Shop
My
Custom
This Is My Favorite Halibut Recipe Ever
Halibut is the fish I make when I’m craving more than “just fish”, and when I want a special seafood dinner at home, it’s this pan seared halibut recipe all the way. Unlike my usual weeknight baked salmon or air fryer cod, this one will make you feel like you’re at a high-end restaurant! Here’s why it’s special:
- Tender, flaky, and mild – Halibut is firm and lean, but my recipe leaves it moist and flaky! And if you have any hesitations about fish, this is a good one to dip your toes in, because it’s not too fishy. (My flounder recipe is another good one to try for this — and halibut is actually a type of flounder!)
- Irresistible lemon butter sauce – The sauce absolutely makes this dish, and I now make it on repeat for all kinds of seafood. I use variations of it for garlic butter shrimp, seared scallops, and even chicken paillard, but there’s a reason I’m always thinking about the next time I can use it for my halibut recipe. This one started it all — and it’s still the best.
- Easy to make – This fish could totally pass for a special meal at a fancy restaurant, but it’s surprisingly fast and easy. It takes just 20 minutes, using only a few ingredients.
- Perfect for a special day, or any day – Since halibut is fairly pricy, it’s a natural choice for your date nights or special occasions. But since the prep is actually very simple, who says you can’t have a special dinner “just because”?
While I have several other halibut recipes (I love to bake halibut and grill halibut as well), this pan seared version with sauce is the one I make most. It’s my very best way to cook halibut. Make it with me, and you’ll see what I mean!
Ingredients & Substitutions
Here I explain the best ingredients for my halibut recipe, what each one does, and substitution options. For measurements, see the recipe card below.
- Halibut Fish – It’s similar to other white fish, like cod, haddock, red snapper, or Chilean sea bass, except firmer. My recipe calls for 4 halibut fillets (6 ounces each), or you can cut a large 1.5-pound fillet into 4 smaller ones. I can usually only find skinless halibut in my area, but if you can get it with skin, it will get irresistibly crispy! (P.S. I’m so jealous of those of you using this recipe for your fresh Alaskan halibut — savor every bite.)
- Spices – Garlic powder, paprika, sea salt, and black pepper. I’ve got other variations below.
- Oil – For searing. I usually use this olive oil, but any heat-safe oil (such as avocado oil) will work.
- Lemon Butter Sauce – Just 2 ingredients: Lemon juice and salted butter (or feel free to use unsalted and add a little salt)! I highly recommend juicing a fresh lemon for this halibut recipe over the bottled stuff.
FREE 5-Ingredient Recipe EBook
GET IT NOWHow To Cook Halibut
I have step-by-step photos here to help you visualize the recipe. For full instructions, including amounts and temperatures, see the recipe card.
Sear The Fish:
- Dry. Use paper towels to pat the halibut fillets dry. This will ensure even browning and locks moisture inside, so don’t skip this step!
- Season. Sprinkle the fish generously on both sides with garlic powder, paprika, sea salt, and black pepper.
- Sear. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet. Add the fillets in a single layer, and sear, without moving, until the fish is golden brown on the bottom and the edges are opaque. Carefully flip over, and sear until the fish flakes easily with a fork.
See my tips below to time it perfectly — and don’t miss the second (a.k.a. the best) part of this halibut recipe… the sauce!
Make The Sauce & Assemble:
Cover the cooked halibut with foil to keep warm, and use the same pan to make the sauce:
- Brown the butter. Reduce the heat to medium-low and add the butter. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the butter turns brown and frothy. It will smell a little nutty… mmm.
- Add the lemon juice. Squeeze all the juice from both halves of the lemon into the pan. (I use this lemon squeezer, pictured below.) Bring the mixture to a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until the volume is reduced by half.
- Plate your pan seared halibut with lemon butter sauce. Drizzle a little of the sauce over your plate, top with fish, then drizzle more sauce on top. I like to garnish with a little fresh parsley, but that’s optional.
My Recipe Tips
- A non-stick skillet works best here. I love my cast iron, but it’s not my favorite for fish, which can stick and fall apart too easily. This non-stick pan is my fave and has lasted for years.
- If you get halibut with skin, cook skin side down first. This makes it easier to flip and also reduces the chance of overcooking. I always do this when cooking fish with skin — see more details in my pan seared salmon post.
- Don’t crowd the pan. The fish fillets should be in a single layer and have small spaces between them. If they don’t all fit, you can cook them in batches.
- Avoid moving the fish around. Keeping it one spot prevents tearing and helps it get a nice, browned sear. Move it only when it’s time to flip. If it doesn’t release easily, it needs to cook for longer before flipping.
- How to cook halibut to perfect doneness: It’s time to flip when you see the edges are opaque, and it’s browned underneath. On the second side, it’s time to remove from the pan when the whole fillet is opaque and flakes easily with a fork. I’m kind of obsessed with cooking halibut perfectly though, so I always use a meat thermometer. The ideal internal temperature for fish is 135-140 degrees F — this is when it’s moist and flaky, but not dry yet.
- My fish turner makes flipping much easier. The shape fits entire halibut fillets on it so it’s easier to flip them without breaking. Worth having if you cook a lot of fish like I do!
- Be careful not to overheat the sauce. If your pan is too hot, it can burn or split (separate). Keep the heat fairly low for the sauce part (just high enough to barely simmer), and remove from the pan quickly once it’s done.
- Not a fan of browned butter? Just cook the sauce for less time. My plain lemon butter sauce recipe doesn’t brown the butter, so it’s more mild, while this one does and has a deeper flavor. I love both! You could do either for this halibut recipe based on your preference.
Serving Ideas
This easy halibut recipe is pretty versatile, so you can go in many different directions to serve it. Try it with one of my fresh side dishes below! If I’m really feeling fancy, I start the meal with creamy lobster bisque for a complete seafood theme.
- Vegetables – Before you make your pan seared halibut on the stove, get started on roasted asparagus (one of the best pairings for fish), roasted green beans with garlic and parmesan, or even a whole roasted cauliflower head in your oven. My personal fave with this dish is roasted zucchini!
- Starches – Potatoes, pasta, or rice are common options, but you can also opt for one of my lighter veggie alternatives, like roasted rutabaga, zucchini noodles, or cauliflower rice.
- Salads – If you eat with the seasons like me, this will largely depend on the time of year. Make my asparagus salad in the spring, tomato cucumber avocado salad or Caprese salad in the summer, or beet salad in the fall or winter. When I don’t have something very seasonal, I just toss some cherry tomatoes into my arugula salad anytime of year!
Halibut Recipe (With Lemon Butter Sauce)
By
Learn how to cook halibut that's perfectly flaky & tender! This easy pan seared halibut recipe with lemon butter sauce takes just 20 minutes.
Ingredients
[ See substitutions ]Tap underlined ingredients to see the ones I use.
Halibut:
Lemon butter sauce:
Instructions
[ See step photos See my tips ]Tap on the times in the instructions to start a kitchen timer.
-
Use paper towels to pat the halibut fillets completely dry — this will ensure even browning. Season the fish on both sides with garlic powder, paprika, sea salt, and black pepper.
-
Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat for 2 minutes.
-
Add the fish fillets in a single layer (you can do it in batches if all the fish won't fit). Sear, without moving, for 3-4 minutes, until the edges of the fish are opaque. Flip and cook for 2-4 minutes, until cooked through.
-
Remove the fish from the pan and cover with foil to keep warm.
-
Reduce heat to medium-low. Add the butter to the same pan. Wait for it to melt, then heat for 2-3 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the butter is browned and smells nutty.
-
Squeeze all the juice from both halves of the lemon into the pan. Bring to a simmer, then reduce heat and cook for 3-4 minutes, stirring often, until the volume is reduced by half. The lemon butter sauce will still be thin, which is normal.
-
Drizzle a little lemon butter sauce over each serving plate. Place the pan seared halibut fillets over the sauce, then drizzle more sauce on top.
Did you make it? Leave a review or tag me @wholesomeyum on Instagram!
Maya’s Recipe Notes
Serving size: 1 halibut fillet + 2 tablespoons lemon butter sauce
- Tips: Check out my recipe tips above to help you cook halibut perfectly every time, with a moist, flaky texture and the perfect sauce.
- Flavor variations: If you want to add a little something to change it up, see my variations here.
- Storage: Fish tends to dry out when it’s reheated, so I recommend making this pan seared halibut recipe fresh. But if you have leftovers, store them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3-4 days. They make good fish tacos!
- Reheat: Warm gently on the stove over medium heat, or in the oven at 350 degrees F. I usually remove from heat when the fish is barely warm, as that’s better than overcooking.
- Freeze: You can freeze raw fish for up to 3 months, but I don’t recommend freezing cooked halibut recipes like this. It’s just not the same after thawing.
I provide nutrition facts as a courtesy. Have questions about calculations or why you got a different result? Please see my nutrition policy.
Add Your Notes Your Notes
Try More Of My Recipes
© Copyright Maya Krampf for Wholesome Yum. Please DO NOT SCREENSHOT OR COPY/PASTE recipes to social media or websites. We’d LOVE for you to share a link with photo instead.
Halibut Recipe
Flavor Variations
Like I often do, I pared my halibut recipe down to the essentials, so there aren’t too many ingredients! If you want to add a little something, here are some ways to elevate this dish:
- Herbs – I think the browned lemon butter and the spices are enough, but you can certainly take it up a notch and add dried or fresh herbs to the fish itself or the sauce if you like. If you do want to add some, my recommendations are dill, parsley, or thyme.
- Garlic – I don’t usually add it because I use garlic powder to season the halibut, but you can also add 2-3 minced garlic cloves to the sauce before simmering.
- Lemon Zest – If you’re squeezing a fresh lemon anyway, might as well use the zest! It will become bitter if you cook it, though, so I add it to the sauce after removing from heat when I want to use it.
- White Wine – For a different flavor, use the juice from only half the lemon and add a splash of white wine to the pan at the same time.
- Different Sauce – If you don’t feel like lemon butter sauce, halibut would also taste amazing with a drizzle of my chimichurri sauce, or pesto sauce thinned out with olive oil.
More Easy Fish Recipes To Try
If you love fish like I do, try one of my other easy fish recipes next:
400 Comments
Vicki Oldenburg
1I’m so disappointed. My sauce was a total failure even though I thought I followed the directions perfectly. The butter burned and separated out and the lemon somehow lost every bit of flavor. The seasoning on the halibut was delicious, though. Any sauce this tricky, I might not try again.
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Sorry to hear that happened, Vicki! It sounds like your pan was too hot – that caused all your issues, from the burning to the separation to the lemon flavor fading. This sauce is not very tricky, you just can’t have the heat too high. Hope this helps!
Darcie
1This halibut was fantastic! I used halibut my husband brought home from a fishing trip to Sitka, Alaska. Followed the recipe exactly, just added some minced garlic to the butter sauce at the end. The family loved this dish, even my daughter, who does not like fish. Someone also said, “this is better than any restaurant.” Served with homemade risotto. Will definitely make again!!
Maya | Wholesome Yum
1I’m happy you liked it, Darcie! Sounds like an amazing meal. What a wonderful compliment from your daughter!
Haylee
1I don’t really like fish but wanted to start eating more during my pregnancy for the omega 3s. Halibut is a pretty un-fishy fish so I tried this recipe and it’s now one of my favorite things to make. It comes together so quickly and easily and turns out perfect every time! I love how simple it is with very few ingredients but it tastes so fancy! Thanks for sharing.
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0I’m so glad my halibut recipe helped you like fish, Haylee! And congratulations on the pregnancy. Best wishes!
Vivian
0Fantastic. So good so easy
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Thanks, Vivian!
Joshua
1I tried this recipe and my pan exploded all over my kitchen when I added the lemon juice to the butter. Not a fun clean up.
jessie
3Seems like a user error if you ask me…. still a 5 star recipe just admit it.
Maya | Wholesome Yum
1Hi Joshua, It sounds like your pan may have been too hot. When adding the lemon, the heat should be on medium-low. You might need low heat depending on your stove or the pan you use. Hope your fish still turned out ok!
Tiffany
0This recipe is amazing! I double the spice rub since the 1st time just didn’t taste like enough, but I’d rather have to much than not enough! I use a Saladmaster electric skillet to make my filets. I use the garlic lemon butter sauce but used minced garlic instead of garlic powder, just my preference. I share this recipe with everyone I make it for because they love it that much. We caught our fish on a trip to Alaska and this is my go to recipe! Thank you so much sharing!!
Bradsky
0Fantastic and super easy. Excellent flavor too. I’ve saved this to use again and think it would be great for other proteins too.
Wholesome Yum D
0Love hearing that, Bradsky! I’m glad you enjoyed the flavor and how easy it was to make. I bet it would be delicious with other proteins, too.
Bill Schreiber
0Maya….this was simply outstanding. I recently returned from my annual trip to southern Alaska with an ample supply of halibut, ling cod and salmon. Wanted to try something different with the halibut so googled and found your recipe. When you remark “restaurant grade” it is not an exaggeration. Per one of your suggestions I added white wine with the juice from half of a lemon. I will make the recipe again for friends and family. Thank you! Bill
Wholesome Yum D
0Hi Bill, that sounds like an amazing trip to Alaska, and what a treat to come home with all that fresh fish! I’m so happy you found my recipe and enjoyed the halibut. Hope your friends and family love it just as much!
Kevin Boyko
0Fresh Alaskan halibut was delicious with this simple easy recipe. I highly recommend it 👌
Wholesome Yum D
0Fresh Alaskan halibut sounds wonderful, Kevin! I’m happy the recipe was easy to follow and turned out so well for you. Thanks for recommending it!
Mary Kirsch
0What a disappointment! Spent a small fortune on the halibut which was great but the brown butter sauce was terrible.
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Sorry to hear that, Mary. Many reviewers loved this recipe, so it sounds like something went wrong and not how it was supposed to. Did your lemon butter sauce burn? I’d love to help you troubleshoot if you can share more about what your sauce was like.
Steven BOYKINS
0Awesome thanks 😊
Laura
0Excellent! My review is for those who need to substitute. I used Whiting (frozen & thawed) and limes since I didn’t have a fresh lemon. It was delicious and my husband said “Don’t lose this!” The fish unfortunately fell apart so it wasn’t as pretty, but that may be due to the type of fish or because I don’t have one of those fancy fish spatulas (do they really make a difference?), but the taste was so delicious it didn’t matter.
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Thank you for sharing, Laura! Yes, frozen and thawed fish is more prone to falling apart, but it can still taste great. A fish spatula does help with flipping, too. I’m glad your fish still tasted good, so that’s what matters most!
Rebecca
0My husband loved this recipe as did I. Full of favor.
Wholesome Yum D
0So happy to hear you both enjoyed it, Rebecca! Thanks for sharing!
Margarita Duncan
0I tried this recipe today and it was delicious. The lemon butter sauce was the icing on the cake. I added a little more lemon to the recipe, it was perfect.
Wholesome Yum D
0I’m so happy to hear that you enjoyed it, Margarita! The lemon butter sauce is one of my favorite parts, too, and a little extra lemon sounds like a delicious touch.
Patricia
0The Halibut was absolutely delicious. Believe me I am a very novice cook and this turned out to perfection. I was so proud of myself and the recipe was easy to follow. I am now game from more adventure with your recipes.
Wholesome Yum D
0I love hearing that, Patricia. There’s nothing better than a recipe that builds your confidence in the kitchen. I’m so glad the halibut turned out perfectly for you, and I hope you have fun trying more recipes along the way.
Mike C
0I messed up . . . used too little oil . . . used too much lemon . . . but the dish was still fire. I strained the sauce after adding some tarragon, then added heavy cream and cooked a little longer. The resulting sauce on its own was still too lemony, but when matched with the seasonings on the fish (I put Mrs. Dash also), it was the bomb.
Wholesome Yum D
0Sounds like you recovered well, Mike. It’s always nice when everything comes together once it’s served. Thanks for sharing your experience!
Jill
0This was wonderful. I used garlic instead of the powder but otherwise, I followed the recipe. Definitely a keeper!!!!
Wholesome Yum D
0Fresh garlic sounds like a great choice, Jill. I’m so glad you enjoyed the recipe and that you’re planning on making it again!
Karen
0Amazing-I saw your recipe and immediately wanted to try it, super happy we did! So easy, the seasoning doesn’t take over and the lemon butter is perfect. Thank you so much!
Wholesome Yum D
0So happy to hear it lived up to your expectations, Karen. The lemon butter sauce is one of my favorite parts, too.
Ceci
0It’s so hard to find fresh halibut in the Midwest, but when we do, I use this simple recipe! We love the lemon butter sauce with a dash of white wine and dill. Serving this fish is delicious over mashed cauliflower and asparagus!! Thank you!
Wholesome Yum D
0That sounds like a great meal, Ceci. Thanks for taking the time to share!
Patricia Moore
0Halibut recipe is awesome and I added grilled green beans sprinkled with salt n pepper and fried rice with shallots, diced green pepper and touch chili powder, and curry powder, cooked till golden-brown.
Wholesome Yum D
0That sounds like a fantastic meal, Patricia. Sounds like all those good flavors are a great pairing with halibut.
Anaid
0OMG, This looks soooo DELISH. I will be making this recipe for sure. Thank you for sharing.
Wholesome Yum D
0Anaid, I hope you love it when you make it! So glad it caught your eye. 🙂
Dan
0My lemon butter sauce turned out terrible. I put a stick of butter in the same pan I cooked the fish, melted it until it was brown and then added lemon juice in. It tasted way too tart. Also was greasy rather than buttery. Obviously I did something wrong,
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Sorry to hear that, Dan! Was the butter separated or burnt? Or maybe your lemon was unusually tart? You can start with less next time if you don’t like the sauce too lemony. It should not be greasy though, so that makes me think maybe the heat was too high and your sauce split.