This Garlic Butter Rainbow Trout is a quick and flavorful dish that’s perfect for busy weeknights. Baked in a savory garlic butter sauce, it’s tender, flaky, and full of delicious flavor. Whether you’re a fish lover or just looking for something light and tasty, this recipe is a must-try!

And if you have an air fryer, try my Air Fryer Trout recipe.
I always buy salmon because I love it. Here in Canada, this fish is popular. You can find it in almost every grocery store. But the last time my husband went shopping on his own, he accidentally picked up a rainbow trout fillet instead.
I decided to give it a try with this recipe, and we were so happy with how it turned out that I’ve already made it a few more times. Now I’m excited to share it with you all because it’s just that good!
I liked it because it’s always good to change things up a little bit. If you enjoy salmon like me, you will love this fish too since it tastes similar, although trout tends to be a little stronger in flavor.
Key Ingredients to make rainbow trout Recipe
Rainbow trout fillet — You can make this recipe with fresh or frozen fish fillets. If buying fresh, check for shiny scales and firm flesh. For frozen fillets, check to make sure that there aren’t any dried out edges. You can also make this recipe with steelhead trout.
Butter — It’s better to use unsalted butter because it lets you control the amount of salt in your recipe more precisely.
Dill — I like to use fresh dill or parsley. But you can also use lots of different fresh herbs such as thyme, oregano and fresh thyme too.

How to Cook Trout
- First, preheat the oven to 375ºF.
- Second, cut a sheet of foil that is large enough to wrap the trout fillet very well.
- Place the trout fillet in the center of a foil-lined baking sheet. Fold up the foil sides, but don’t cover the fish yet.
- Pat the trout dry, then season it with dill, fresh garlic, salt and black pepper.

- Melt some butter in the microwave or on the stove and drizzle it over the trout until evenly coated.
- Fold the sides of the foil over the trout and cover the trout completely. Then, bake for about 13 minutes.
- The cooking time will depend on the size of the trout fillet. Now, open the foil, and broil for 3 minutes. Serve with squeeze fresh lemon juice and top with lemon slices.
Tip: Fish is cooked when it reaches 145ºF. I always use this food thermometer to check the internal temperature. It gives me an exact reading in seconds—no guesswork, just juicy, flaky fish every time.

Ways To Serve This Rainbow Trout
Roasted or Grilled Veggies: Try asparagus, bell peppers, red onions, zucchini, or squash as side dishes.
Potatoes: Mashed potatoes or herb-roasted with garlic and olive oil is great with this fish. Or try my air fryer sweet potato.
Fresh Salad: Toss spinach, arugula, or mixed greens with olive oil, balsamic vinegar, Parmesan, and nuts or make a greek salad.
Rice: Jasmine, wild, or fluffy rice pairs perfectly with trout.
Want Other Fish Recipes? Try These Favorites:
- Baked Halibut: Light, flakey, and moist, you are going to love this recipe.
- Baked Tilapia: This recipe is great for when you want lots of flavor without a lot of work.
- Garlic Butter Salmon in Foil: It’s ready in less than 25 minutes and is delicious with salads and roasted veggies.
- Garlic Butter Cod Fish Recipe: What a tender and juicy cod filet! I used garlic butter sauce I baked to perfection in 15 minutes!
- And if you have an air fryer, try my Air Fryer Trout recipe.


Garlic Butter Rainbow Trout Recipe
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Video
Ingredients
- 1 pound rainbow trout fillet
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- 2 tablespoons butter melted
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 teaspoon dill minced (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°F. Cut a sheet of foil large enough to wrap the trout completely. Then, cover the baking sheet with the aluminum foil, and place the trout fillet in the center.
- Then, season the trout with salt and pepper. Drizzle the melted butter over the trout until evenly coated and top with minced garlic and fresh minced dill.
- Fold the sides of the foil over the trout. Cover it completely.
- Bake for about 13 minutes or until the fish flakes easily with a fork. Then, open the foil, and broil for 3 minutes.
Tips
Nutrition Information
Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.
MARIE lAWSON says
can you freeze this trout prior to cooking
Olivia Ribas says
Yes you can.
Benjamin Higginbotham Perez says
Awesome 😎
Ann says
Cooking fish at 375 for 13 minutes is far too long even if wrapped in foil! The fish was totally dried out and tasteless.
Olivia Ribas says
The time will depend on the thickness of the fish you have.
Jennifer Jensen says
Hm interesting. We cooked it for 15 and it had zero dryness at ALL. This was the perfect recipe for us!! Thanks!
Roxanne Marchese says
This dish was amazing! I was shocked at the small amount of ingredients that were used and how awesome it came out. Everyone loved it and I will be serving this again soon. My fillets were relatively thin, so I baked approximately 10 minutes. I tend to tweak recipes, but this certainly did not require that!!! Thanks.
Olivia Ribas says
I’m thrilled to hear you loved the dish! It’s fantastic that it turned out so well with just a few ingredients. Your tip about adjusting the baking time for thinner fillets is helpful, and I appreciate you not needing to tweak the recipe. Thank you for sharing your positive experience, and I hope it becomes a regular favorite for you! 🌟 Happy cooking!
Susan Lee says
This is my new baked trout recipe. It was super easy and used ingredients I always have on hand, and oh my goodness the trout was sooo tender and tasty. No dry fish with this one! I’m going to use this recipe for salmon too.
Olivia Ribas says
Thank you so much for trying the baked trout recipe! I’m thrilled to hear that you found it easy and enjoyed the tender and tasty results. It’s versatile, so adapting it for salmon sounds like a delicious idea. Happy cooking! 🐟✨
Stacey says
Delicioso and super easy and quick! I didn’t have fresh dill, so used dried and it turned out lovely. Sides of risotto and steamed broccoli, cauliflower and snap peas.
Olivia Ribas says
Happy you liked it!
Jan says
Awesome result. Thanks!
Olivia Ribas says
Happy you liked it!
Maria says
Love salmon
Olivia Ribas says
It’s the best!
CN says
Super moist, delicious and easy to make
Olivia Ribas says
So happy you liked it!
Olivia Ribas says
So happy to hear that!