This easy steelhead trout recipe features a simple honey chili glaze. Ready in under 30 minutes with just a few ingredients!
This quick steelhead recipe is what weeknight dreams are made of. It's ready in 30 minutes with a lickety-split honey chili glaze that packs a ton of flavor! Serve this fish with roasted veggies, toss it into tacos, or pair with a quick arugula lemon salad for a simple dinner that's sure to be a hit.
Ingredients
Scroll to the recipe card below for a full ingredients list with exact quantities.
This is a pretty straightforward recipe, but we wanted to share few quick notes before you jump in:
- Steelhead trout is the star of this dish. We're using fresh steelhead that's been cut into individual portions; you could also use a full fillet like we do in our garlic lemon roasted steelhead.
- Honey, chili powder, and cumin form the base of our spicy honey glaze. We recommend using a rich, smokey chili powder (like chipotle chili powder or ancho chili powder) for the best flavor here.
- Fresh lime wedges are our go-to garnish: Squeeze a bit of lime juice over the roasted steelhead to balance out the spice and add brightness.
Variations and Substitutions
We kept this recipe purposefully simple to make it weeknight-friendly, but it's very forgiving: Add extras or dress up the glaze to suit your tastes!
- Add veggies. Roast your favorite veggies alongside the fish for a simple one-pan dinner. Toss veggies with olive oil, salt, and an extra pinch of chili powder or cumin before roasting for extra flavor (à la our one pan fish fajitas).
- Swap the honey for maple syrup, or use hot honey for a bit of extra spice. Use brown sugar instead of honey for a rub-style seasoning.
- Place fresh lime slices over top of the fish before baking for extra flavor and a beautiful presentation.
- Adjust the glaze. Add a pinch of onion powder, garlic powder (or grated garlic cloves!), paprika, or fresh cracked black pepper for extra flavor. Add a splash of lime juice, lemon juice, or extra virgin olive oil if you'd like a thinner sauce that stretches further.
Instructions
Add honey, chili powder, cumin, and a pinch of salt to a small bowl (Image 1, above). Whisk everything together until you have a thick glaze (2). Set this aside while you prepare the fish.
Pro Tip: If your honey is especially thick or starting to solidify, you may want to whisk a splash of lime juice or olive oil into the glaze so it's easier to brush over the fish!
Arrange steelhead portions on a large baking sheet lined with parchment paper (Image 3, above). Pour a bit of honey chili glaze over each of the trout fillets, then use a silicone pastry brush or the back of a spoon to spread the sauce evenly over each piece of fish (4).
Pro Tip: Add honey glaze a little bit at a time, and do your best to keep it entirely on the fish! If you get big pools or splatters of honey on the parchment, it's more likely to burn in the oven. This can take a bit of practice!
Transfer prepared steelhead (5) to a hot oven and bake. When it's done cooking, roasted steelhead should appear firm and slightly lighter in color, and should flake easily with a fork (6).
FAQs
Salmon is an excellent substitute for a steelhead trout fillet! You can also use this quick chili glaze with rainbow trout, shrimp, cod, halibut, barramundi, or tilapia (you may need to adjust the cooking time if you use an alternate protein).
Steelhead trout is a lot like salmon: They both have a bright pink color, meaty texture, and a very similar taste. It's a hearty fish that holds its shape fairly well, and pairs well with just about any sauce. Basically: If you like salmon, you'll probably like steelhead! To learn more about steelhead, check out our lemon garlic steelhead recipe.
Like salmon or shrimp, honey glazed steelhead trout pairs well with just about any side dish! Serve this fish with mashed potatoes (or sweet potatoes!), roasted veggies, a quick salad, or rice. This roasted steelhead is also great as a filling in tacos or in a grain bowl with a drizzle of cilantro yogurt sauce!
We bought the steelhead trout in these photos at Aldi; we also often use sustainably-farmed steelhead from Pacific Seafood (read more about them in our lemon garlic steelhead post). Look for steelhead that is BAP (Best Aquaculture Practices) certified and/or raised or farmed in the USA to ensure you're buying a sustainably-sourced product.
More Easy Seafood Recipes
Steelhead is one of our favorite ingredients for quick and easy weeknight meals! If you have extra steelhead trout, try it in one of these recipes (it's a great substitute for salmon!)
Did you make this recipe? Leave a comment and star rating below to let us know how it turned out!
📖 Recipe
Spicy Roasted Steelhead
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: Serves 4
- Category: Seafood
- Cuisine: American
Description
This easy honey roasted steelhead is ready in 30 minutes with a spicy chili glaze!
Ingredients
- 2 Tablespoons honey
- 1 teaspoon chili powder (we recommend a smokey chipotle or ancho chili powder)
- ¼ teaspoon cumin
- Kosher salt, to taste
- 1 ½ pounds steelhead trout, cut into portions
- 1 lime, cut into wedges
Instructions
- Heat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Whisk honey, chili powder, cumin, and a pinch of kosher salt together in a small bowl. Set aside.
- Line a large sheet pan with parchment paper. Arrange steelhead fillets on the pan, leaving space between each piece to ensure even cooking.
- Use a silicone pastry brush to spread your spicy honey mixture over each piece of fish.
- Bake steelhead for 15-25 minutes. When it’s cooked through, the steelhead will have slightly lightened in color and flake easily with a fork. Note: The exact cooking time will depend on the size and thickness of your fish, as well as the oven you're using. Keep an eye on the fish as it cooks and start checking for doneness around the 15-minute mark!
- Serve immediately with lime wedges; squeeze a bit of lime over the fish when you're ready to eat.
Notes
Where to buy steelhead. Steelhead trout is very similar to salmon in color, texture, and flavor. We bought the fish in these photos at Aldi; we also often use steelhead from Pacific Seafood. Look for U.S.-farmed steelhead with a Best Aquaculture Practices (BAP) certification on the label to ensure you're buying a sustainably-sourced product. If you can't find steelhead, use rainbow trout, salmon, barramundi, or shrimp (you may need to adjust the cooking time if you use an alternate protein).
Additions and Substitutions. Add onion powder, garlic powder (or minced/grated fresh garlic), or paprika to the honey glaze for extra flavor. Use maple syrup or hot honey in place of regular honey if you like. If your honey glaze is especially thick, whisk in a splash of lime juice or olive oil to thin it out so it's easier to spread over the fish.
Storing leftovers. Let leftover steelhead cool completely, then store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Add cold leftover steelhead to salads or toss it into a breakfast hash the next morning.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 6 ounces
- Calories: 252
- Sugar: 9.8 g
- Sodium: 383.9 mg
- Fat: 6 g
- Carbohydrates: 14.2 g
- Protein: 35.2 g
- Cholesterol: 100.3 mg
Melodie
This was so simple to prepare, but tasted awesome! It will be my go-to recipe for steelhead. Thank you for sharing your recipe.
Rhonda @ Life As A Strawberry
We love easy and delicious!
Jessie
You get SO much flavor in this honey glaze for such a small amount of prep - it's become a regular in my weeknight meal rotation!