Baked Haddock Breadcrumbs (Print Version)

Tender haddock fillets baked with a golden, flavorful breadcrumb topping and fresh herbs.

# What You Need:

→ Fish

01 - 4 skinless, boneless haddock fillets (approximately 5.3 oz each)

→ Breadcrumb Topping

02 - 1 cup (2.1 oz) fresh breadcrumbs
03 - 2 tablespoons finely chopped parsley
04 - 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
05 - 1 garlic clove, minced
06 - 2 tablespoons melted unsalted butter
07 - 1 teaspoon lemon zest
08 - ½ teaspoon salt
09 - ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

→ For Baking

10 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
11 - Lemon wedges, for serving

# How to Make It:

01 - Preheat the oven to 400°F. Lightly grease a baking dish with 1 tablespoon olive oil.
02 - Pat the haddock fillets dry with paper towels, arrange in the baking dish, drizzle with remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil, and season lightly with salt and pepper.
03 - In a mixing bowl, combine breadcrumbs, parsley, Parmesan, garlic, melted butter, lemon zest, salt, and black pepper; mix until evenly coated.
04 - Spoon the breadcrumb mixture evenly over the haddock fillets, pressing gently to ensure it adheres.
05 - Bake for 18 to 20 minutes, or until the fish flakes easily with a fork and the topping is golden brown.
06 - Serve immediately with lemon wedges.

# Expert Hints:

01 -
  • The fish stays tender and moist while the topping gets impossibly crispy—it's the best kind of textural contrast.
  • Twenty minutes from fridge to table means weeknight dinner doesn't have to mean takeout.
  • It tastes fancy enough to serve guests, but honest and unfussy enough to make on a Tuesday.
02 -
  • If your fish is even slightly wet when you top it, the breadcrumbs will steam rather than crisp—so don't skip the paper towel step no matter how rushed you are.
  • The oven temperature matters; too cool and you'll get a soft, bland topping, but too hot and it burns before the fish cooks through.
03 -
  • Make the breadcrumb topping mixture ahead of time and store it in the fridge; when you're ready to cook, you're just assembling and baking.
  • If you can't find haddock, cod works beautifully and cooks at exactly the same speed—the important thing is that it's fresh and flakes easily.

Go Back