Baked Whole Trout With Lemon And Dill

By
Peggy Trowbridge Filippone
Peggy Trowbridge Filippone
Peggy Trowbridge Filippone is a writer who develops approachable recipes for home cooks. Her recipes range from Grandma’s favorites to the latest food trends.
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Updated on 08/26/21
Baked whole trout recipe

The Spruce Eats / Julia Hartbeck

Prep: 20 mins
Cook: 30 mins
Total: 50 mins
Servings: 4 servings
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
189 Calories
3g Fat
30g Carbs
11g Protein
Show Full Nutrition Label Hide Full Nutrition Label
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4
Amount per serving
Calories 189
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 3g 4%
Saturated Fat 1g 3%
Cholesterol 23mg 8%
Sodium 402mg 17%
Total Carbohydrate 30g 11%
Dietary Fiber 7g 24%
Total Sugars 13g
Protein 11g
Vitamin C 131mg 657%
Calcium 96mg 7%
Iron 3mg 14%
Potassium 652mg 14%
*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.)

Rainbow trout, flavored primarily with dill weed and lemon, is baked whole in the oven. Once done, the fish releases easily from the bones.

Although a whole fish comes with the head and tail intact, your local fish market will scale and gut the fish for you, leaving a clean opening where you can add seasonings, fresh herbs, and slices of lemon.

Ingredients

  • 2 rainbow trout, about 1 pound each, scaled, gutted, and cleaned

  • 2 lemons

  • Salt, to taste

  • 2 teaspoons lemon pepper, or to taste

  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder, or to taste

  • 1 teaspoon onion powder, or to taste

  • 4 to 6 sprigs dill

  • Cooking spray

  • 1 pinch sweet Hungarian paprika

  • 1/2 cup white wine

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    Ingredients for baked whole trout
    The Spruce Eats / Julia Hartbeck

  2. Heat oven to 475 F. Line a shallow baking pan with foil. Insert a flat baking rack into the pan.

    Line a baking pan
    The Spruce Eats / Julia Hartbeck 

  3. Rinse the exterior and interior of the fish under cold water and pat dry with paper towels.

    Rinse exterior
    The Spruce Eats / Julia Hartbeck

  4. Slice one of the lemons into rounds as thinly as you can with a sharp knife.

    Slice lemons
    The Spruce Eats / Julia Hartbeck

  5. Lightly sprinkle the cavities of the fish with salt, lemon pepper, garlic powder, and onion powder.

    Sprinkle cavities of fish
    The Spruce Eats / Julia Hartbeck

  6. Stuff 2 to 3 sprigs of the dill weed into the cavities of the trout and follow with half of the lemon slices.

    Put into cavities
    The Spruce Eats / Julia Hartbeck

  7. Spray the entire skin of the fish with the cooking spray.

    Spray fish
    The Spruce Eats / Julia Hartbeck 

  8. Place fish on rack in the prepared pan. Spread remaining dill sprigs and lemon slices over the skin and top. Sprinkle lightly with paprika.

    Place fish on rack
    The Spruce Eats / Julia Hartbeck

  9. Pour wine down the side of the pan to coat the bottom under the rack.

    Pour wine
    The Spruce Eats / Julia Hartbeck 

  10. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until fish flesh is opaque and flakes with a fork.

    Bake
    The Spruce Eats / Julia Hartbeck

  11. Present the whole fish on a platter for your guests to admire before carving to serve. The flesh and skin should easily separate from the carcass.

    Present whole fish on platter
    The Spruce Eats / Julia Hartbeck

  12. To serve, sprinkle the fish fillets lightly with paprika. Garnish with remaining lemon, cut into wedges, and a dill sprig.

    Serve
    The Spruce Eats / Julia Hartbeck

Tips

  • Instead of filleting the fish in the kitchen before serving to your guests, present the fish whole at the table before you separate it into serving pieces for an impressive presentation.
  • If you can't find or don't care for trout, other varieties of whole fish can be substituted. 

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