Have you ever eaten steelhead trout? I hadn’t until last weekend while picking up a few items at my local warehouse store. I passed by the food samples and noticed what I thought was salmon being offered. It certainly had the appearance of salmon but it turned out to be steelhead trout! This trout was prepared very simply with just olive oil and Parmesan cheese but it absolutely delicious. I decided it would make the perfect Sunday dinner so I grabbed a filet to bring home. I came up with this simple Parmesan Baked Steelhead Trout recipe inspired by the sample and it was a hit!
What is Steelhead Trout?
If you are like me and completely clueless about steelhead trout, I’ll fill you in. Rainbow trout and steelhead trout are really the same fish. The difference is that steelhead trout spend two or three years in the ocean and then typically comes back to fresh water to spawn whereas rainbow trout stays in fresh water their whole lives. And while they may be the same species, I found that steelhead trout tastes much more like salmon than it does rainbow trout.
How to Bake Steelhead Trout
You can cut your steelhead trout filet into individual portions or you can leave it whole with the skin on like I did. I wasn’t sure what my kids would think of this fish and thought it would be easier to take smaller portions off the larger filet to avoid any waste. Serving the whole filet looks pretty on a serving dish but cutting them before cooking makes for a nicer presentation on your plate.
For this steelhead trout recipe I chose to add garlic, lemon juice, parsley and Parmesan cheese because I love these flavors for fish. If you have a favorite salmon recipe you can easily swap out steelhead trout for salmon. You might not even notice the difference.
This steelhead trout recipe was an overall hit with my family. My 10 year old said it was the best fish he ever had and my husband really liked it, even though he normally doesn’t care for baked salmon. My other two boys ate it but said they preferred my pan fried fish. I loved it myself, but I can’t win them all over apparently!
- 2 lb steelhead trout filet
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 to 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley
- 1 lemon (half sliced, half juiced)
- 3 tablespoons fresh Parmesan cheese
- sea salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line baking sheet with aluminum foil.
- Place filet skin side down on baking sheet.
- In small bowl, stir together olive oil, parsley, garlic and juice from ½ of the lemon.
- Pour oil mixture over fish gently rub to coat.
- Sprinkle with sea salt and pepper to taste.
- Top with Parmesan cheese and sliced lemon.
- Bake for 12 to 15 minutes or until fish is flaky.
- Optional: Broil for 1 to 2 minutes at the end of cooking to slightly brown filet.
- Serve immediately.
Give This Steelhead Trout Recipe a Try!
You can have this fish dinner on your table in under 20 minutes. Serve them with my ridiculous easy drop biscuits and a fresh salad for an easy weeknight meal. Steelhead trout is loaded with lean protein in addition to vitamins, minerals and omega-3 fatty acids. It also contains a low level of contaminants so it is a dinner you can feel good about feeding it your family.
More Baked Fish Recipes
If you love fish, here are some more great baked fish recipes to add to your upcoming meal plan.
- Sauces are a great way to liven up your salmon. Try this maple glazed salmon with maple syrup and orange juice or this Asian Salmon with honey and soy sauce! Both would make a great weeknight dinner.
- Enjoy a unique spin on salmon with this Coconut Macadamia Crusted Salmon which features a macadamia nut, coconut, and panko topping. This Smoked Walnut Crusted Salmon is another way to included chopped nuts with your fish.
- Want a new cod recipe? The cracker topping on this oven baked cod adds the perfect crunch. The spinach, artichokes and a lemon butter sauce in this Mediterranean Cod recipe sound like a winning combination.
- Love Parmesan cheese on your fish like my steelhead trout recipe? Try this Lemon Baked Cod or this Parmesan Tilapia recipe!
Jean says
March 26, 2018 at 10:35 amThis looks like a great baked fish recipe. I’ll have to give it a try!
Nancy says
March 26, 2018 at 10:56 amThis recipe couldn’t have come at a better time! Trout is one fish that we don’t eat very often and I’m always looking for new ways to prepare it! Absolutely love the flavors in this and I know we are going to love it!!
Sandi says
March 26, 2018 at 11:08 amWe just had steel head trout a few days ago, except I cooked our on our grill. I love how you cooked yours in the oven, I will try that next time 🙂
Bill & Pat says
March 14, 2019 at 6:00 pmI cooked Parmesan Baked Steelhead Trout tonight, and it is a Forever winner!! Thank you, for such a delicious recipe!!
Galia Hutchinson says
March 25, 2019 at 4:09 pmI make steelhead as often as i find it in the market. Love it. I made your recipe last night and rate it as one of my favorites
Thanks for post.