printer-friendly)

Tender haddock fillets with golden herbed breadcrumbs. Simple, flavorful, and ready in under 30 minutes for weeknight dinners.

# What You Need:

→ Fish

01 - 4 haddock fillets (6 oz each), skinless and boneless

→ Breadcrumb Topping

02 - 1 cup fresh breadcrumbs
03 - 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, finely chopped
04 - 1 teaspoon lemon zest
05 - 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
06 - 1/4 teaspoon salt
07 - 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
08 - 2 tablespoons olive oil

→ For Baking

09 - 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted
10 - Lemon wedges, for serving

# How to Make It:

01 - Preheat oven to 400°F. Lightly grease a baking dish large enough to hold fillets in a single layer.
02 - Pat haddock fillets dry with paper towels and arrange in prepared dish. Brush tops with melted butter.
03 - In a medium bowl, combine breadcrumbs, parsley, lemon zest, Parmesan, salt, pepper, and olive oil. Mix until crumbs are evenly moistened.
04 - Spoon and gently press breadcrumb mixture onto tops of fillets, covering them evenly.
05 - Bake for 15 to 18 minutes, or until fish flakes easily with a fork and topping is golden brown.
06 - Serve hot, garnished with lemon wedges.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The contrast between the crispy golden topping and the tender flaky fish creates a texture paradise that will make you close your eyes with each bite.
  • Its one of those magical weeknight meals that looks and tastes special enough for company but comes together in less than 30 minutes when youre exhausted.
02 -
  • Overcooking fish is almost always worse than slightly undercooking it, so start checking for doneness at the 12-minute mark by gently pressing with a fork to see if it flakes easily.
  • I ruined a beautiful batch by not thoroughly drying the fillets before topping them, which resulted in a soggy middle layer instead of that perfect crisp-meets-tender texture.
03 -
  • The breadcrumb mixture can be prepared and stored in an airtight container up to three days ahead, which makes this an even faster weeknight solution when youre pressed for time.
  • If your breadcrumbs arent browning as quickly as the fish is cooking, switch the oven to broil for the final minute, but watch like a hawk to prevent burning.

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