Halibut Recipe

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.

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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:

1. 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!
2. Season. Sprinkle the fish generously on both sides with garlic powder, paprika, sea salt, and black pepper.
3. 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:

1. 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.
2. 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.
3. 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.

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!

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:

Pan Seared Salmon

Lemon Baked Cod

Rainbow Trout

Chilean Sea Bass