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Get It Now- Why You’ll Love My Pan Seared Halibut Recipe
- Ingredients & Substitutions
- How To Cook Halibut
- How To Make The Sauce
- My Recipe Tips
- Recipe Variations
- Storage Instructions
- Serving Suggestions
- More Easy Fish Recipes To Try
- My Tools For This Recipe
- Halibut Recipe (With Lemon Butter Sauce) Recipe card
- Recipe Reviews
Halibut is the fish I make when I’m craving more than “just fish”. Baked salmon or air fryer cod are my go-tos for weeknights, but when I want a special seafood dinner at home, it’s this pan seared halibut recipe all the way. You’ll feel like you’re at a high-end restaurant!
The light, bright lemon butter sauce absolutely makes the dish. I also love the large, moist fish flakes. And while I have recipes to bake halibut and grill halibut, they can’t beat this pan seared version with sauce. It’s my very best way to cook halibut. You’ll get it when you try it. 😉
Why You’ll Love My Pan Seared Halibut Recipe
- Tender, flaky texture – This is a firm, lean fish, but that doesn’t mean it can’t be moist and flaky! The method I use for cooking halibut gives you exactly that. I won’t settle for anything less.
- Irresistible lemon butter sauce – This dish is the one that prompted me to create the lemon butter sauce that I now make on repeat for all kinds of seafood. I use variations of it for garlic butter shrimp and seared scallops, 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.
- Mild fish flavor – If you have any hesitations about fish, halibut recipes are a good place to dip your toes in, because they taste mild and not too fishy. This one just might turn you into a fan. (My flounder recipe is another good one to try for this — and halibut is actually a type of flounder!)
- 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”?
Ingredients & Substitutions
This section explains how to choose the best ingredients for my halibut recipe, what each one does, and substitution options. For measurements, see the recipe card below.
Halibut Fish:
- Halibut – This is a mild type of white fish. It’s a little similar to cod, haddock, or Chilean sea bass, but firmer. My recipe calls for 4 halibut fillets (6 ounces each), but you can also get one large 1.5-pound fillet and cut into 4 smaller ones. I can usually only find halibut without skin in my area, but if you can get it with skin, it will get irresistibly crispy!
- Spices – I keep it simple with just garlic powder, paprika, sea salt, and black pepper. (See below for variations.)
- Oil – I usually use this olive oil, but any heat-safe oil (such as avocado oil) will also work. You can even use extra virgin olive oil for extra flavor.
Lemon Butter Sauce:
- Butter – I used salted butter just for simplicity. Feel free to use unsalted and add salt to taste instead.
- Lemon Juice – Since the sauce has only 2 ingredients, I highly recommend juicing a fresh lemon for this halibut recipe. But, technically bottled lemon juice will work.
How To Cook Halibut
This section shows step-by-step photos together with the instructions, to help you visualize the recipe. For full instructions, including amounts and temperatures, see the recipe card below.
Cooking halibut in a pan is straightforward, similar to any other fish. Here is how I do it:
- Dry. Use paper towels to pat the halibut fillets dry. This will ensure even browning, 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 for another 2-4 minutes, until the fish flakes easily with a fork. (See my tips below to make it perfectly!)
Hang on, this halibut recipe is not done yet. Cover it with foil to keep warm while you make the best part… the sauce!
How To Make The Sauce
Once your pan fried halibut is done cooking, you can re-use the same pan to make the lemon butter sauce:
- Brown the butter. Reduce pan to medium-low and add the butter. Once it melts, 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. 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. I love my cast iron, but it’s not my favorite for fish, which can stick and fall apart too easily. A non-stick skillet (this one is my fave) is your best bet here!
- 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.
- There are easy ways to tell when halibut is done. 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.
- Be careful not to burn the sauce. My top tips for this are keep the heat low (just high enough to barely simmer), and remove the sauce 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.
Recipe 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 weed, 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.
Storage Instructions
- Store: Fish tends to dry out when it’s reheated and overcooks easily, so I always recommend making this pan seared halibut recipe fresh. However, if you have leftovers, store them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3-4 days.
- 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 a better alternative than overcooking.
- Freeze: You can freeze raw halibut for up to 3 months, but I don’t recommend freezing cooked halibut recipes like this one. It’s just not the same after thawing.
Serving Suggestions
This easy halibut recipe is pretty versatile, so you can go in many different directions to serve it. And I’ve got them all! Try it with one of my fresh side dishes below. If I’m really feeling fancy, I start the meal with my 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 around, I just toss some cherry tomatoes into my arugula salad anytime of year and call it a day!
More Easy Fish Recipes To Try
If you love fish like I do, try one of my other easy fish recipes next:
My Tools For This Recipe
- Non-stick Skillet – It’s not fancy, but my fish never sticks with this one and the non-stick surface hasn’t worn off after years of use. Can’t say the same for some others I’ve tried.
- Lemon Squeezer – This is the citrus press I use to help me get every last drop.
- Fish Turner – This special angled spatula will help flip your pan fried halibut without it flaking apart. Worth having if you cook a lot of fish like I do!
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.
Ingredients
Tap underlined ingredients to see where to get them.
Halibut:
Lemon butter sauce:
Instructions
Tap on the times in the instructions below to start a kitchen timer while you cook.
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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.
Did You Like It?
Leave a rating to help other readers, or get the recipe sent to your inbox.
Recipe Notes
Serving size: 1 halibut fillet + 2 tablespoons lemon butter sauce
Nutrition facts are provided as a courtesy. Have questions about calculations or why you got a different result? Please see our nutrition policy.
© 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. 🙂
223 Comments
Pamela
0Do you remove the skin from the fish before cooking?
Wholesome Yum D
0Hi Pamela, My halibut didn’t have any skin, but you can leave it on if yours has it. It’s great for flavor!
Carole
0This was excellent! So delicious. The halibut was so moist, and the lemon butter sauce was outstanding. It came together so easily. I will be making this again.
Dianne
0I have an Alaskan fish subscription that I adore and wanted to find the best recipe possible for my Halibut. This was a very good recipe for such a delicate fish! I actually followed the instructions instead of doing my own thing to “tweak” it. The nutty aroma of the butter, while it browned, was very nice. I was using a cast iron skillet and did not have any issues with the lemon splattering, however, my flame was medium low. The fish came out great and the sauce was used on my green beans. I am not a lemon fan usually but I loved this recipe as written!
Rosabella Mills
0Absolutely delicious with the lemon butter sauce, mmm…
Liz L
0Wow and wow! Simply delicious. 5 Star meal. We are fortunate to get fish directly from a local troller. So the combination of really fresh halibut, and Wholesome Yum’s fabulous recipe and clear instructions, this was a tremendous hit. Thank you!
Tracy west
0Wow…this recipe is amazing. I am not one to usually post a comment after I try a recipe but this is truly a keeper. I’m a travel nurse in Alaska so I have a freezer full of Halibut. I do not like lemons on fish, nor in my water. I’m a lime kinda gal but thought I’d give this a try as I did have some lemons in the apt. The searing of the Halibut first was easy peasy and adding the few other ingredients….wow…this has now become my favorite Halibut recipe. I was truly not sold any most of the other recipes I’ve tried but really this….is amazing!! Thank you so much for that. Who would have thought it would be this easy for a great tasting halibut!!
Meissa C.
0Absolutely delicious and so easy to make with not a lot of clean up! I placed the halibut over a bed of garlic mashed potatoes and roasted green beans. My family liked it so much last night, they want it again tonight. I’m excited to try it with other white fishes, too. The only request I had was to try to make the lemon butter sauce a little more lemony, so I might try adding some lemon zest with a little more lemon juice next time.
Muriel
0Really really good. I used fresh garlic on the fish and in the lemon sauce. I love the lemon sauce really brown.
Martha
0Can I use olive oil instead of butter or half olive oil and half butter?
Wholesome Yum D
0Hi Martha, I would suggest using half oil and half butter to get that nice buttery taste in the end.
Hanah
0Yummy! I changed the recipe a little and added 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper.
I steamed some carrots and parsnips then added this to the lemon butter sauce along with minced garlic, some sliced closed cup mushrooms; let them char a bit and served the seared halibut on a bed of these vegetables garnished with chopped flat leaf parsley and a lemon couscous side! Divine or what!
Amely
0Hi! Any ideas on a substitute for at least some of the butter? trying to eat “heart healthy”….. Thanks
Wholesome Yum D
0Hi Amely, You could reduce the amount of butter as that is not absolutely vital to the recipe.
Kimberly
0We caught halibut in Alaska last year. I have been making halibut every which way this past year. Tonight, I made your recipe! It got voted the best halibut recipe ever! The only thing I did differently was 1/4 a lemon because mine are huge! So delicious! I will be making halibut with this recipe from now on!
Kathleen
0Love love love it! Having it again tonight with rice pilaf and sautéed chard. Didn’t change a thing from recipe! Oh! And the halibut I’m using is fresh caught today! Wholesome yum….
Nicole Pelletier
0Loved this! Even my non fish eaters had some! Thank you!
Tony
0Perfectly yummy
Colleen
0Why can’t I print recipe?
Wholesome Yum M
0Hi Colleen, Are you using the ‘Print’ button on the recipe card?
Kathy Lewis
0I was looking for “quick, easy yum” and this was it!! Moist, tasty and best of all, quick. Thanks for sharing your recipe
Kate
0When you buy halibut filet does it have skin on one size
Wholesome Yum M
0Hi Kate, I buy them without skin. You can absolutely use skin-on filets, they would need to go in the pan skin down first.
Waltrr Schwartz
0Best presentation and intuitive explanation I have ever seen for a recipe online. Shared it with a friend because it was so well done. Can’t wait to try it when I get back home from Alaska trip. Thank you.
Conrad`
0I’ve made this a few times now and we both enjoy this recipe very much. My wife never liked halibut out (at a restaurant) until I made it using this recipe.
One question… You are pretty specific about your lemon squeezer… What kind of fry pan is your favorite… or recommend?
Thanks!
Wholesome Yum M
0Hi Conrad, I have a few different pans that I really love. I made a list of my favorite kitchen tools here. Pans are about halfway down the page.
CONRAD
0Thank you, but at the risk of being a pain in the b***t… when you make this halibut… which is your fry pan of choice?
Wholesome Yum M
0Hi Conrad, No trouble. I like to use a large hard-anodized pan. Especially for fish, where even heat and nonstick options matter. Of course, this is a great staple piece to have in your kitchen arsenal; it has many uses! I hope this helps!
Ruthie
0It was perfect ❤️the while family loved it!
Theresa Mienie
0We paired this dish with Basmati rice and asparagus, the halibut made the meal complete. My husband has cooked along side some 5 start chefs, he didn’t talk the entire time he was eating. It brought back memories of cooking in South Africa with his chef friends. Will definitely make again!!! Thank you!!
Jason Korstad
0Skin on or Skin off? Making it tonight so I will probably skin it but if anyone has insight LMK, I have skin on fillets.
Wholesome Yum M
0Hi Jason, I used skinless filets, but if yours are skin-on, then yes they will need to be cooked skin down first.
Carol
0Best halibut recipe ever. Simple, quick and delicious. I also use a bit of a mayo/cilantro sauce with it.
Sam
0I followed this recipe just as written and it was the best fish I have ever cooked! The browned butter sauce was delicious and works perfectly if it accidentally ends up on your asparagus or broccoli as well. My husband thought it was restaurant worthy and he is not a big fish fan. I might try throwing a few capers in the sauce at the end next time, just because I love them with butter, lemon and fish. Thank you for this great recipe that will be used again and again at my house.
Bernadette Moore
0Absolutely delicious. Thank you for recipe.
Tina S
0So simple and delicious
Michelle
0Absolutely delicious!!! Did not change the recipe at all, perfect as is.
Modest Chef
0With one exception, an excellent recipe. And easy, as promised. And a number of fine hints, such as to pat the fish dry for a better sear, and to not push it around in the skillet. The exception: the lemon added to the browned butter splatters like nobody’s business. I would have appreciated a warning about that.
Carol
0Delicious and easy to make. Will try this again.
Janis
0This is DELICIOUS! It was so simple to make but amazing results. I live in Alaska so have ready access to halibut (my fav fish) and I will be making this often. Subtle well melded flavors. I thought it would be bland because it had so few ingredients and was so easy to make. However, it was FABULOUS. We had it with artichokes. Yummm
Thank you for being such a great cook and passing it on.
I have never been disappointed in your recipes.
Thanks!!!
Bryan
0Simple and so delicious… will definitely become a regular at my house. Keto or not this is a winner!
Merilee Watling
0This halibut was sooooo good.. will be using this recipe again. Fish was delicious!!!
Gillian
0I made this with fresh caught halibut my friend gave me! It was SO easy (and usually my partner cooks most of the dinners) and SO delicious. Even my toddler liked it!
It was the first recipe that Popped up when I searched “how do I cook halibut” and I’m delighted!!! We had steamed broccoli and roasted potatoes on the side. YUM.
Marilyn Ricklin
0One of the best things I’ve ever eaten!!!
Patty Fish
0Very delicious and easy to prepare. Glad l didn’t need to chop fresh garlic for a change!
Gale
0Awesome! What a great taste!
Nancy
0Fabulous, so delicious!!! And, so simple which makes it even more fabulous. I added a piece of Swordfish to this recipe and it was as delicious as the halibut. Thanks for this recipe!
Meredith Gindi
0This recipe was awesome!!! Cooked it exactly as directed and didn’t need anything else it was so delicious!! My husband loved it and kept repeating himself!!! Will look for more with you!!
Eileen
0Delicious and easy
Vickie Birney
0This was the best! Never cooked Halibut before and can’t wait to have it again! I felt like a real chef!!!!
Carol
0Great halibut recipe. Had thick piece of halibut. Had to cooks little longer but was yummy. Seasoning is good
Patty Cook
0We loved this dish! Served with roasted baby potatoes cut in half, at 350 for 15 – 20 minutes – then added pencil-thin asparagus for another 10 minutes, then grape tomatoes cut in half tossed in for another 10 minutes. I seasoned all the veggies with olive oil, salt, pepper, the potatoes with thyme, and the asparagus with Herbs de Provence.
I will share the recipe and photos with like-minded friends on social media. Many thanks!
Mary Henry
0This is a great recipe. We loved it
Heidi X Farr
0I bought some fresh Halibut at the Fish market today. Wow it was expensive so I wanted to make sure it prepared nicely. We just finished eating the most amazing Halibut dinner. The sauce was scrumptious. I added a bit of chopped parsley. It added some colour and pazzaz. Would highly recommend this recipe. Thanks for posting it.
Jo-Anne
0Fabulous recipe! I can’t have garlic, so left that out, but it was still delicious. Timing was perfect. Did reduce butter and lemon just a bit for personal preference. Have already shared recipe and will make again very soon.
Thanks!
Gord
0A great way to cook an expensive piece of fish (even in season on the West coast). The only change I made is that I used a splash or two of white wine to deglaze the pan to make the butter/lemon/parsley sauce. The suggested cook times are spot-on and the sauce made this piece of fresh halibut my list of meals I will make again, probably trying with other fresh fish or prawns.
Jon Holmquist
0Very lemony, overpowered the fantastic flavor of the fish. So, we tried this for the sauce: 1 small clove smashed/diced garlic, 1/2 Meyer lemon, 1/4 cup Sauvignon blanc with 1/3 cup unsalted butter. Salt to taste. For us, better!
We always cook our fish on the rare side.
Emanuella
0We LOVED this simple to make, delicious recipe. Perfectly cooked halibut and plenty of flavors. Will make again thanks
Mary Patchett
0Simple but delicious. Thank you.
Jamie
0This recipe was delicious… I had never cooked halibut , this recipe made me look like a pro to my family… haha … thank you for the excellent recipe
Teresa G
0I had a piece of Alaskan halibut from a friend and wasn’t sure how to prepare it. I was so tired tonight from all the physical labor today, and the last thing I wanted to do was cook! But that fish had to be cooked tonight, so I Googled for a recipe and found yours. It looked simple enough and sounded good. I followed your instructions exactly and it came out great!! We were so pleased with the taste, and the fish had just the right level of moisture–not dried out like sometimes happens. I’ve got one more piece of that fish in the freezer, and it’ll be cooked the same way next week! Thanks so much for sharing the recipe that was easy and quick to prepare and tasted great!
Mella Weaver
0I just made this recipe. We loved the flavor! This is the first time that I had halibut, so unfortunately, I did over cook it. Next time, I will be sure to use this recipe!!!