Are you looking for an easy weeknight meal? Try this baked flounder recipe with pistachio pesto! Our flaky and tender fillets are lightly seasoned with butter, parsley, and simple spices, then topped with a flavorful homemade pesto to enhance the mild-tasting flounder.
“Easy to make, and delicious! I will be making this again.”
Barbara, Pinterest
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Pesto: Finish the baked flounder with a homemade pesto sauce; it is easy to make and combines toasted pistachios, basil leaves, lemon zest, fresh garlic cloves, olive oil, and grated parmesan cheese. Use store-bought pesto to garnish the fish if you prefer not to prepare the sauce from scratch.
- Flounder: While fresh flounder is ideal, frozen filets work just as well. Thaw the fillets and pat them dry before using them in this recipe; I use the frozen flounder fillets from Costco.
- Spices: Lightly season the fillets with dried parsley, salt, black pepper, and red pepper flakes.
Additions and Substitutions
- Dried parsley, salt, black pepper, and red pepper flakes create a perfect base to highlight the pesto sauce, but you can experiment with different herbs, such as dried rosemary or dill.
- Consider using skhug or shatta sauce rather than pesto if you prefer a spicer topping.
How to Make a Baked Flounder Recipe
The full recipe with measurements is in the recipe card below.
Step 1: Toast the pistachios in a skillet over low heat and transfer them to a food processor with the pesto ingredients, except olive oil.
Process until smooth. Then, slowly pour the oil into the food processor in a steady stream while blending on low to emulsify.
Set it aside.
Step 2: Preheat the oven to 325°F (162°C). Then, combine melted butter, salt, pepper, dried parsley, and red pepper flakes in a small bowl.
Step 3: Arrange the flounder fillets into the baking dish and brush them with the butter mixture.
Step 4: Bake for 10-20 minutes.
Tip: Reduce or increase the cooking time based on the thickness of the fillets.
Step 6: Remove the pan from the oven and let them rest for 5 minutes before topping the fillets with the reserved pesto.
Expert Tips
- How long to bake flounder? The flounder is a delicate fish, and if you are using thin filets (like those pictured), I recommend checking for doneness at the 10-minute mark. Thicker cuts of flounder may take longer; consider baking them for 20-25 minutes.
- How do you know when flounder is done? The pesto flounder will be white and flaky after it finishes baking. Use a food thermometer to check the internal temperature of the fish. The safe cooking temperature for flounder is 145°F (62°C).
If you enjoy the meal, try one of these seafood recipes!
Serving Suggestions
- Rice: White Rice, Rice Pilaf, Risotto, Quinoa
- Vegetables: Mashed Cauliflower, Grilled Zucchini, Broccoli and Cauliflower, Zucchini and Squash, Asparagus
- Sides: Hush Puppies, Butter Noodles
- Salad: Vegetable Chopped Salad, Caesar Salad, Arugula and Spinach Salad, Homemade Coleslaw with Mint and Cilantro, Vinegar Coleslaw
What to do with the Leftovers
- Refrigerate: Store the leftovers in an airtight container. Baked flounder will keep for 3-4 days.
- Reheat: Warm the leftovers in the oven or cook them in the microwave for 30-40 seconds.
- Repurpose: Add leftover fish to white rice or cauliflower rice to make a protein bowl, or use the fish as a filling for warm corn tortillas for a quick fish taco.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does flounder taste like?
Flounder has a delicate, mild flavor that’s slightly sweet.
More Quick Dinner Ideas:
Baked Flounder Recipe
- Small Bowl
- ⅓ cup pesto
- 4 flounder fillets
- 2 tablespoons butter
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper, coarse ground
- ¼ teaspoon dried parsley
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- Toast the pistachios in a skillet over low heat and transfer them to a food processor with the pesto ingredients, except olive oil. Process until smooth. Then, slowly pour the oil into the food processor in a steady stream while blending on low to emulsify.
- Preheat the oven to 325°F (162°C). Then, combine melted butter, salt, pepper, dried parsley, and red pepper flakes in a small bowl.
- Arrange the flounder fillets into the baking dish and brush them with the butter mixture.
- Bake for 10-20 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven and let them rest for 5 minutes before topping the fillets with the reserved pesto. Tip: Reduce or increase the cooking time based on the thickness of the fillets.
- How long to bake flounder? The flounder is a delicate fish, and if you are using thin filets (like those pictured), I recommend checking for doneness at the 10-minute mark. Thicker cuts of flounder may take longer; consider baking them for 20-25 minutes.
- How do you know when flounder is done? The pesto flounder will be white and flaky after it finishes baking. Use a food thermometer to check the internal temperature of the fish. The safe cooking temperature for flounder is 145°F (62°C).
- The nutritional information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for professional advice.
Ali
Friday 26th of May 2023
Great recipe!
Tressa Jamil
Monday 2nd of October 2023
I am thrilled you enjoyed it. Thank you for taking the time to rate the recipe and leave a comment.
Emily Reynolds
Friday 26th of May 2023
This baked flounder recipe is a weeknight dinner winner!The fillets melt in your mouth, and the homemade pesto adds so much flavor. My family loved it!
Tressa Jamil
Monday 2nd of October 2023
You are so right about the fillets melting in your mouth. I may need to add that to the post. I am so happy this is a meal your whole family enjoyed.