Baked Stuffed Fish Fillet

By
Diana Rattray
Diana Rattray
Diana Rattray
Southern-cuisine expert and cookbook author Diana Rattray has created more than 5,000 recipes and articles in her 20 years as a food writer.
Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process
Updated on 12/21/22
Baked Stuffed Fish Fillet

The Spruce / Cara Cormack

Prep: 20 mins
Cook: 30 mins
Total: 50 mins
Servings: 6 servings
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
377 Calories
18g Fat
15g Carbs
39g Protein
Show Full Nutrition Label Hide Full Nutrition Label
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 6
Amount per serving
Calories 377
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 18g 23%
Saturated Fat 10g 51%
Cholesterol 183mg 61%
Sodium 645mg 28%
Total Carbohydrate 15g 5%
Dietary Fiber 1g 4%
Total Sugars 2g
Protein 39g
Vitamin C 2mg 10%
Calcium 82mg 6%
Iron 3mg 18%
Potassium 896mg 19%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

This baked stuffed fish may be made with any mild, white, and thin fish fillets. Sole and flounder are excellent choices, and tilapia can work as well. The fish is uniquely baked in muffin cups with the stuffing in the center. The stuffing is a combination of fresh breadcrumbs, sage, and chopped celery.

Serve this baked fish with your favorite sides, such as steamed vegetables, rice pilaf, french fries, or a tossed salad. Some homemade cornbread would be a good addition to the meal also, along with coleslaw. It's a great make-ahead dish, and it freezes well, too.

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 to 2 pounds thin fish fillets, such as flounder, sole, or tilapia

  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste

  • 3 tablespoons finely chopped onion

  • 1/2 cup finely chopped celery

  • 6 tablespoons butter, melted

  • 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

  • 1 teaspoon dried sage, crumbled

  • 4 cups dry bread, cut or torn into 1/4-inch pieces

  • 6 teaspoons butter

  • Chopped parsley, for garnish

  • Lemon wedges, optional

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    Baked Stuffed Fish Fillet ingredients gathered

    The Spruce Eats / Cara Cormack

  2. Preheat the oven to 350 F. Cut fish into strips.

    Cut the fish into strips

    The Spruce Eats / Cara Cormack

  3. Generously grease a muffin tin.

    Buttered muffin tins

    The Spruce Eats / Cara Cormack

  4. Line prepared muffin cups with fish strips.

    Line the prepared muffin cups with fish strips

    The Spruce Eats / Cara Cormack

  5. Sprinkle lightly with salt.

    Sprinkle the fish with salt

    The Spruce Eats / Cara Cormack

  6. In a small skillet, sauté onion and celery in 6 tablespoons of butter until just tender.

    In a small skillet, sauté onion and celery in butter

    The Spruce Eats / Cara Cormack

  7. Combine vegetable and butter mixture with salt, ground black pepper, sage, and bread pieces. Add a little hot water if stuffing seems too dry.

    Combine the vegetable and butter mixture with salt, ground black pepper, sage, and bread cubes

    The Spruce Eats / Cara Cormack

  8. Spoon stuffing into each fish-lined muffin cup.

    Spoon stuffing into each fish-lined muffin cup

    The Spruce Eats / Cara Cormack

  9. Dot the top of each stuffing center with about a 1/2 teaspoon of butter.

    Dot the top of each stuffing center with butter

    The Spruce Eats / Cara Cormack

  10. Sprinkle with chopped parsley.

    Sprinkle the stuffing in the muffin tins with chopped parsley

    The Spruce Eats / Cara Cormack

  11. Bake for 30 minutes, or until fish flakes easily with a fork.

    Baked Stuffed Fish Fillet in muffin tins

    The Spruce Eats / Cara Cormack

  12. Serve with lemon wedges, if desired.

    Baked Stuffed Fish Fillet on a plate

    The Spruce Eats / Cara Cormack

Recipe Variations

  • Add some crabmeat, chopped shrimp, or mushrooms to the stuffing if you'd like, or mix in about 1/4 cup of grated Parmesan cheese.

Tip

  • Make up some homemade tartar sauce to enjoy with your fish.

How to Store and Freeze Baked Stuffed Fish

This dish will keep for two to three days in the refrigerator as long as it's in a sealed container. If you'd like to freeze it, wrap each stuffed fish individually and then transfer it to a zip-close bag to freeze. Defrost, wrapped in foil, in a 350 F oven until completely hot.

How do you know when fish is cooked?

Fish turns an opaque color when it is done cooking. Test for doneness with a fork. When it is finished, your fish should flake easily. In terms of temperature, fish is ready when the interior reaches 140 F with an instant-read thermometer.