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My Louisiana redfish en papillote is a 30-minute gourmet meal that's easy on the eyes, scrumptious on the lips, and oh sooo light on the tummy, y'all!! This baked fish in parchment paper is dressed to impress with a handful of stellar ingredients, topped with a simple yet sophisticated homemade Creole butter sauce. Yep and yay...
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Jump to:
- It's an Easy & Elegant Baked Redfish Recipe...
- Louisiana Redfish in Papillote Ingredient Essentials & Substitutions
- How to Make Louisiana Redfish en Papillote - Baked Fish in Parchment Paper
- More Easy and Incredibly Delicious Fish Recipes
- What to Serve with Louisiana Redfish en Papillote
- Louisiana Redfish en Papillote - Baked Fish in Parchment
It's an Easy & Elegant Baked Redfish Recipe...
Louisiana redfish en papillote is my unique South Louisiana spin on a classic French cooking technique that involves wrapping fish and vegetables in parchment paper before baking them in the oven. This method ensures that the moisture and flavors of the food enclosed in the packet remain intact, yielding restaurant-quality results in minutes.
And this dish's presentation, y'all!! The brilliant dark green baby spinach and the spirited cherry tomato slices are stunning. The sauce is just right, too. It's rich but not overpowering, and seasoned to perfection with a garlicky, buttery finish.
Serving this fish baked in parchment paper on a plate allows guests to delight in unwrapping their main dish. So, the oohs and aahs of this theatrical-style performance inject heightened drama into your dinner that's outshone only by the incredible flavors of this Louisiana redfish en papillote. Indeed.
Louisiana Redfish in Papillote Ingredient Essentials & Substitutions
- For this fish en papillote recipe, I used two redfish fillets. You can also use redfish on the half shell, skin-side down. Since redfish are a type of red drum, the closest substitute for it is black drum. However, the Creole butter sauce that cooks on top of the fish is highly versatile. So, as long as they are fresh, you can try this recipe with other white fish, as they will likely pair well.
- Fresh spinach and cherry tomatoes add captivating color and extra nutrition to the finished dish. However, you can omit them and still achieve a successful baked fish in parchment paper recipe.
- The Creole butter sauce elevates the taste and texture of the baked redfish fillets to a yum-delicious level. Creole mustard is a large part of the flavor profile. If you don't have it, substitute a good coarse-ground mustard.
How to Make Louisiana Redfish en Papillote - Baked Fish in Parchment Paper
To begin the recipe, preheat the oven.
Then, season both sides of the redfish fillets.
Pour all of the sauce ingredients into a small bowl.
Stir until all of the fresh herbs are distributed throughout the sauce.
Lightly grease a rimmed baking sheet with olive oil. Top the sheet with a large piece of parchment paper. You can cut your own, or use Reynold's Kitchen pop-up parchment paper sheets like I did.
Place half of the fresh spinach leaves down the center of the paper.
Then, top with one piece of the seasoned fish.
Now, drizzle the top of the redfish fillet with some of the sauce.
Top the fish with half of the sliced cherry tomatoes, then drizzle a bit more sauce over the top.
Fold the edges of the parchment paper over both ends of the fish.
Finally, gather the sides of the paper together and fold like a fan until secure.
Repeat the process with the other redfish en papillote parchment packet.
Finally, slide the packets into the oven and bake until done.
And that's it, y'all!!
This Louisiana redfish en papillote starts your dinner party with a bang. It gets the conversation going. And with each bite, the bonds around the table strengthen as everyone agrees on the dish's exceptional taste and texture.
Since it's so easy, you'll likely want to bookmark this recipe for special occasions such as Valentine's Day. You can also double or even triple the recipe for parties or potlucks. This dish is always a hit, as kids love unwrapping their meals just as much as adults. For sure!!
Share this baked fish in parchment paper with those whose essence becomes even more beautiful once fully exposed to the light. Much food love, and see y'all on the yum side...
More Easy and Incredibly Delicious Fish Recipes
What to Serve with Louisiana Redfish en Papillote
This recipe was originally published on August 19, 2016, and was updated and republished on June 9, 2025.
Louisiana Redfish en Papillote - Baked Fish in Parchment
Ingredients
- 2 redfish fillets, about 10 to 12 ounces each or redfish on the half shell
- salt, black pepper, and cayenne pepper to taste I used about ½ teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon black pepper, and ⅛ teaspoon cayenne
For the Creole Butter Sauce
- 4 tablespoons melted butter
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley or 2 teaspoons dried parsley flakes
- 2 teaspoons Creole mustard or coarse ground mustard
- 2 teaspoons hot sauce or ¼ to ½ teaspoon cayenne
- 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
- ¼ teaspoon liquid smoke
- 1 teaspoon honey
For the Vegetables
- 10 cherry tomatoes, sliced in half
- 1 cup baby spinach leaves, firmly packed
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Season the redfish fillets with the salt, pepper, and cayenne pepper. Set aside.
- Make the Creole butter sauce by mixing the melted butter, apple cider vinegar, minced garlic, parsley, hot sauce, honey, Creole mustard, and liquid smoke together in a small bowl.
- Cut two large sheets of parchment paper, and fold each in half. Starting from the top crease, cut each parchment paper sheet into a half-circle or half-heart shape.(You can also use pre-cut parchment paper sheets. But, they will likely not be big enough to cut into the half-circle or half-heart shape that makes a more beautiful presentation when the prepared dish is opened for serving. They will still cook the same and be presentable enough to serve to your company, though.)
- Lay each sheet onto a lightly greased sheet pan.
- Arrange half of the baby spinach leaves over the crease in the middle of both of the parchment paper sheets.
- Drizzle a small amount of the sauce, about 1 teaspoon, over the spinach on both parchment sheets.
- Place the redfish fillets over the sauce-covered spinach leaves, then drizzle a bit more sauce over the fish.
- Top each sauce-covered redfish fillet with the sliced tomatoes, then top with a bit more sauce.
- Fold the edges of each parchment paper sheet tightly. Leave a small opening at each end, fill with half the remaining Creole butter sauce, and close each end. Ensure that the edges are tight so that sauce and steam do not escape throughout the cooking process.
- Slide the baking sheet into the preheated oven. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes, or until cooked to at least 145 degrees F.Let each redfish en papillote sit for 5 minutes before unwrapping and serving.
Notes
The information shown is an estimate provided by a third-party, online computer-generated nutrition calculator, not a registered dietitian or certified nutritionist. Actual nutritional content will vary based upon brands used, measuring methods and individual portion sizes, along with other factors.
See our full nutrition disclaimer here.
This looks absolutely delicious! Thanks for the recipe - - a definite must to try soon!
You're welcome. Please let me know when you try it.
Will do!
Great recipe. Thanks to the fishermen that know how to treat fish so they are as fresh as the day they were caught.
Thanks so much!! Yes, it's great to have a skilled fisherman around to take care of fish the right way!
Made it tonight, substituted cilantro for parsley, had to go another 3-4 mins, due to 1" thick fillets.
Everybody loved it.
That's great to hear Bob!
Thanks so much for reaching out to let me know how it turned out for you! 🙂
Absolutely delicious, will definitely be making this next time we catch redfish. Didn’t use nearly as much spinach as called for but it came out amazing. Thank you!!
You're super welcome Jace! Thanks so much for coming back to let me know how it worked out for you! 🙂
What 2 side dishes would be good to serve with this?
Hi Shauna,
I would go with Cajun smothered potatoes and pan-fried Brussels sprouts. I'm leaving the links below for you, as well as the link to my side dish recipe index:
https://asprinklingofcayenne.com/cajun-smothered-potatoes/
https://asprinklingofcayenne.com/cajun-pan-fried-brussels-sprouts/
https://asprinklingofcayenne.com/indexes/recipe-index/
Thanks for reaching out. I would love to hear how it all turns out for you.
Best,
Lyn