Air Fryer Halibut with Vegetables (Halibut en Papillote)

This air fryer halibut recipe makes a quick and elevated meal featuring fresh summer vegetables and tender, flaky halibut. It all cooks together in a buttery, garlic sauce which means it's bound to be great!

Each piece of halibut is wrapped in parchment paper along with the vegetables to create a delicious halibut en papillote, which ensures perfectly moist, tender and flaky fish.

what is halibut en papillote?

Halibut en papillote is a French term that translates to "halibut in paper." While you might think it's elegant and sophisticated (and why, yes, it certainly tastes that way), the prep is quite simple.

Fish en papillote is a foolproof method of cooking fish because it guarantees perfectly moist, tender and flaky fish fillets.

why this air fryer halibut recipe works

Air fryer halibut will save the day, especially a hot summer one when the last thing you feel like doing is turning on the oven. Enter the air fryer!

Place packets into the air fryer basket, cook for under 15 minutes, plate each packet, unwrap and dig in.

While fish en papillote is typically baked in the oven, the air fryer is also a great option! The fish cooks quickly and won't dry out (and over-cooked halibut is truly devastating).

Since the vegetables and halibut are wrapped in parchment, the cooking method creates hot steam in the parchment packet and keeps the fresh halibut extra moist. In my opinion, it's the best way to prepare halibut if you're a little intimidated to cook the fish (although this pan-seared brown butter halibut is also a winner).

Air fryer halibut en papillote is:

• an elevated air fryer recipe
• ready in under 30 minutes
• light, flavorful and healthy meal that's also keto-friendly, low-carb and gluten-free

the ingredients

Wild-caught Pacific halibut fillets, zucchini, tomatoes and fresh lemon are a delicious medley of flavors and a complete meal all wrapped in individual parchment packets.

As for the halibut itself, I recommend choosing wild halibut for the best taste and texture. Halibut is a mild white fish with a subtly sweet taste and firm, flaky texture. It goes well with a variety of flavors but I always prefer halibut recipes with simple ingredients like butter, garlic and fresh herbs.

For this air fryer halibut recipe, you will need:

• wild halibut 
• butter (or olive oil if dairy-free)
• lemon zest
• garlic
• shallot
• fresh parsley
• sea salt and black pepper
• cherry tomatoes
• zucchini
• fresh basil

let's make air fryer halibut

This easy recipe is great for a quick and nutritious weeknight dinner or even a summery, special occasion meal. I used zucchini slices, tomatoes and fresh basil to make halibut en papillote, but the great thing about this air fryer recipe is you can easily swap in other ingredients and get just as great of results.

Here's a brief summary of the steps for making halibut in the air fryer. Be sure to check out all of the details in the recipe card at the bottom of the page.

1. Rinse and pat each fish fillet with a paper towel to remove any excess moisture. In a small mixing bowl, combine the softened butter (or olive oil) with the lemon zest, minced garlic and shallot, chopped parsley and salt and pepper. Mix until it is well combined.

2. Cut two parchment rectangles, about 18 inches by 15 inches in size. In the center of one piece of parchment paper, add zucchini slices. Place one piece of fish on top of the zucchini, then spread half of the butter mixture on the halibut. Top with lemon slices and sliced tomatoes.

3. Pull together each side of the paper and fold parchment edges together, crimping them until they create a tight seal. Gently fold end underneath of itself, crimping it downward until you can tuck the end underneath of the fish packet. Repeat to make the second halibut piece in parchment paper.

4. Preheat the air fryer to 400°F. Place each of the fish packets into the air fryer basket and cook for 11-13 minutes. When done, remove each packet and let it sit for 5 minutes. Open and garnish with fresh basil.

tips for the best results

• When wrapping the halibut en papillote, make sure that the parchment paper is secure. The ends should be snug and tucked underneath the fish packet. This is important so that the steam doesn't escape but also because loose parchment paper blowing around in the air fryer is a really bad idea.

• The total air frying time will vary based on the thickness of the filets. The halibut filets pictured were about 1-½ inches at the thickest part and required a cook time of 13 minutes.

• Let the fish packets sit for at least 5 minutes before opening them up. This will give them time to cool down a bit but the residual heat will also continue to steam the halibut.

• Make sure your filets aren't different sizes- you want to cut each piece so they're equal-sized portions.

• Fresh shallot and garlic are best but in a pinch, garlic powder and even a small amount of onion powder are good substitutes.

• Slice the zucchini pretty thin, about ¼-inch.

halibut en papillote in the oven

If you'd like to bake halibut en papillote in a traditional oven instead of an air fryer, follow the steps for preparing the halibut the same way. Then, preheat your oven to 425°F and place each parchment paper packet on a large rimmed baking sheet. Bake for about 15 minutes or until the halibut is done and the fish flakes easily.

In just a few simple steps, you can have an easy weeknight meal with so much flavor! Halibut truly is a treat and this easy low carb fish recipe is a great way to make use of your air fryer any time of the year!

more air fryer recipes to try...

• Air fryer zucchini tots, a healthy, homemade veggie tot recipe that all eaters will love!
• Easy air fryer chicken bites which are perfect for dipping, snacking and meal prepping.
• Air fryer salmon with a dry coffee rub. I promise it's a delicious combination.

Continue to Content

Air Fryer Halibut with Vegetables (Halibut en Papillote)

Yield: 2 servings

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 13 minutes

Additional Time: 5 minutes

Total Time: 28 minutes

Tender halibut fillets cook "en papillote" (in paper) with summer vegetables and a garlic butter spread. This easy and elevated air fryer halibut recipe guarantees a tender and flaky fish with excellent flavor!

Print

Ingredients

• 2, 6-ounce pieces wild halibut
• 2 tablespoons butter or extra virgin olive oil (butter should be at room temperature)
• ½ lemon, sliced thin
• 1 teaspoon lemon zest
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• ½ shallot, minced
• 1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon pepper
• 10 cherry or grape tomatoes, halved
• 1 small zucchini, sliced thin
• Fresh basil for garnish

Instructions

1. Dry the halibut: Rinse and pat each halibut fillet with a paper towel to remove any excess moisture.
2. Make the spread: In a small dish, combine the softened butter (or olive oil) with the lemon zest, minced garlic, shallot, chopped parsley and salt and pepper. Mix until it is well combined.
3. Assemble the halibut en papillote: Cut two parchment rectangles, about 18 inches by 15 inches in size. In the center of one piece of parchment paper, add about 5-6 slices of the zucchini. Place a piece of halibut on top of the zucchini, then spread half of the butter mixture on the halibut. Top with 2-3 lemon slices and half of the tomatoes.
4. Fold the parchment packets: Pull each side of the paper up and above the halibut (the ends should meet). Fold the ends together, crimping them toward the fish until they create a tight seal right up against the halibut. For the top and bottom, gently fold each end underneath of itself, crimping it downward. Tuck each end underneath of the fish packet. Repeat with the second piece of halibut.
5. Cook the halibut: Preheat the air fryer to 400°F. Place each fish packet into the air fryer basket and cook for 11-13 minutes. When done, remove each packet and let it sit for 5 minutes before serving. Garnish the halibut with fresh basil.

Notes

• Slice the zucchini and lemon slices thin, about ¼".
• When wrapping the parchment packets, make sure that the parchment paper is secure. The ends should be snug and tucked underneath the fish packet. This is important so that the steam doesn't escape but also because you don't want loose parchment paper blowing around in the air fryer.
• The total air frying time will vary based on the thickness of the filets. It is done when it can flake easily with a fork.
• Let the fish packets sit for at least 5 minutes before opening them up. This will give them time to cool down a bit but the residual heat will also continue to steam the halibut.
• For baking in the oven: To cook halibut en papillote in a conventional oven, prepare the halibut pieces in the same way. Place each one on a baking sheet and bake at 425°F for about 13-15 minutes.

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 2 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 445Total Fat: 18.3gSaturated Fat: 9gTrans Fat: 1gUnsaturated Fat: 11gCholesterol: 133mgSodium: 272mgCarbohydrates: 6gNet Carbohydrates: 5gFiber: 1gSugar: 2gProtein: 61g

This nutritional information is approximate and is provided for convenience as a courtesy.