Baked Halibut Marsala Recipe with Mushrooms - Healthy Dinner Recipe (2024)

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Tender white fish fillets are baked and smothered in a marsala wine mushroom sauce for a healthy, delicious baked halibut recipe. 315 calories and 4 Weight Watchers SP
Baked Halibut Marsala Recipe with Mushrooms - Healthy Dinner Recipe (1)

If you are a traditionalist at heart, please accept my sincere apologies. This baked halibut Marsala recipe is clearly blasphemous to Italian cuisine on so many levels. Are mushrooms in Marsala wine sauce supposed to be spooned over barramundi fish fillets? No, of course not! Chicken...it's supposed to be chicken.

And then there's the whole matter of baking the fish, rather than breading and pan-frying. As I said...blasphemous. But stick with me here.

It was clear after tasting this baked fish recipe that Marsala wine and mushroom sauce was meant to be shared with fish. The rich, flavorful sauce seeps into every nook and cranny, complementing the mild, slightly sweet taste of the halibut fillets. There's nothing wrong about that!

WHAT YOU NEED FOR THIS BAKED HALIBUT RECIPE:

These are the main components need for this recipe (affiliate links included)…

  • Fish: Halibut is a favorite around here, but any dense white fish will work. Cod and barramundi would be good substitutes.
  • Mushrooms: The recipe calls for crimini mushrooms, but regular white mushrooms can be substituted. For an even richer, earthier flavor, try shiitake mushrooms.
  • Marsala: Marsala is an Italian fortified wine. Both dry and sweet Marsala wine are available and either can be used for this recipe, though I prefer the dry version.
  • Thickening: The recipe calls for one tablespoons of flour to thicken the sauce. Feel free to swap it out with cornstarch or arrowroot for gluten free options. If using arrowroot, I suggest using about half the amount.
  • Broth: Chicken broth mixes with the Marsala to make the sauce. If I don’t have homemade broth on hand, I use this one or the Trader Joe’s chicken broth.
  • Aromatics: Minced shallots and garlic add extra flavor to the sauce.

Baked Halibut Marsala Recipe with Mushrooms - Healthy Dinner Recipe (2)

Is halibut good for you?

Yes! Halibut is a lean white fish that is rich in protein in omega-3 fatty acids. I figured that if I was going to cook with a healthy fish such as halibut, why not bake instead of pan-fry?

How to bake halibut and tips for this recipe:

Since halibut is a lean fish, it’s easy to overcook it, which causes it to dry out. Check out my tip below for determining when fish is cooked through.

Rub the halibut fillets with olive oil, season with salt and pepper and place on a foil-line baking sheet or in a ceramic or glass baking dish. Cook at 375 degrees F until just cooked through.

Cooking time will vary depending on the thickness of the fish fillets. I suggest checking the fish early to ensure that it doesn’t overcook.

I am a lover of mushrooms (well, and wine, too), so I didn’t want to skimp on the sauce. There’s nothing worse than having to carefully sop up the sauce to be certain that each piece of fish gets its share. There was plenty here to satisfy my mushrooms craving.

I left out the standard tablespoons of butter typically used to finish a marsala wine sauce. Instead, I made a roux with a little flour to thicken the sauce in a low-calorie kind of way.

Baked Halibut Marsala Recipe with Mushrooms - Healthy Dinner Recipe (3)

How to tell when fish is cooked:

My favorite fish tip, which I share again and again because it’s so useful! To tell if the fish is cooked, insert a small, sharp knife into the center of the fillet. Hold it there for 10 seconds. Remove the knife and carefully lay the side of the knife against your upper lip or the inside of your wrist, which are both sensitive to temperature. If the knife is hot, the fish is done. Works every time!

Remember that the fish will continue to cook for a minute or two after it’s removed from the oven, so I suggest removing it a minute or so early.

Baked Halibut Marsala Recipe with Mushrooms - Healthy Dinner Recipe (4)

Other white fish recipes:

{Cookin' Canuck}
Poached Fish in Easy Tomato Sauce {Cookin’ Canuck}
Moroccan Fish Skewers with Barramundi {Jelly Toast}
Halibut Picatta with Asparagus {A Sweet Pea Chef}

Printable Recipe

Baked Halibut Marsala Recipe with Mushrooms - Healthy Dinner Recipe (5)

Baked Fish Marsala Recipe with Mushrooms

Tender white fish fillets are baked and smothered in a Marsala wine mushroom sauce for a healthy, delicious baked halibut recipe. 315 calories and 4 Weight Watchers SP

4.48 from 42 votes

Print Pin Rate

Course: Entrees

Cuisine: Italian

Keyword: Baked Halibut, Healthy Dinner Recipes, Seafood Recipes

Prep Time: 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes minutes

Servings: 4 Servings

Calories: 315.1kcal

Author: Dara Michalski | Cookin' Canuck

Ingredients

  • 4 (6 oz. each) halibut fillets
  • ½ teaspoon salt divided
  • ½ teaspoon ground pepper divided
  • 4 teaspoons olive oil divided
  • 12 ounces crimini mushrooms thinly sliced
  • 3 tablespoons minced shallots
  • 1 garlic clove minced
  • 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
  • ¾ cup chicken broth
  • ¾ cup Marsala wine
  • 3 tablespoons minced flat-leaf parsley

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with foil and coat with cooking spray.

  • Place the barramundi fillets on the prepared baking sheet, rub with 1 teaspoon olive oil and season with ¼ teaspoon and ¼ teaspoon pepper.

  • Bake until the fish is just cooked through, 10 to 12 minutes.

  • Heat 1 teaspoon olive oil in a large nonstick skillet set over medium heat. Cook the mushrooms until they release and then reabsorb their juices, about 5 minutes. Transfer the mushrooms to a bowl.

  • Heat 1 teaspoons olive oil in the skillet. Add the shallots and garlic, and cook until the shallots are starting to soften, about 2 minutes.

  • Add the remaining teaspoon of olive oil, then stir in the flour and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Pour in the chicken broth and Marsala wine and simmer, stirring frequently, until the sauce is slightly thickened, about 2 minutes. Season with the remaining ¼ teaspoon of salt and pepper.

  • Add the cooked fish and mushrooms to the skillet and cook until the fish is heated, about 2 minutes.

  • Garnish with parsley and serve.

Notes

Weight Watchers Points: 4 (Blue - Freestyle SmartPoints), 4 (Green), 4 (Purple)

Nutrition

Serving: 1Fillet + ¼ of Mushroom Sauce | Calories: 315.1kcal | Carbohydrates: 10.6g | Protein: 37.6g | Fat: 12.3g | Saturated Fat: 2.9g | Cholesterol: 98.4mg | Sodium: 663mg | Fiber: 1.1g | Sugar: 2.3g

Tried this recipe?If you make this recipe, I'd love to see it on Instagram! Just use the hashtag #COOKINCANUCK and I'll be sure to find it.

This post was originally published on April 7, 2014 and updated on January 20, 2020.

Disclosure: I am a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for me to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.

Baked Halibut Marsala Recipe with Mushrooms - Healthy Dinner Recipe (2024)

FAQs

Is dry or sweet Marsala better for chicken Marsala? ›

However, when we tried both styles in recipes for chicken Marsala, mushroom stuffing, and zabaglione, tasters preferred the dry style in all instances. Though both were acceptable, tasters found that dry Marsala offered more depth of flavor, while sweet Marsala added sweetness and some flavor but wasn't as complex.

What type of Marsala wine is used for chicken marsala? ›

Use dry marsala rather than sweet marsala which is more commonly used in desserts. Sub with port wine, sherry, or madeira. For non alcoholic version, better to make Chicken with Creamy Mushroom Sauce! 4.

Is cooking Marsala wine the same as Marsala wine? ›

The main difference between cooking wine and wine that you drink is quality. But just as a fine wine has subtle nuances, so too does the definition of cooking wine.

What is a good substitute for dry Marsala? ›

For savory dishes where a dry Marsala wine is indicated, dry versions of sherry or Madeira can be employed as a good substitute. For sweet Marsala wine, look to sweet sherry or Pedro Ximénez to provide a similar depth of flavor.

Can I use balsamic vinegar instead of Marsala wine? ›

To make the perfect marsala wine substitute for chicken marsala, replace ½ cup of marsala wine with ½ cup chicken stock, 1 tablespoon of balsamic vinegar, and one teaspoon of sugar. Mix the chicken broth mixture into your recipe exactly the same way you would add the marsala.

How long does Marsala wine last once opened? ›

Due to the fortifying process, Marsala wine lasts 4-6 months after opening. Although it won't go bad if you keep it in the cupboard longer than six months after opening, it will start to lose its flavor and fragrance. It's best to store Marsala in a cool, dry place much like you would olive oil.

Is Marsala a sherry or a wine? ›

Very much like Port wines, Marsala is a fortified wine. It is produced initially in Italy and ranges from dry to sweet dessert wine. Marsala is often used as a cooking wine in savory dishes like French onion soup as well as a sweet reduction sauce. It can also be enjoyed as an aperitif or dessert wine.

What kind of Marsala is best for cooking? ›

The Best for Cooking

Florio Marsala Superiore Dry will deglaze your pan beautifully, but while you're at it, take a sip. Gorelli says this bottling is a great point of entry for those new to Marsala.

Can I use Taylor Marsala wine for Chicken Marsala? ›

3.0Use it all the time for making chicken marsala. Also goes pretty well with homemade fudge brownies.

Is Marsala and sweet Marsala the same? ›

There are multiple versions, we usually only see “Fine” Marsala which is young, aged only 1 year, and in either “dry” or “sweet”. Dry Marsala is actually mildly sweet, and sweet Marsala is, well, sweet. Dry Marsala isn't really dry, it's just lightly sweet.

Is Holland House Marsala cooking wine dry or sweet? ›

Made from specially selected grapes, Holland House Marsala Cooking Wine has a dried fruit and caramel flavor and sweet aroma.

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