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This Baked Lemon Pepper Grouper recipe is a wonderful weeknight option clocking in at just 20 minutes. It’s healthy, easy, and brings on a ton of flavor despite the unfussy approach.
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Most white fish are known for their milder flavors, versatility, and approachability. This baked lemon pepper grouper recipe checks all of those boxes, making it a perfect dinner option for beginners and experts alike. The seasoning is bright and zesty, and the fish comes out of the oven golden brown and flaky!
Looking for more easy fish recipes? My recipe for baked flounder au gratin is a family favorite with it’s cheesy breadcrumb topping. Same goes for this Baked Alaska pollock. My pan-fried flounder with creamy lemon caper sauce is also a fantastic (and simple!) choice, and you’ll love the sauce with this baked cod with tomato herb butter.
Why You’ll Love This Grouper Recipe
- It’s easy—No frills with this one! Under 10 ingredients and 20 minutes. You may even already have the necessary ingredients on hand.
- It’s healthy—This baked grouper recipe is so light and skips the sauces and breading. Lemon pepper seasoning is super flavorful so you really don’t need much else!
Baked Grouper Ingredients
A full ingredient list with exact measurements can be found in the recipe card below.
- Lemon pepper seasoning—Not all lemon pepper seasonings are made equal. Some are salted and some aren’t, which is important to keep in mind. Season your fish accordingly. Dash has a salt-free option which lets you determine how much salt you want to use.
- Sea salt—If you’re using a lemon pepper seasoning that doesn’t include salt, then sprinkle your fillets with some sea salt before adding the rest of the seasoning.
- Flour—Mixing flour in with the seasoning helps a nice crust form. You can omit it, however.
Recipe Variations & Modifications
- Fish fillets—This recipe will absolutely work with any mild fish! You could even do it with salmon.
- Dried parsley—I’ve added dried parsley to the seasoning for a bit of an herbaceous flare, but you could omit it. Sometimes I use this homemade Italian seasoning!
- Bread crumbs—You could add a few tablespoons of bread crumbs to the seasoning if you want more crunch.
How to Make Baked Lemon Pepper Grouper
Step 1. Preheat the oven to 425º F. Remove the fish from the fridge and carefully blot it with paper towels to get rid of excess moisture. Let it come to room temperature (this should take about 15 mins).
Step 2. In the meantime, grab a small mixing bowl and mix together 1 tablespoon of flour with 1 tablespoon of lemon pepper seasoning, 1/2 teaspoon of garlic powder, 1/2 teaspoon of onion powder, and 1/2 teaspoon of dried parsley.
Step 3. Season the grouper fillets with your mixture making sure to distribute it evenly over the fillets, gently rubbing and pressing it down. Grate some grated lemon zest oven the fillets and place lemon wedges onto to baking sheet to bake.
Step 4. Pop the baking sheet into the oven and roast for about 8-10 minutes. Grouper fillets are thin so they don’t need much time. You want them to register an internal temperature of around 140º F with a meat thermometer. When done, remove from the oven and serve with the warm lemon wedges for a fresh drizzle of lemon juice.
Recipe Tip
Don’t skip out on letting the fish sit out to come closer to room temperature. This helps the fish get a nice and even cook.
How to Serve Baked Grouper
Grouper has a mild and clean taste, so it can pair with a lot of different things! We love it with a side of these oven roasted mini potatoes or air fryer French fries. It’s also great with this lemon-y grilled asparagus, air fryer green beans, or even a nice Greek salad.
Storage & Reheating
- Leftovers can be store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days.
- To reheat, transfer the fish to a microwave-safe plate and heat in increments of 15 seconds until warmed through. This fish actually tastes fine cold as well, so if you want to avoid a fishy smell in the kitchen, pop it into a sandwich with some lettuce, tomato, and mayo!
Frequently Asked Questions
When fish is overcooked, it can get dry and even a little bit rubbery. It’s important to pay close attention to cook times and internal temperatures by using a meat thermometer.
The general rule is about 12-14 minutes per inch of thickness, but many grouper fillets I’ve brought home are quite thin. That’s why this recipe recommends 8-10 minutes. Gauge it by the thickness of the fish and don’t be shy to check in on it with that thermometer!
Grouper is often compared to bass and halibut with its mild and somewhat sweet flavor. In general, most grouper fish are very similar in taste, but there can be a slight difference in flavor and texture depending on size, species, and where the fish was harvested.
More Easy Mild White Fish Recipes…
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Crispy Baked Alaska Pollock Recipe
Fish and Seafood
20-Minute Baked Flounder Au Gratin
Fish and Seafood
Pan-Fried Flounder With Creamy Lemon Caper Sauce
Fish and Seafood
Chili-Seasoned Grilled Mahi Mahi Recipe
If you try this Baked Lemon Pepper Grouper, please pop back in and leave a 🌟 star rating and let us know how it went in the 📝 comments below.
Easy Baked Lemon Pepper Grouper
Ingredients
- 2 Boneless, skinless grouper fillets
- 1 TBSP lemon pepper seasoning
- 1 TBSP all purpose flour
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp onion powder
- 1/2 tsp dried parsley
- 1 TBSP olive oil
- 1 lemon, zested and cut into wedges
- Chopped fresh parsley, for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425º F.
- Remove the fish from the fridge and carefully blot it with paper towels to get rid of excess moisture. Let it come to room temperature (this should take about 15 mins).
- In the meantime, grab a small mixing bowl and mix together 1 tablespoon of flour with 1 tablespoon of lemon pepper seasoning, 1/2 teaspoon of garlic powder, 1/2 teaspoon of onion powder, and 1/2 teaspoon of dried parsley.
- Season the grouper fillets with your mixture making sure to distribute it evenly over the fillets, gently rubbing and pressing it down. Grate some lemon zest oven the fillets and place lemon wedges onto to baking sheet to bake.
- Pop the baking sheet into the oven and bake for about 8-10 minutes. Grouper fillets are thin so they don’t need much time. You want them to register an internal temperature of around 140º F with a meat thermometer.
- When done, remove from the oven and serve with the warm lemon wedges.
love that tangy sauce with fish. it was really lovely and goes well with pasta or wild rice!
Love the flavors in this recipe. All of the elements are great. Didn’t stop at lemon pepper! The tomatoes, onions, so good.
I’m so glad, Patricia!
Great recipe
Thank you!
I’ve always just pan-fried grouper with some salt, pepper, and a light breaded coating. This took it to a whole new level. It was so flavorful and fresh tasting. Thanks for a great recipe. Bet this would be great with haddock.
Really glad you decided to try this! It would be awesome with haddock.