Fish En Papillote may sound fancy but it’s really a simple dish with even easier clean-up!

Opening up a Fish en Papillote (in Parchment) with Citrus, Ginger, & Shiitake

By the time I get home from a long nightshift, I’m hungry for “dinner”—even if it’s 8 in the morning. While it’s mighty tempting to just mash up some canned tuna with avocado, the food snob in me sometimes demands a fancier meal. One that doesn’t come out of a can.

In an ideal world, someone else would cook for me (and clean-up, too), but with the kids at school and Henry at work, I’m left to my own devices. Luckily, what I’ve devised for this type of occasion is a frou-frou fancy-pants dish that’s a breeze to assemble: Fish en Papillotte with Citrus, Ginger, and Shiitake.

An overhead shot of Fish en Papillote topped with fresh herbs on top.

The name may sound complicated, but it really doesn’t get much simpler than this: fish and vegetables are steamed in a tightly sealed paper packet with aromatics and a bright, tangy sauce. (Not sure what kind of fish to buy at the market? Check the Monterey Bay Aquarium Seafood Watch.)

A forkful of Fish en Papillote with Citrus, Ginger, & Shiitake

After all, even if you’re cooking for just one, you deserve to eat something special. It’s important to practice self-love, right? In fact, as you’re preparing this dish for your seafood-loving self, I insist that you belt out The Greatest Love of All by Whitney Houston and/or chant this daily affirmation:

Time to make Fish en Papillote!

Serves 1

Ingredients:

  • 1 tablespoon coconut aminos*
  • 2 teaspoon freshly squeezed orange juice*
  • 1 teaspoon rice vinegar*
  • 1 teaspoon fish sauce*
  • ½ teaspoon sesame oil*
  • 1 teaspoon minced ginger*
  • 2 fresh shiitake mushrooms, thinly sliced
  • 6 ounce skinless white fish fillet (like cod, which is what I used)
  • kosher salt (I use Diamond Crystal brand)
  • freshly ground black pepper
  • 3 thin orange or lime slices
  • 1 green onion, trimmed and cut into 2 inch sections

*You can use 2 tablespoons of All-Purpose Stir-Fry Sauce in place of these ingredients for the marinade!

Thinly sliced scallions and fresh cilantro for Fish en Papillote with Citrus, Ginger, & Shiitake

Garnish

  • 2 tablespoons minced fresh cilantro
  • 2 tablespoons thinly sliced green onion

Here’s what you do:

Preheat your oven (or toaster oven) to 450°F. In a small bowl, combine the coconut aminos, orange juice, rice vinegar, fish sauce, and sesame oil. (Or just measure out 2 tablespoons of All-Purpose Stir-Fry Sauce!)

Steps for making the sauce for Fish en Papillote with Citrus, Ginger, & Shiitake

Stir in the minced ginger and sliced mushrooms. Set aside.

Adding a handful of thinly sliced shiitake mushrooms to the sauce.

An overhead shot of the sauce for Fish en Papillote with Citrus, Ginger, & Shiitake

Season both sides of the fish fillet with salt and pepper.

A cod fillet seasoned with salt and pepper on a white plate.

Take a large sheet of parchment paper and fold it in half. Draw half a heart on the paper so that when you cut it out, you get a full heart. (I know it’s not Valentine’s Day and you’re not in second grade art class, but work with me, people.)

Cutting out heart-shaped pieces of parchment paper.

Open your heart (it’s not that hard, if you just turn the key—yeah, I’m singing old Madonna songs now) and tile the three slices of orange on one side of the heart.

Thinly slicing an orange for Fish en Papillote (in Parchment)

Laying three slices of orange on one half of the parchment paper heart.

Place the seasoned fish filet on top of the orange slices.

Laying the seasoned cod fillet on top of the orange slices.

Spoon the mushrooms and sauce on top of the fish…

The mushrooms and sauce are spooned on top of the fish.

…and add the green onion stalks.

Green onion stalks are added to the Fish en Papillote (in Parchment) with Citrus, Ginger, & Shiitake

Fold the other half of the parchment heart on top of the fish and begin tightly crimping the edges together, starting at the top-center of the heart.

Crimping the edges of the parchment paper to seal the Fish en Papillote (in Parchment) with Citrus, Ginger, & Shiitake

Make sure the packet is tightly sealed by turning and crimping the edges. At the pointy bottom end of the heart, twist the paper tightly to seal well.

The ends of the parchment packets are tightly twisted to seal everything shut.

Place the packet on a rimmed baking sheet…

A Fish en Papillote with Citrus, Ginger, & Shiitake is placed on a rimmed baking sheet.

…and place it in the oven for 10-15 minutes or until the fish is cooked through.

The Fish en Papillote with Citrus, Ginger, & Shiitake is placed in a toaster oven to cook.

A Fish en Papillote with Citrus, Ginger, & Shiitake is removed from the oven.

Use a pair of kitchen shears to cut open the packet (but be careful—it’s hot!).

Scissors snip open a package of Fish en Papillote with Citrus, Ginger, & Shiitake

An open Fish en Papillote packet with Citrus, Ginger, & Shiitake

Remove the wilted scallions, and top with freshly minced cilantro and slivered green onions.

Someone removing the wilted green onions from the papillote and adding freshly sliced scallions.

A side closeup of Fish en Papillote with Citrus, Ginger, & Shiitake topped with fresh cilantro and sliced scallions

Plate it up if you’re feeling fancy…

Overhead shot of Fish en Papillote (in Parchment) with Citrus, Ginger, & Shiitake

…and enjoy!

A fork stabbing into Fish en Papillote with Citrus, Ginger, & Shiitake

This is a perfect meal for one, but you can easily make more packets if you’ve got guests. Bonus: Once you’re done eating, just chuck the soiled packet. No muss, no fuss.


Looking for more recipe ideas? Head on over to my Recipe Index. You’ll also find exclusive recipes on my iPhone and iPad app, and in my cookbooks, Nom Nom Paleo: Food for Humans (Andrews McMeel Publishing 2013), Ready or Not! (Andrews McMeel Publishing 2017), and Nom Nom Paleo: Let’s Go! (Andrews McMeel Publishing 2021).


PRINTER-FRIENDLY RECIPE CARD

Fish en Papillote (in Parchment) with Citrus, Ginger, & Shiitake

5 from 5 votes
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time10 minutes
Total Time20 minutes
Servings 1 serving
Fish en Papillotte may sound fancy, but it's an easy Paleo dish with fish and vegetables steamed in a sealed paper packet with aromatics and a tasty sauce.

Ingredients 
 

  • 1 tablespoon coconut aminos or see the note below
  • 2 teaspoon freshly squeezed orange juice or see the note below
  • 1 teaspoon rice vinegar or see the note below
  • 1 teaspoon  Red Boat fish sauce or see the note below
  • ½ teaspoon sesame oil or see the note below
  • 1 teaspoon minced ginger
  • 2 fresh shiitake mushrooms thinly sliced
  • 6 ounce skinless white fish fillet like cod, which is what I used
  • kosher salt I use Diamond Crystal brand
  • freshly ground black pepper
  • 3 thin orange or lime slices
  • 1 green onion trimmed and cut into 2 inch sections

Garnish

  • 2 tablespoons minced fresh cilantro
  • 2 tablespoons thinly sliced green onion
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Instructions 

  • Preheat your oven (or toaster oven) to 450°F. In a small bowl, combine the coconut aminos, orange juice, rice vinegar, fish sauce, and sesame oil. (Or, you can use 2 tablespoons of All-Purpose Stir-Fry Sauce in place of these ingredients for the marinade!)
  • Stir in the minced ginger and sliced mushrooms. Set aside.
  • Season both sides of the fish fillet with salt and pepper.
  • Take a large sheet of parchment paper and fold it in half. Draw half a heart on the paper so that when you cut it out, you get a full heart.
  • Open your heart and tile the three slices of orange on one side of the heart.
  • Place the seasoned fish filet on top of the orange slices.
  • Spoon the mushrooms and sauce on top of the fish and add the green onion stalks.
  • Fold the other half of the parchment heart on top of the fish and begin tightly crimping the edges together, starting at the top-center of the heart.
  • Make sure the packet is tightly sealed by turning and crimping the edges. At the pointy bottom end of the heart, twist the paper tightly to seal well.
  • Place the packet on a rimmed baking sheet and place it in the oven for 10-15 minutes or until the fish is cooked through.
  • Use a pair of kitchen shears to cut open the packet (but be careful—it’s hot!).
  • Remove the wilted scallions, and top with freshly minced cilantro and slivered green onions.
  • Plate it up if you’re feeling fancy and enjoy!

Notes

You can use 2 tablespoons of All-Purpose Stir-Fry Sauce for the marinade if you already have some in the fridge!
This is a perfect meal for one, but you can easily make more packets if you’ve got guests. Bonus: Once you’re done eating, just chuck the soiled packet. No muss, no fuss.

Nutrition

Calories: 200kcal | Carbohydrates: 9g | Protein: 32g | Fat: 3g | Fiber: 1g

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Like this? Leave a comment below!

About Michelle Tam

Hello! My name is Michelle Tam, and I love to eat. I think about food all the time. It borders on obsession. I’ve always loved the sights and smells of the kitchen. My mother was (and is) an excellent cook, and as a kid, I was her little shadow as she prepared supper each night. From her, I gained a deep, abiding love for magically transforming pantry items into mouth-watering family meals.

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Recipe Rating




2 Comments

  1. 5 stars
    This was delicious! Definitely a note to cut the parchment extra large especially if your fish is more than 6 oz. My packets were hard to crimp and opened a bit at the seams but they still baked just fine. I will make this again!