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GET IT NOWThis 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.
How 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)
Learn how to cook halibut that's perfectly flaky & tender! This easy pan seared halibut recipe with lemon butter sauce takes just 20 minutes.
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Ingredients
Tap underlined ingredients to see the ones I use.
Halibut:
Lemon butter sauce:
Instructions
Tap on the times in the instructions to start a kitchen timer.
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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.
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Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat for 2 minutes.
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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.
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Remove the fish from the pan and cover with foil to keep warm.
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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.
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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.
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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.
LAST STEP: Leave a rating to help other readers, or tag me @wholesomeyum on Instagram. I’d love to hear from you!
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.
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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:
371 Comments
Mark Lavallee
0great!
Katherine Dorn
0This was absolutely delicious!! Tasted like it came from a high-end Seafood restaurant I will definitely be making this again.
Jo Lynn Ricks
0Easy recipe. It was delicious!!!
Terry
0Made this recipe last night – it was DELICIOUS!! Served it with oven baked JoJo potatoes a nice green salad. Will be making it this way from now on. Thank you.
Sallie Durette
0I made this last night. It was outstanding!! Absolutely amazing. It goes in my keeper recipe book which I save for my top 100 recipes. I served it with roasted fingerlings, cut in half (tossed with oil, salt, pepper, and rosemary) under a low broiler on the second shelf down, for about 8 minutes (until fork tender, and a little crispy); and steamed mushrooms and asparagus. The sauce complemented everything on the plate. We will make all our white fish with this recipe from now on. Thank you.
Gay Uhland
0First comment I have made thru Pinterest, but have to say I made this with tilapia and it turned out amazing!!
Brian Cioli
0It had excellent flavor. I cooked the fish for four minutes each side and the fish was a little dry. I’ll cook it for 3 minutes per side next time. Liked your recipe tips!
Beth
0Love the tips on cooking up the best halibut! Can’t wait to try that squeezer!
Tonje
0I swear every type of fish is way better with lemon. This is delicious!
Heidy L. McCallum
0I haven’t had Halibut in years–since I lived in Ohio perhaps the mid 90’s? I forgot how wonderful the texture and flavor was until I saw this recipe. Super excited to make this soon!
Farrah
0I love halibut! And I love easy pan seared recipes. An easy lemon butter sauce was the perfect pairing!
Rebecca
0thanks for sharing your tips on cooking the halibut! I don’t get mine dry enough…. need to work on that!
Sophie Heath
0I had fun trying out this new halibut recipe! I thought the lemon butter sauce REALLY pulled the whole dish together! A new family favorite! Thanks for the recipe!!
Erica Schwarz
0This dinner is fantastic! I love the healthy fish and my husband likes that it is low card. Came together so quickly!