Baked Halibut with Pine Nut, Parmesan and Pesto Crust

Declared "the best fish dinner ever" by one of my boys; the pine nut, parmesan and pesto crust on this halibut was an excellent combination of flavors and textures. One of my boys happily ate the crust first and then wondered aloud if we could have a meal of nothing but the topping because it so delicious.

I doubled this recipe for my family and it turned out perfectly. I made this twice last week, because the abundance of fish in the freezer needs to be eaten as quickly as possible, right? My cooking time for the last batch of halibut was closer to 20 minutes, because the fillets I cut were very thick. Watch closely to avoid drying out your fish. Depending on the thickness, it will vary from 10-20 minutes.

Baked Halibut with Pine Nut, Parmesan and Pesto Crust
recipe slightly adapted from Kalyn's Kitchen
Yield: Serves 2-3

2 white fish fillets*, about 6 ounces each, I used Halibut
3 tablespoons pine nuts, finely chopped
2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese, finely grated
1/4 teaspoon finely minced garlic
1 teaspoon pesto, I used a parsley pesto that I had on hand, but basil would be great too
1 1/2 tablespoons mayonnaise

Set the fish fillets on the counter at least half an hour prior to cooking them. You want them to be almost room temperature before placing them in the oven, this will help them cook through before the topping is too brown.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Place the fish in individual dishes or on a large shallow baking pan. Mix together the pine nuts, Parmesan, garlic, pesto and mayonnaise. Divide this mixture in half and then use a rubber scraper to spread the crust mixture over the top surface of each fillet. Pile it on so that all of the topping is used.

Bake the fish 10-20 minutes, until the fish is firm to the touch and the crust begins to very lightly brown. The thickness of your fish will determine the cooking time. Serve hot with lemon wedges. Enjoy!

* Tilapia, cod, grouper or any other mild white fish would work well with this recipe.

Click here for printable recipe

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