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Take My Quiz + Win A Gift CardChange Up Your Fish With My Steelhead Trout Recipe
It looks like salmon, but it’s not! If you haven’t tried steelhead trout before, this recipe is an easy way to dip your toes in. I made this on a whim when I was planning to bake salmon and saw this fish next to it at the store. Here’s why this steelhead trout recipe is a nice way to change up dinner:
- Perfect tender, flaky texture – Trout is a pretty lean fish, so I use a combination of olive oil and butter to make it taste moist and tender. And I’ve got a few other tips to make sure it never turns out dry.
- Simple prep with major flavor – I’ll be honest, if you’re not sure you like fish, steelhead trout isn’t for you. While it’s less “fishy” than salmon, I find the flavor to be on the stronger side (especially compared to milder fish like flounder or cod). But if you love fish like I do, you’ll love the lemony, herby, garlicky flavors I’ve got going in this steelhead trout recipe!
- Easy, stress-free dinner – Just grab a few pantry staples, brush them on your fish, and you’ve got a simple, healthy dinner in less than half an hour.
If you’ve enjoyed my rainbow trout or baked salmon recipes, you’ll probably like this one, too. Make it with me!
Ingredients & Substitutions
Here I explain the best ingredients for my baked steelhead trout recipe, what each one does, and substitution options. For measurements, see the recipe card.
- Steelhead Trout Fillets – Steelhead tastes a bit like salmon, but it’s firmer, leaner, and less rich. It’s much larger than rainbow trout. I got mine at a grocery store, otherwise your local fishmonger should have it.
- Oil & Butter – Some steelhead trout recipes use just one or the other, but I love the combo of olive oil and unsalted butter together. Both prevent the fish from tasting too dry. The butter is my “secret” ingredient for flavor, while olive oil keeps the meal balanced. If you can’t have dairy, you can just use more olive oil, or substitute butter flavored coconut oil.
- Garlic & Lemon – Always the best with fish! Save extra lemon slices to place on top.
- Fresh Herbs – I used fresh parsley and chives, but thyme or dill are nice, too. To substitute dried herbs, use 2 teaspoons dried in place of 2 tablespoons fresh.
- Sea Salt & Black Pepper
How To Cook Steelhead Trout
I have step-by-step photos here to help you visualize the recipe. For full instructions with amounts and temperatures, see the recipe card.
You can cook steelhead the same way you’d cook any other fish — pan fry, use your oven, grill, or even air fry. My recipe here uses a simple baking method:
- Make the garlic butter sauce. In a small bowl in the microwave or a saucepan on the stove, melt the butter. Remove from heat, then whisk in the olive oil, minced garlic, lemon juice, parsley, chives, salt, and pepper.
- Season the fish fillets. Pat them dry with paper towels, arrange in a large baking dish or baking sheet, and brush the lemon butter mixture over both sides. Top each piece of fish with a lemon slice if you like. (I do this for a nice presentation to the steelhead trout recipe, but it also adds flavor.)
- Bake steelhead trout until the fish flakes easily with a fork. See my tips below to ensure it doesn’t turn out dry. I like to top with extra fresh herbs!
My Recipe Tips
- Individual fillets cook more evenly than a large one. If you’ve got a whole steelhead trout fillet, I recommend cutting it into individual portions for more even (and faster) cooking.
- Don’t crowd your baking dish. Spacing out the pieces helps them cook evenly, plus they’ll take much longer if you don’t.
- If your fish has skin, choose skin side down or up depending on your preference. Baking skin side down will protect the delicate flesh from the baking dish, for more moist and flaky results. On the other hand, skin side up is better to get the skin crispy.
- Be careful not to overcook. Since steelhead trout is leaner than salmon, it will cook a little faster. I start checking the oven around 10 minutes in. You can check that the fish flakes easily with a fork, but for perfect results, I use my meat thermometer — the ideal internal temp for moist, flaky fish is 135-140 degrees F.
- Don’t forget the sauce in the baking dish! You can drizzle it over your fish for serving. Or whip up my quick lemon butter sauce if you want more.
- Steelhead trout’s flavor can also stand up to a stronger marinade if you’re up for it. Sometimes I make it with my sweeter salmon marinade instead of the seasoning mixture above. You can also try the Asian-inspired marinade I use for grilled tuna steaks.
Steelhead Trout Recipe
Make my simple steelhead trout recipe with garlic, butter, and fresh herbs in less than 30 minutes. It's an easy, flavorful weeknight dinner!
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Instructions
Tap on the times in the instructions to start a kitchen timer.
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Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (204 degrees C).
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Pat the trout fillets dry with paper towels. Arrange them in a large baking dish, with space between them.
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In a small bowl in the microwave or a saucepan on the stove, melt the butter. Remove from heat. Add the olive oil, minced garlic, lemon juice, parsley, chives, sea salt, and black pepper. Whisk together.
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Brush the lemon butter mixture over the trout on both sides.
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Top each piece of fish with a lemon slice, if desired. (This makes for a nice presentation, but also adds flavor.)
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Bake steelhead trout for 12-18 minutes, until the internal temperature reaches 135-140 degrees F (57-60 degrees C) or the fish flakes easily with a fork.
LAST STEP: Leave a rating to help other readers, or tag me @wholesomeyum on Instagram. I’d love to hear from you!
Maya’s Recipe Notes
Serving size: 1 steelhead trout fillet
- Tips: Check out my recipe tips above to help you cook your steelhead trout perfectly.
- Store: Leftovers can go in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. You can flake the trout into pieces and toss it into a salad for a quick lunch, or stir it into a pasta dish (I like it with zoodles) for some extra protein.
- Meal prep: Sorry, you can’t brush on the marinade and cook later! The lemon juice will start to turn your fish into ceviche after about 15 minutes. But, sometimes I mix up the marinade in advance, then just brush on and bake the day-of.
- Reheat: My favorite way to reheat this steelhead trout recipe is in the air fryer (2-3 minutes at 325 degrees F). You can also use your oven at the same temperature — just cover it in foil first.
- Freeze: Cooked fish is best fresh, but you can freeze it for up to 3 months if you need to.
I provide nutrition facts as a courtesy. Have questions about calculations or why you got a different result? Please see my nutrition policy.
Add Your Notes Your Notes
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Steelhead Trout Recipe
Serving Ideas
I recommend one of these sides to round out your steelhead trout meal:
- Asparagus – My roasted asparagus cooks about as fast as trout, so I often cook them together. But you can totally toss some asparagus in the air fryer, too.
- Other Veggies – Pop some balsamic brussels sprouts into the oven earlier (since they take longer than the fish), or just whip up my air fried zucchini or sauteed broccoli while you have the steelhead trout in the oven.
- Potatoes – I’m more of a mashed cauliflower kind of girl, but my kids love my baked sweet potatoes and air fryer potatoes. (Okay, maybe I can’t resist them, either.)
- Salad – This steelhead trout recipe goes great with just about any of my healthy salad recipes. I love it with cucumber onion salad in the spring and summer, or beet salad in the fall or winter.
16 Comments
Cheryl
0Easy and delicious! I think step 3 is where the pepper is meant to be used (it wasn’t mentioned), and that’s what i did. I threw a few spears of frozen asparagus that I’d snapped in half alongside the trout and baked around 18 minutes, and everything came out just right 🙂
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Thanks for catching that, Cheryl! Yes, you are correct, I just fixed it. Great idea to bake with asparagus, too.
Sharon
0I made the steelhead trout recipe this evening that I bought at Costco. I used fresh chives from my garden. I did not have any parsley. My oven burner went out as I was preheating it so we had to cook it on the grill. We followed the same directions. It was delicious! I just found your website today searching for steelhead recipes. I have saved this recipe and will look for other recipes to make. Thank you, Maya!
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Thank you for sharing, Sharon! I’m happy to hear this recipe worked out well for you on the grill. I hope you try one of my other recipes soon, and let me know what you think!
Adrienne Young
0Steelhead trout cooks up very well with the sauce.
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0I’m glad you liked it, Adrienne!
Ina-u Herring
0I have made this recipe, and my husband and I loved it. I am not good at making fish of any kind. I love fish and found this steelhead on sale and had to try it. It is now a regular recipe for us. Thank you.
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0I’m so glad you and your husband loved it, Ina! Sounds like you’re good at making fish after all. 😉 Hope you make this again soon!
Nicole
0do you think lime would be ok to use instead of lemon? I live in Mexico and limes are much more available and cheaper than lemons
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Nicole, Yes, you can definitely use lime juice if you like. The flavor will just be a bit different.
Natasha
0I enjoyed this steelhead trout recipe. It has an amazing flavor and it’s super easy to make!
Kristyn
0Loving the garlic butter sauce!! It adds so much flavor! You really can’t get a quicker, easier meal on the table!
Josh
0Happy Anniversary to you both! Leaving a review for this delicious recipe– the wife loved it. So good. Thank you!
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Aww, thank you! So glad you liked the recipe.
Iris
0The trout baked beautifully and the lemon butter sauce was delicious. I always like to surprise my family with new recipes. Thanks for sharing.
Bel
0This was a delight! The buttery garlic-lemon sauce gave it such a fresh and flavorful twist. It was easy to prepare and perfect for a cozy dinner at home.