Salt Baked Fish

Recipe Summary

• 🔪 Prep Time: 10 minutes
• 👨🍳 Cook Time: 30 minutes
• ⏱️ Total Time: 40 minutes
• 🍽️ Servings: 2 people
• 🏷️ Calories: ~196 calories
• 🍳 Cook Method: Oven baked
• ✨ Flavor Profile: Flaky, tender, and savory fish infused with aromatic garlic and bright lime
• 🧩 Difficulty: Very easy (Perfect for a quick seafood weeknight dinner)

Thai Salt Baked Fish

Every time I spot fresh seabass at the market, this Thai salt baked fish is the exact dish I want to make. Known traditionally in Thailand as pla pao, this home-baked version skips the messy, thick salt crusts of outdoor vendors and keeps things incredibly simple. By making one long slit along the top of each side of the fish and using just a light sprinkle of coarse salt, you get a clean, easy oven baked whole fish that still locks in the natural sweetness of the seafood beautifully.

The secret to keeping the meat intensely juicy is stuffing the belly and gills with lightly pounded garlic cloves and fresh lime slices. As the fish bakes, the lime and garlic steam the fish from the inside out so it stays completely moist. Taking just 40 minutes from start to finish, it is a light, protein-packed main dish that pairs beautifully with a side of spicy Thai Seafood Sauce and a hot bowl of steaming jasmine rice.

Shopping Guide: Choosing The Right Whole Fish

Buying a whole fish can feel intimidating if you do not know what to look for at the market. Since this recipe relies on simple seasoning, the freshness of your seafood is everything.

• Look at the eyes first: You want them to be clear and bright. If they look cloudy or sunken, skip it.
• Check under the gills: Lift the flap and make sure the gills are a bright, vibrant red color, not dull brown.
• Give it a quick poke: The flesh should feel nice and firm. If you press it lightly and your finger leaves a dent that stays there, the fish isn’t fresh.
• Go for the right fish: Regular seabass, Asian seabass (barramundi), or even red snapper are perfect for this because white fish stays flaky and moist in the oven.
• Stick to the right size: Try to get a fish that is around (12 oz) 350 grams when weighed at the counter. If you do go for a heavier fish, you will just need to increase the baking time by a few minutes so the middle cooks through completely.
• Let the fishmonger do the cleanup: You can save a lot of mess at home by asking the fishmonger to scale, gut, and clean the fish completely for you so it is ready to use right away.
• Fish
• Garlic
• Lime
• Coarse salt

See the recipe card below for all the ingredient details and exact measurements.

Pro Tip #1: Choosing Between Sea Salt Flakes And Coarse Salt I use sea salt flakes because they cling nicely to the fish skin, but standard coarse salt works just as well. Feel free to use whichever one you have in your pantry. Just avoid fine table salt, as it dissolves much too quickly and can easily make the fish taste way too salty.

Pro Tip #2: How To Slice Your Limes Slice your limes thin, around a quarter of an inch thick. You want them thin so the heat can get right through them quickly, letting all that fresh juice steam inside the fish while it bakes.

Pro Tip #3: Crush Your Garlic, Do Not Mince Or Slice It Smash and bruise your whole garlic cloves with a heavy cleaver or rolling pin instead of mincing or slicing them. Tiny minced or sliced garlic bits will just burn in the oven and make the whole dish taste bitter. Pounding them cracks them open just enough to let all that great garlic flavor seep out slowly without burning.

How To Make Salt Baked Fish

Get your oven preheated to 350°F (175°C). While that heats up, grab a sharp knife and make one long slit straight along the top of each side of the fish, cutting right along the backbone.

Pro Tip: The back is the thickest part of the fish, so cutting into it lets the heat get straight to the center so the whole thing cooks completely evenly.

Grab some paper towels and completely pat the fish dry. Make sure you get right inside those slits, the belly, and the gills.

Pro Tip: Don’t skip drying the inside and out! Getting rid of that moisture is super important so the fish bakes perfectly instead of steaming on the pan.

Stuff your smashed garlic cloves deep into the belly and the gills first, then slide your lime slices right in behind them.

Sprinkle your salt evenly over both sides of the fish. Pop it into the oven and bake for 30 minutes until it is cooked through.

Pro Tip: Check the thickest part near the backbone with a fork. The exact moment the meat turns completely opaque and flakes apart easily, pull it out.

Can I use fish fillets instead of a whole fish?

You can, but a whole fish stays much juicier because the skin and bones trap the moisture. If you use fillets, wrap them loosely in parchment paper or foil with the garlic and lime so they do not dry out in the oven, and cut the baking time down to about 12 to 15 minutes.

Can I use frozen fish for this recipe?

Yes, just make sure it is completely thawed in the fridge overnight before you start. Pat it extra dry with paper towels to get rid of any excess moisture from freezing so it bakes instead of steams.

Can I bake this on a regular baking sheet?

Absolutely. Just line your baking sheet with parchment paper or aluminum foil first. This keeps the fish from sticking to the pan and makes cleanup way faster.

Do I need to flip the fish halfway through baking?

No, there is no need to flip it. The heat in the oven circulates all around the fish, and flipping it halfway through will tear the skin and cause all those wonderful juices and aromatics to spill out onto the pan.

Can I cook this in an air fryer instead?

Yes, if your air fryer basket is big enough to fit the whole fish. Pop it in at 350°F (175°C) for about 20 to 25 minutes. Just check it a few minutes early since air fryers circulate heat much faster than a standard oven.

How do I store and reheat leftovers?

Pick the leftover meat off the bones and store it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to two days. To reheat without drying it out, gently warm the meat in a pan with a splash of water or broth over low heat just until hot.

How many calories per serving?

This recipe is 196 calories per serving.

What To Serve With This Recipe

For an easy and wholesome Thai weeknight dinner, I recommend the following recipes:

Salt Baked Fish

salt baked fish recipe is made with fresh seabass stuffed with aromatic garlic and juicy lime slices baked to perfection.

• Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Using a sharp knife, make one long slit along the top of each side of the fish.