Tender white fish fillets are baked and smothered in a marsala wine mushroom sauce for a healthy, delicious baked halibut recipe. 315 calories and 4 Weight Watchers SP
If you are a traditionalist at heart, please accept my sincere apologies. This baked halibut Marsala recipe is clearly blasphemous to Italian cuisine on so many levels. Are mushrooms in Marsala wine sauce supposed to be spooned over barramundi fish fillets? No, of course not! Chicken...it's supposed to be chicken.
And then there's the whole matter of baking the fish, rather than breading and pan-frying. As I said...blasphemous. But stick with me here.
It was clear after tasting this baked fish recipe that Marsala wine and mushroom sauce was meant to be shared with fish. The rich, flavorful sauce seeps into every nook and cranny, complementing the mild, slightly sweet taste of the halibut fillets. There's nothing wrong about that!
WHAT YOU NEED FOR THIS BAKED HALIBUT RECIPE:
These are the main components need for this recipe (affiliate links included)…
- Fish: Halibut is a favorite around here, but any dense white fish will work. Cod and barramundi would be good substitutes.
- Mushrooms: The recipe calls for crimini mushrooms, but regular white mushrooms can be substituted. For an even richer, earthier flavor, try shiitake mushrooms.
- Marsala: Marsala is an Italian fortified wine. Both dry and sweet Marsala wine are available and either can be used for this recipe, though I prefer the dry version.
- Thickening: The recipe calls for one tablespoons of flour to thicken the sauce. Feel free to swap it out with cornstarch or arrowroot for gluten free options. If using arrowroot, I suggest using about half the amount.
- Broth: Chicken broth mixes with the Marsala to make the sauce. If I don’t have homemade broth on hand, I use this one or the Trader Joe’s chicken broth.
- Aromatics: Minced shallots and garlic add extra flavor to the sauce.
Is halibut good for you?
Yes! Halibut is a lean white fish that is rich in protein in omega-3 fatty acids. I figured that if I was going to cook with a healthy fish such as halibut, why not bake instead of pan-fry?
How to bake halibut and tips for this recipe:
Since halibut is a lean fish, it’s easy to overcook it, which causes it to dry out. Check out my tip below for determining when fish is cooked through.
Rub the halibut fillets with olive oil, season with salt and pepper and place on a foil-line baking sheet or in a ceramic or glass baking dish. Cook at 375 degrees F until just cooked through.
Cooking time will vary depending on the thickness of the fish fillets. I suggest checking the fish early to ensure that it doesn’t overcook.
I am a lover of mushrooms (well, and wine, too), so I didn’t want to skimp on the sauce. There’s nothing worse than having to carefully sop up the sauce to be certain that each piece of fish gets its share. There was plenty here to satisfy my mushrooms craving.
I left out the standard tablespoons of butter typically used to finish a marsala wine sauce. Instead, I made a roux with a little flour to thicken the sauce in a low-calorie kind of way.
How to tell when fish is cooked:
My favorite fish tip, which I share again and again because it’s so useful! To tell if the fish is cooked, insert a small, sharp knife into the center of the fillet. Hold it there for 10 seconds. Remove the knife and carefully lay the side of the knife against your upper lip or the inside of your wrist, which are both sensitive to temperature. If the knife is hot, the fish is done. Works every time!
Remember that the fish will continue to cook for a minute or two after it’s removed from the oven, so I suggest removing it a minute or so early.
Other white fish recipes:
Fisherman's Soup with Tilapia, Shrimp, Tomatoes & Capers {Cookin' Canuck}
Poached Fish in Easy Tomato Sauce {Cookin’ Canuck}
Moroccan Fish Skewers with Barramundi {Jelly Toast}
Halibut Picatta with Asparagus {A Sweet Pea Chef}
Baked Fish Marsala Recipe with Mushrooms
Ingredients
- 4 (6 oz. each) halibut fillets
- ½ teaspoon salt divided
- ½ teaspoon ground pepper divided
- 4 teaspoons olive oil divided
- 12 ounces crimini mushrooms thinly sliced
- 3 tablespoons minced shallots
- 1 garlic clove minced
- 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
- ¾ cup chicken broth
- ¾ cup Marsala wine
- 3 tablespoons minced flat-leaf parsley
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with foil and coat with cooking spray.
- Place the barramundi fillets on the prepared baking sheet, rub with 1 teaspoon olive oil and season with ¼ teaspoon and ¼ teaspoon pepper.
- Bake until the fish is just cooked through, 10 to 12 minutes.
- Heat 1 teaspoon olive oil in a large nonstick skillet set over medium heat. Cook the mushrooms until they release and then reabsorb their juices, about 5 minutes. Transfer the mushrooms to a bowl.
- Heat 1 teaspoons olive oil in the skillet. Add the shallots and garlic, and cook until the shallots are starting to soften, about 2 minutes.
- Add the remaining teaspoon of olive oil, then stir in the flour and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Pour in the chicken broth and Marsala wine and simmer, stirring frequently, until the sauce is slightly thickened, about 2 minutes. Season with the remaining ¼ teaspoon of salt and pepper.
- Add the cooked fish and mushrooms to the skillet and cook until the fish is heated, about 2 minutes.
- Garnish with parsley and serve.
Notes
Nutrition
This post was originally published on April 7, 2014 and updated on January 20, 2020.
Disclosure: I am a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for me to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.
Chris shuttleworth
Loved this dish.I used tilapia instead,I always have that on hand.I used shiitake and white button mushroom combo.It came out great.Great week day meal.
Dara
Perfect! I'm so glad you enjoyed it.
Theresa
Wow! A real treat! Easy enough to make and it was delicious!
Michele
Fabulous dish! Easy and quick Add some spinach next time I make this recipe ,
Dara
Spinach would be a great addition. I'm so glad you enjoyed it!
Fitoru Keto
I surprised my wife with this yesterday and she was so shocked but she loves it! Thanks for posting and sharing!
Dr. T Lazaro
It's like listening to the chef, herself! Thank you.
Frances
Just made this and we thought it wonderful. I have been making many of your recipes and love them and look forward to your e-mails with ideas. Your recipes are creative and work so well. I can trust them for great results. I used sea bass, one of our favorites and then adjusted the calories as needed.
Dara
Thank you so much, Frances! Sea bass is a wonderfully buttery fish and would be a great way to go.
Gwen @SimplyHealthyFamily
What a fabulous idea! I'm sure there wouldn't be any Italian out there that would hate on this recipe! 😉 Pinned to make ASAP!
Carol at Wild Goose Tea
Wow this is an INSPIRED idea. Masala sauce is soooo good with chicken. I often order that dish in a restaurant. But this is even better. I am going to say Wow again!!!
Laura @ Blogging Over Thyme
Such a great idea to pair marsala with fish, instead of chicken! This dish looks so, so good!
becky
Seriously Dara, this dish looks stunning. Your photography AND the dish itself! Mushrooms and wine over a nice healthy fish... perfection! Great recipe.
Tess @ Tips on Healthy Living
This looks delicious! Sometimes you need a new take on a classic, and this is it.
Maija
That looks delicious!
My question is about substitutes.
Could I use some other white fish.. tilapia perhaps?
I have a side of Atlantic salmon in the freezer... what about that?
Could I use a red wine instead of the Marsala.
I know... further blasphemy!
Thank you.
Dara
Sea bass or halibut would be good substitutions for the barramundi. The Marsala adds a very distinctive flavor to the sauce, so I don't recommend substituting red wine. I hope you have a chance to try it!
Norma | Allspice and Nutmeg
I love mushrooms and I love what you did here. Pinning.
Paula - bell'alimento
You already knew I was going to love this!
Amy @Very Culinary
Love what you did with the fish - you just can't go wrong with chicken broth, wine, and shallots. The mushrooms are a bonus!
ChefMiller
Uh, yes you can; NEVER use chicken broth; it adds too much sodium, fat (and salmonella). It ruins the dish and makes it inedible for pescetarians and healthy eaters; ALWAYS use veggie broth whenever you see it call for chicken broth (unless you're making actual chicken soup) But for all other recipes; good quality vegetable broth is the way to go.
Aggie
Oh how I am loving this recipe!!
Taylor @ Food Faith Fitness
My goodness, this barramundi is everywhere! Now I REALLY need to try it since I LOVE fish and marsala! Pinned!
Rachel @ Baked by Rachel
Looks amazing!! I definitely need to make this soon.