Easy Garlic Parmesan Baked Flounder Recipe

Flounder

Flounder is a white saltwater fish with a mild flavor and a delicate, flaky texture. It is a low-mercury flatfish that is easy to work with, and you can cook it on the grill or sear it in a bit of good extra virgin olive oil (like I do with this trout). But, personally, I am a big fan of oven baked flounder, particularly if I’m working with thin fish filets (popping the fish in the oven and leaving it alone is the easiest way to keep it from falling apart).

What I love about this flounder recipe

Today’s flounder recipe with vegetables is the kind of restaurant-fancy meal that takes one pan and only 20 minutes to make! A bold, lemony sauce loaded with flavor from garlic, good olive oil, and spices infuses the fish and vegetables with flavor, while keeping the fish moist as it cooks. No dry fish here! And the finishing sprinkle of nutty Parmesan takes it to the next level! Better than any baked fish you’ll have at a fancy restaurant, I promise!

Ingredients for baked flounder

With just a few ingredients, you’ll have the perfect baked flounder in no time! Here’s what you’ll need for this easy fish recipe:

Flounder fillet – You’ll need a 1 ¼-pound fillet. (See substitutions for flounder below.)Vegetables – Zucchini and red onion, both cut into ½-inch half moon slices. Garlic – Mince 3 cloves of garlic to add the perfect garlicky kick to this baked fish. Spices – Dried oregano, paprika, and cumin add warmth and some earthiness. Lemons – You’ll need fresh lemon juice to brighten and lift the earthy flavors in this recipe for flounder, as well as some lemon wedges for serving. Extra virgin olive oil – ¼ to ⅓ cup EVOO is needed, so it’s best to use quality olive oil, like our mild but flavorful Italian Nocellara extra virgin olive oil. Parmesan cheese – I find that freshly grated parmesan is more robust than the pre-grated kinds, so I highly recommend buying a block and grating it yourself.

What can I use if I can’t find flounder?

If you can’t find flounder filet for this recipe, branzino, halibut, or sole are good substitutes. Choose thinner fish filets for this recipe. Both flounder and Dover sole are usually sold in thin filets, so both types of fish cook at similar speeds, meaning you won’t have to adjust the cooking time too much if you use sole instead of flounder. Really, though, any mild white fish filets will work in this fish recipe, like cod, trout, snapper, or even haddock.You may need to adjust the cooking time slightly. But no matter the type of fish you decide to bake, its internal temperature should be 140 to 145 degrees F when cooked.

How to make baked flounder

This is one of my favorite flounder fillet recipes because it requires minimal prep and is ready in about 20 minutes. Simply season the fish and vegetables, make the sauce, and bake! Here’s how to bake lemon garlic flounder:

Season the fish and vegetables. Pat 1 ¼ pounds of flounder fillets dry and season them on both sides with kosher salt and black pepper. Arrange the fish in a large oven-safe dish and add the vegetables (2 medium zucchini and 1 small red onion, both halved and sliced into half moons). Season the veggies with salt and pepper as well. Make the sauce. Whisk together 3 cloves minced garlic, 2 teaspoons dried oregano, ½ teaspoon each paprika and cumin, the juice of 2 lemons, and about ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil in a small bowl. Pour the sauce mixture over the fish and vegetables to coat them well. Bake the flounder and vegetables. Bake in a 350 degrees F heated oven for 7 to 10 minutes. Wearing oven mitts, remove the baking dish and sprinkle ½ cup grated parmesan over the flounder and veg. Place the pan back in the oven and bake for 5 minutes or so more until the flounder is flaky and the cheese has melted a bit. Remove from the oven and serve hot.

Important tip for cooking flounder

Because flounder fillets are so thin, they overcook really quickly. So I recommend checking for doneness before the 10-minute mark. If you find that the fish is cooking quickly, add the Parmesan cheese sooner so you still have a little time for it to melt.

What goes well with flounder?

The beauty of a mild-flavored fish like flounder is that it goes with many different things. We’ve already included zucchini and onions in the same pan with the baked fish, but there are many other sides to choose from. Potatoes are great to serve with baked flounder. Try my herby boiled potatoes or smashed potatoes. Other green sides to go with this baked fish recipe are: roasted broccoli, Greek green bean salad, or this asparagus salad.

Leftovers and storage

Leftover cooked flounder will keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days. I prefer to eat leftover fish at room temperature so it doesn’t become overcooked with reheating. But if you like, you can add everything to a skillet over medium-low heat for a few minutes until just heated through.