Baked Trout with Almond Butter (Printable)

Whole trout oven-baked and topped with a warm almond butter sauce infused with herbs and lemon.

# What You'll Need:

→ Fish

01 - 4 whole trout (approximately 10.5 oz each), cleaned and scaled
02 - 1 lemon, sliced
03 - 2 sprigs fresh parsley, chopped
04 - 2 sprigs fresh dill, chopped
05 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
06 - 2 tbsp olive oil

→ Almond Butter Sauce

07 - 5 tbsp unsalted butter
08 - 1.75 oz sliced almonds
09 - 1 tbsp lemon juice
10 - 1 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped

# How to Make It:

01 - Preheat the oven to 390°F. Line a baking tray with parchment paper or lightly oil it.
02 - Rinse the trout under cold water and pat dry with paper towels. Season both inside and outside with salt and pepper.
03 - Stuff each trout with several lemon slices, chopped parsley, and dill.
04 - Arrange the trout on the prepared baking tray and drizzle with olive oil.
05 - Bake for 18 to 20 minutes or until the flesh is opaque and flakes easily with a fork.
06 - In a small skillet over medium heat, melt the butter. Add sliced almonds and cook, stirring often, until golden brown, about 3 to 4 minutes.
07 - Remove the skillet from heat and stir in lemon juice and chopped parsley.
08 - Transfer the baked trout to plates and spoon the warm almond butter sauce over each fish.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • Whole fish intimidates no one once you realize how forgiving trout actually is in the oven.
  • The almond butter sauce comes together while the fish cooks, so you're never scrambling at the last moment.
  • It feels fancy enough for guests but honest enough for a quiet dinner for two.
02 -
  • The fish is done when the flesh at the thickest part turns opaque and a fork flakes it easily; overcooking by even three minutes dries it out and ruins the whole exercise.
  • Toast your almonds only when you hear the sizzle change pitch and smell that deep nuttiness, because they continue cooking on residual heat and can turn bitter if you're not paying attention.
03 -
  • Pat the trout completely dry before seasoning, because that single step is what separates silky skin from rubbery, and it takes thirty seconds.
  • Don't walk away while the almonds toast because they flip from golden to burnt in a blink, and staying present in the kitchen means you catch that moment of perfection.

Return