Halibut en Papillote Recipe
This halibut cooked in parchment paper is a quick and easy way to prepare fish at home.
Cooking halibut in parchment paper transforms a simple meal into something elegant and full of flavor. In this recipe, I wrap tender halibut fillets in parchment with bright vegetables, fresh herbs, and a splash of white wine or citrus.
The result?
A perfectly steamed, flaky fish that practically melts in your mouth. The parchment packet seals in moisture and lets the ingredients mingle in their own little steam bath, infusing the halibut with delicate aromatics while keeping cleanup easy.
This cooking method—known as en papillote—not only delivers great taste but also adds a bit of drama when you open the puffed-up parchment at the table. It’s a restaurant-worthy presentation you can pull off on a weeknight.
Plus, you can prep everything ahead of time and pop the packets in the oven when you’re ready. I’ll walk you through how to fold the parchment just right, what vegetables pair best with halibut, and how to avoid overcooking this lean, mild fish.
Whether you’re cooking for guests or just treating yourself, this halibut in parchment recipe delivers a healthy, satisfying dish with zero fuss and maximum flavor. Let’s dive in and steam up something special.
En Papillote
En papillote is a French cooking technique that means “in parchment.” You wrap food—usually fish, vegetables, and aromatics—in a folded pouch made of parchment paper.
When you bake the packet in a hot oven, the ingredients release moisture, creating steam inside the sealed pouch. That steam gently cooks the food, locking in flavor, tenderness, and nutrients.
This method works especially well with delicate proteins like halibut because it prevents overcooking and keeps everything moist without needing extra oil or butter.
As the steam builds, the ingredients infuse one another with flavor—herbs become more fragrant, vegetables soften, and fish flakes perfectly. The parchment traps all that goodness inside until you open it at the table and get hit with a burst of aromatic steam.
To use this technique, you simply cut a sheet of parchment, layer your ingredients in the center, fold and crimp the edges to seal it tightly, and bake. The packet puffs up as it cooks, giving you a visual cue that the magic is happening inside.
It’s healthy, elegant, and surprisingly easy. En papillote turns a simple meal into a flavorful and visually dramatic dish that requires minimal cleanup and delivers maximum impact.
Final Comments
This dish turned out as well as could be expected. It couldn’t be easier!
Both my kids loved it, but my oldest daughter would have liked more mushrooms and fewer leeks. Next time, I would like to experiment with additional flavors by preparing individual packets based on each person’s likes and dislikes.
The quality of the fish will make a difference in this dish. Try and find the freshest fish you can. Most Chilean sea bass comes to the market frozen, and the market thaws it out in its refrigerators.
You would be surprised at how much fish you buy at the market comes in frozen. I always ask Andy, the Fishmonger, what’s fresh and what’s fresh frozen.
Check out my post, How to Cook Halibut So It Is Not Dried Out
Halibut in Parchment
Ingredients
- 1½ pounds halibut sea bass, cod, scrod or any meaty white fish would work
- parchment paper
- seafood seasoning we like Fisherman's Wharf by Urban Accents but salt and pepper work just fine too.
- 1 leek sliced thin and cleaned in cold water
- ½ pound mushrooms sliced thin - we used cremini but button mushrooms would work fine too.
- 4 cloves garlic peeled and minced
- 12 cherry tomatoes sliced thin
- olive oil Extra virgin - to drizzle over the fish
- dill for garnish
Instructions
- Start by preheating your oven to 375°F.
- Cut or tear off 4 pieces of parchment paper from the roll that are about 12 inches long. Lay them down on the counter so they flatten out a bit.
- Prep all your ingredients and have them ready to assemble. The halibut should be cut into 4 equal sized pieces.
- Position a piece of parchment paper in a shallow bowl - I used a shallow soup bowl and started adding a quarter of the sliced leeks, mushrooms, garlic and tomatoes to the center of the paper. The bowl is there to keep all the ingredients together in the center.
- Next add a piece of fish on top of the vegetables and drizzle some olive oil over the top of the fish
- Season with salt and pepper or your favorite fish seasoning and you are ready to start folding the paper. Make a pouch with the parchment paper by folding the paper in half and then fold it over on itself several times to secure it shut.
- Then fold up the sides of the paper to make a pouch. You'll repeat this process with the remaining parchment and ingredients and arrange on a baking sheet.
- Roast the parchment pouches for about 15 minutes. How long will depend on the size & thickness of the fish and the accuracy of your oven.
- If you want, you can pull one out and check it for doneness. The fish should flake when you test the middle with a fork or knife.
- Plate and top with dill as a garnish
5 Responses
This is a winner:)
1) It’s easy to prepare.
2) It’s healthy
3) Good enough to impress company
4) Less dishes to wash, so clean up is a breeze.
The best of all, it’s delicious. Thanks for posting this. I liked it to face book
Petra
Thanks Petra – RG
I love to do salmon this way. It also blends will with Asian flavors, soy, ginger, sesame oil , etc.
This was such a great recipe! I actually got a huge “wow” from the kids. I will definitely make again. Loved it. I learned a new skill as well, en papillote! Thanks for posting it.
Thanks J, glad you enjoyed it. – RG
Excellent, I added juliened peppers. so good.
Simple , and really flexible, Thank You!