Super Easy Baked Fish Dinner Foil Packets

If you’re looking for an easy, healthy dinner that requires very little effort and even less cleanup, these Easy Fish Pockets are for you! Tender fish fillets are baked in individual foil packets with vegetables, lemon, fresh herbs, and your favorite seasonings. The result is flavorful, perfectly cooked fish with all the juices tucked inside the packet.

Why I love this Easy Fish Pocket

This is one of those easy fish recipes I come back to when I want to get dinner on the table without making a big production out of it. Each person gets their own little fish packet, and you can customize the vegetables, seasonings, and type of fish to suit your family.

I originally shared this recipe years ago as an easy option for Fridays during Lent. Growing up, our family observed the tradition of no meat on Fridays during Lent, which meant plenty of American Legion fish fries and tuna noodle casserole. While my family doesn’t follow that tradition today, I still love having simple fish recipes in my back pocket.

These fish foil packets are also a great way to introduce your family to cooking fish. There is no frying, no complicated sauce, and no fishy-smelling kitchen. Just fresh fish, a few simple ingredients, and a hot oven!

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Why You’ll Love These Fish Foil Packets

There are so many reasons these easy fish pockets have remained a favorite:

• Easy: Assemble the packets, put them on a baking sheet, and let the oven do the work.
• Healthy: Fish and vegetables make a simple, nutritious meal.
• Flexible: Use your favorite fish and whatever vegetables you have on hand.
• Flavorful: Lemon, garlic, herbs, and Italian seasoning create a delicious combination.
• Family-friendly: Everyone can customize their own packet.
• Minimal cleanup: When dinner is finished, toss the foil. Clean up is so easy!

These are perfect for busy weeknights, Lenten meals, or anytime you need fresh dinner ideas.

How to make Easy Fish Pockets

Prepare the oven and the foil – Preheat your oven to 400°F.

Cut a large piece of foil for each serving. You want enough foil to completely enclose the fish and vegetables with room to fold and seal the edges.

Drizzle the foil with olive oil and place the fish fillet in the middle.

Surround fish with 1/2 – 1 cup vegetables. (See vegetable section for more ideas.)

Drizzle the fish with a little olive oil. Season with salt, pepper, garlic powder, and a pinch of dill weed.

Add a few lemon slices and more fresh herbs such as dill, parsley, or thyme if you like.

Seal the fish packets.

Bring the long sides of the foil together over the fish. Fold them together several times to create a sealed packet. Fold the short ends upward and toward the top so the juices stay inside.

Place the sealed packets on the baking sheet and bake at 400°F.

Tilapia generally takes about 12 minutes, while salmon may take closer to 15-20 minutes, depending on the thickness of the fish.

Because the size and thickness of fish fillets vary, use the fish’s internal temperature and appearance to determine when it is fully cooked.

Suggested internal temperature – test using a meat thermometer

Salmon: 120°F to 125°F (medium)
Halibut and Cod: 130°F to 135°F
Tuna: Served rare below 115°F

If you’re making different flavors of fish packets, write the flavor on the outside of the foil with a permanent marker before baking.

Tips for Making the Best Fish Packets

Don’t overcrowd the packet. Give the fish and vegetables a little room so the heat can circulate and everything cooks evenly.

Use fish fillets that are similar in thickness. If you’re cooking several packets at once, choosing fish of similar thickness will help them finish cooking at approximately the same time.

Don’t skip the lemon. Lemon slices and lemon juice brighten the flavor of the fish and vegetables.

Fresh herbs make a difference. Fresh dill, parsley, basil, or thyme can add a lot of flavor without making the recipe complicated.

Season generously. Fish has a mild flavor, so don’t be afraid to use your favorite fish seasonings.

Watch the steam. Open the packets carefully after baking. There will be quite a bit of hot steam trapped inside. You don’t want you or anyone else getting burned.

Use a baking sheet. Even though the packets are sealed, placing them on a baking sheet makes them much easier to handle and catches any juices that might escape.

Tips and Variations

Mediterranean Fish Packets

Use tilapia or another white fish with tomatoes, spinach, red onion, Kalamata olives, feta, lemon, Italian Dressing in place of olive oil.

Lemon Dill Salmon

Use salmon with olive oil, lemon slices, fresh dill, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. This is one of my favorite combinations. I also add vegetables inside these packets as well.

Fish and Vegetable Packets

Add bell peppers, zucchini, summer squash, green beans, asparagus, tomatoes, or broccoli to make these packets a complete meal.

Garlic Butter Fish

Skip the olive oil and add a tablespoon of garlic butter to each packet along with lemon slices and fresh herbs.

White Wine Fish Packets

Add a small splash of white wine before sealing the foil. The wine creates a lovely little bit of steam and adds flavor to the fish.

Shrimp Foil Packets

You can use this same basic method to make shrimp foil packets. Add shrimp, lemon, garlic, and your favorite seasonings. Shrimp cook much faster than most fish fillets, so be careful not to overcook them. 5-7 minutes in in oven and let rest for 5 minutes before opening. I would make my vegetables in separate packets because they will take longer than the shrimp.

Frequently Asked Questions

What to Serve with Fish Packets

For an especially easy weeknight meal, serve as is or if you have time add one of the above sides.

These fish pockets are delicious served with:

• Brown rice
• Crusty bread
• Roasted potatoes
• A simple green salad
• Quinoa
• Couscous

Can I Make Fish Packets Ahead of Time?

You can assemble the packets a few hours ahead of time and keep them refrigerated until you’re ready to bake them. I wouldn’t assemble them too far in advance because the vegetables and fish are best when fresh.

If you have leftovers, allow the fish to cool and store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Reheat gently so the fish doesn’t become dry.

Can I Make These on the Grill?

Yes! Fish foil packets are also delicious cooked on the grill. Place the sealed packets on a preheated grill and cook until the fish is opaque and reaches a safe internal temperature.

Grilling gives the vegetables and fish a little extra smoky flavor and makes these a great summer dinner.

What Kind of Fish Is Best for Foil Packets?

I love tilapia and salmon for this recipe, but you have plenty of options. Mahi mahi, cod, halibut, and other firm fish work well.

The most important thing is to choose fresh fish and adjust the cooking time according to the thickness of your piece of fish.

I love recipes like these because they make getting dinner on the table feel manageable. You don’t need a complicated recipe or a long list of ingredients to make something your family will enjoy.

These fish pockets are one of those healthy dinners that feel a little special without requiring much work. Everyone gets their own packet, the fish stays tender and flavorful, and you can change the vegetables and seasonings depending on what you have in the refrigerator.

And let’s talk about the best part: clean up is so easy! Once you’ve enjoyed your dinner, there is no pan full of baked-on fish to scrub. Just fold up the foil and you’re practically done.

Whether you’re looking for Lenten dinner ideas, an easy weeknight meal, or simply a new way to cook fish, I hope you’ll give these fish foil packets a try. Make them your own with your favorite fish, vegetables, herbs, and seasonings.

From my table to yours, with love! Sheila