Haddock (or cod) in the New England Style of Baking

This recipe for New England Baked Haddock is satisfying, tasty, and simple to prepare. There are only three ingredients in this quick and simple meal, and preparation time is only five minutes.

New Englanders know and love their baked haddock. Get some in your mouth right now if you aren't or haven't already I mean right this second

Haddock, butter, and bread crumbs, plus salt and pepper, are all you need for this easy bake. And if you really want to go crazy, some lemon and parsley. These ingredients can be found in most kitchens, and the meal won't break the bank.

This is a classic New England dish that is frequently served at weddings and other celebrations where fish is being served. You can get it at most seafood restaurants (sometimes with cod) and it's so delicious that you might not want to eat fish any other way after trying it.

Haddock baked in the style of New England is a great option for vegetarians and vegans looking for something heartier than a typical light and healthy fish dish.

A cross between fish and casserole. It's a warm and hearty main dish that will please even the most devoted carnivores.

Commonly found in New England, Ritz crackers are broken up with butter and spread over the top of the haddock before being baked with lemon and herbs. Delicious

Breadcrumbs and plenty of butter (to mimic the amazing buttery Ritz-y flavor) will achieve the same delicious effect.  

I find that breadcrumbs work better than Ritz crackers. Let me explain why.

As an added bonus, you won't have to waste time breaking up whole Ritz crackers because they are already broken up. Put the breadcrumbs in a bowl and add the butter; stir to combine.

Breadcrumbs, on the other hand, have a bit more leeway. Homemade or freshly baked bread allows you to have more say over what goes into your sandwich.

Breadcrumbs are a fantastic way to easily accommodate a variety of dietary restrictions, and there are many varieties available.

Instead of breadcrumbs, you could use Ritz crackers or another buttery cracker of your choosing. Crush them (in a zip-top bag with a rolling pin) and use a little less butter than the recipe calls for.

There are only three ingredients in this extremely simple recipe. The breadcrumb mixture can be seasoned with herbs, garlic (either dried or fresh), and other seasonings.

Or, you could spice up the fish with something other than salt and pepper. Italian seasoning or lemon pepper sounds delicious.

Haddock is not available at my shop. To what may I change this?

When I used to live in California, I could always find haddock at the grocery store.

You can substitute any mild white fish, such as tilapia, cod, pollock, flounder, or halibut, if you can't find or don't like whiting. I've even gone full-on Southern and used catfish; it was fantastic either way.

If you enjoy this recipe for New England Baked Haddock, you might also like these other simple fish dishes:

Get the recipe and print it out here!

• 1-1 5 lbs haddock cleaned and dried off (or cod)
• 1 cup simple crumb bread in the sense of "seasoned"; see note
• 6 tablespoons butter with salt turned to mush (for context, see notes)
• Black pepper and kosher salt.
• Parsley and lemon wedges. as a serving (non-essential)

• Set oven temperature to 350 degrees.
• Begin by placing a small amount of the melted butter in a sheet pan dish, and then coat the bottom and sides with it.
• The remaining 6 tablespoons of melted butter should be added to the bread crumbs (1 cup).
• Butter a baking dish, then generously season both sides of the fish with salt and pepper (I used about 1 teaspoon kosher salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper).
• Cover the top of the fish in bread crumbs, using all of them. Since it doesn't work like regular breading and is more of a topping, I just sprinkle it on with my hands.
• Cook in the oven for 15 minutes, or until the fish is flaky.
• Garnish with lemon juice and fresh parsley before serving.

• Wanting to spice things up This is a great, easy recipe. For a more robust flavor, however, try seasoning the breadcrumb mixture with herbs and spices like fresh parsley, dill, chives, garlic (powdered or fresh), onion powder, and/or lemon zest, or switching to Italian Style Seasoned Breadcrumbs. The addition of grated parmesan cheese would also be delicious.
• In addition to seasoning the fish, I recommend adding 1/4 teaspoon salt to the breadcrumb mixture if you are using unsalted butter.
• Extra time in the oven may be required if your fish is on the thick side. The recommended cooking time applies to fish between 3/4 and 1 inch in thickness. The temperatures in different ovens can also vary.
• Traditional New England Baked Haddock calls for crushed Ritz crackers, which can be found in most supermarkets. Simply place them in a zip-top bag, and crush them to powder with a rolling pin if you'd like to use them. Substitute for breadcrumbs and reduce butter by 3 tablespoons (6 g) in the recipe.
• In addition to not accounting for brand names, the provided nutritional data does not include sodium that was added as a result of seasoning or other methods of personal preference. Use this calculator or upload the recipe to Yummly to figure it out for yourself.

Calories: 341 kcal | Carbohydrates: 19 g | Protein: 22 g | Fat: 18 g | Trans Fats: 11 g | Cholesterol: 106 mg | Sodium: 589 mg | Potassium: 377 mg | Fiber: 1 g | Sugar: 1 g | Vitamin A: 590 IU | Calcium: 67 mg | Iron: 1.5 mg

I have provided my best estimate of the nutritional value, which does not account for any additional sodium used for seasoning or taste preferences, for optional ingredients, or for specific brands. I get this data from an application programming interface that does the calculations automatically. You can do the math on your own with one of these helpful resources:

Completely Appropriate Calculator for Nutritional Data

In September 2014, Bowl of Delicious was the first to publish this recipe for New England Baked Haddock. New and improved features include a video, current advice, and streamlined guidelines.