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Oven Poached Flounder with Garlic and Olive Oil

Looking for a delicious flounder recipe for busy nights? Oven Poached Flounder with Garlic and Olive Oil is a quick and easy recipe – and flavorful too.

Oven Poached Flounder with Garlic and Olive Oil

“Winter was not kind to my body this year.” Those words escaped my lips at the beach last week. It erupted forward before I could self-censor myself and tuck the sentiment away. My cousins, to whom I spoke, quickly tried to argue with compliments, a sweet gesture but the scale doesn’t lie. I’ve put on more weight than I am comfortable carrying around. I hate it. And I especially hate the constant battle with my weight.

What happened to the days when my weight was constant? (Yes, I know the answer: age, time, kids, work, stress, rinse, repeat.)

Then one of my cousins suggested we all try the Mediterranean diet, which is more a lifestyle or eating philosophy than diet. I’m familiar with the principals of the Mediterranean diet, which I have loosely followed for several years. In the past few months, I’ve been lax about it … Perhaps that’s to blame for the weight gain. Anyway, I agreed. We’re trying it.

The Mediterranean diet is inspired by the actual diet of folks in the Mediterranean region.  Before modeling my own diet after it, I researched it a bit and read The Mediterranean Prescription.

Basically, you eat lots of fruits, vegetables, legumes, nuts, seeds and whole grains. Olive oil is used freely. You can eat dairy in moderation. Fish is eaten several times a week, along with some poultry. Healthy fats and red wine are ok too — in moderation. Red meat is seldom had.

As far as eating styles go, this is something I can really get behind. It’s natural to me to eat lots of fruits and veggies. And 12-grain bread is my absolute favorite. The challenge for me is to eat enough fish. And to eat red meat seldom (I typically have it once a week). But these are things that I can overcome.

Baked Flounder with Garlic and Olive Oil

Our conversation and collective decision inspired me to pick up flounder fillets when I was at the store this weekend.

Flounder is a low mercury fish, and these thin wild-caught fillets were perfect for the recipe I had in mind. This is something I’ve made a few times, using whatever white fish I had handy. It’s good with catfish fillets, cod or tilapia as well.

Flounder Recipe with Garlic and Olive Oil

Basically, the fish is bathed in an olive oil garlic mixture, salted and topped with fragrant thyme. Yes, it sounds like a lot of olive oil, but in reality, you don’t eat all that oil — and the flavor it gives is worth it.

Baked Flounder Recipe

Then you bake it until the fish flakes effortlessly when pricked with a fork. Serve it with lemon wedges (yes, it’s required. Lemon and fish is a must). It’s a simple recipe, but one that produces a tender, delicate fish that the kids and I love.

What about you? Do you have an eating philosophy you follow?

Oven Poached Flounder with Garlic and Olive Oil
Oven Poached Flounder with Garlic and Olive Oil

Oven Poached Flounder with Garlic and Olive Oil

Yield: 4 servings
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 20 minutes

Ingredients

  • 1 lb flounder fillets, thin fillets -- about 1/4 inch thick
  • 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
  • 2-3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 4-5 sprigs fresh thyme, one for each fillet
  • sea salt
  • lemon wedges

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Spray a 9x13-inch glass baking dish with cooking oil spray. Rinse the flounder under cool water and arrange in the pan.
  2. Whisk together the olive oil and garlic. Then pour over the flounder. Place a spring of thyme on each piece of flounder.
  3. Salt, to taste, with sea salt.
  4. Slide the baking dish into the preheated oven and bake for 12-15 minutes, until the fish flakes easily with a fork.
  5. Serve immediately with lemon wedges.

Love this recipe?

Check out my cookbook, The Super Easy 5-Ingredient Cookbook, from Rockridge Press. It’s all about cooking well, easily and simply. It’s filled with easy, accessible recipes that the whole family will love. We’re talking one-pan, 30-minute and no-cook recipes for every meal of the day.

Carol

Saturday 19th of May 2018

Also, I added a little fresh chopped parsley on top of the lemon zest (so it wouldn’t take over that flavor) it was wonderful, if anyone is a fan of parsley flavor with fish it was a nice touch!

Another side note, I suffer with digestive disease and my tummy is very picky lol this didn’t bother me at all! I was expecting to be in a bit of pain after but it sounded too good to pass up, turned out safe for that as well! Thanks again!

Carol

Saturday 19th of May 2018

Thank you for the recipe! Made a few adjustments with what I had to work with but the overall flavor came from the lemon zest, garlic and pepper and it was absolutely delicious and easy to make! I want to make that lemon zest for all my fish now. It would even be something I would put in a soufflé cup on the side for anyone to add some extra fresh!

Sarah Walker Caron

Sunday 20th of May 2018

Carol, I am so glad you liked this! It's one of my favorite methods of making fish. It's also lovely with catfish, halibut and other mild white fish.

PeggyH

Friday 27th of May 2016

Made this tonight. The flounder was tender and tasty. Didn't have any fresh thyme so I whisked in dried thyme with the olive oil. Thank you so much will definitely make this again.

Sarah Walker Caron

Monday 30th of May 2016

Thank you, PeggyH! So glad you enjoyed it.

Heather

Wednesday 23rd of March 2016

Nice and simple, just how I like it! Thanks for sharing! I made this last night for my husband and I. He's usually the cook and is very picky. When I get approval from my husband, you know it's good.

Linda Formichelli

Monday 23rd of June 2014

Thanks for this recipe! My 5-year-old has been telling me he wants to try fish, so I made this last night. He LOVED it and said, "I can't wait to tell my nana I like fish!"

I used catfish because the store was out of flounder. I mixed about 1 tablespoon of fresh thyme leaves into the olive oil/garlic mixture instead of putting sprigs on top, and put a thin slice of lemon on each fillet before baking. Wonderful!

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