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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
Emily Lacey
0This dish was so yummy AND so easy! My son’s a little bit of a foodie and wanted fish and lemon rice for his birthday dinner. I loved that the instructions included how to plate and garnish it properly because that’s an important element to him. It turned out perfectly, except the sauce had a lot black bits from the fish and seasoning that had stuck on the pan. It tasted good, just looked less appealing than I hoped.
Marsha
0I bought a small piece of halibut and just reduced the recipe for me! Absolutely delicious and light! Thank you!
Lew
0It would be nice to see other people’s questions and your response.
My question, which I’m sure has been asked, Can you substitute Lemon Juice, and How much? Thanks.
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Lew, I publish questions I get and answer them in the comments section, right below where you left your comment. This recipe already has lemon juice, so I’m not sure what you’re wanting to substitute?
Holland
0This was the best halibut I have ever made. Doing it again next week! Yum!!
Pete
0A great, quick and tasty recipe. Positive results every time. Thank you.
Susan
0This was a wonderful recipe. My husband and I enjoyed it very much. I would have liked it to be a bit more moist. Thanks for a yummy recipe.
Carol Murray
0Soooooo easy and good will add capers to sauce next time 💯 thank you
Sherrie Allen
0I made the recipe and didn’t have lemon. I used lime instead and it was yummy.🐠🍋🧄 Thank you for the recipe.😋
Carolyn
0I enjoyed this recipe so much. Easy and not easy to screw up! I didn’t brown the butter a lot. I did minimal brown and added lemon. Oh my, fabulous! Thinking next time I’ll add capers.
Lilah F
0Very good! Sauce was delicious and added a good touch! Skin did stick to pan, but other than that, extremely tasty.
Amy Sytsma
0The fish was great tasting with the spices recommended. We where not thrilled with the Garlic butter, not real full of flavor. I would definitely do the seasoned fish. Oh, I used my cast Iron pan for this, worked great!
Elayne
0Excellent. I have nothing but good things to say.
Fran Licata
0It was absolutely delicious. I used a cast iron pan and the. fish stuck to the bottom of the pan. Any idea, why?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Fran, Fish sticks more easily to cast iron than nonstick pans, especially if it doesn’t have skin. Some tips to reduce this effect are to use more oil, make sure the oil is hot before adding the fish, and don’t flip too soon. I’m glad you liked it otherwise!
Paula
0This halibut recipe is excellent! Seasoned just right…and the lemon butter sauce was perfect! Easy to prepare, too! Will definitely make it again soon!
Jax
0HAVE to post review. SOO delicious! Still in midst of enjoying but didn’t want to forget to thank you for this simple, yet oh so delectable meal. Oh, I roasted small broccoli florets with evoo, truffle salt and cracked pepper and jasmine rice. Drizzled lemon butter sauce over rice and broccoli. Don’t think I’ve ever had better at a restaurant. Know I haven’t. Used Pacific halibut. 1/2 recipe as it was just for me. Delish! 🙏🏽
Debbie T
0Never cooked halibut before. This recipe was great! Flavor of fish wonderful! Will use again!!
George Sell
0I didn’t watch the video until after I made the recipe and realized I had made some mistakes. I dried the fillets too much. The frying temp and temp for the sauce was too high. Other than that, I love this recipe.
John Wadas
0Best Halibut recipe I have found. My wife and I catch Alaskan Halibut and have it portioned in 1 lb packages and sent home. We made some tonight 3/2/23 and it was delicious. Definitely use fresh lemon!
Tammy Clark
0What are your thoughts about using an air fryer for this?
I’m a single empty nester, so would be making two filets at the most.
Time/temp?
Thanks, Tammy
Wholesome Yum D
0Hi Tammy, I have never tried halibut in the air fryer, but you could use a similar recipe to my air fryer tilapia recipe.
Lori Carr
0I actually thought I was a great cook, but I could not get the sauce. I tried 2 separate times and all it did was separate. I followed the recipe to a T and watched the heat to make sure it wasn’t too low or two high…
Help!
Wholesome Yum D
0Hi Lori, Sorry this recipe didn’t turn out as expected. What exactly is separating… the sauce is only butter and lemon juice. There is a video above the recipe that might help you.
Pam S.
0We look forward to repeating this recipe whenever halibut goes on sale at our local seafood market. It’s become a family favorite! Quick, easy, and tasty!
Fanny
0Very tasty. The sauce keeps the fish moist. Will cook again.
Barbara
0I like the simplicity of this recipe!
Kathryn Waldyke
0Just made it. Yes, this is simply wonderful! Thank you!
Kim
0Way too salty. I am not sure if there are different types of sea salt. Maybe I used the wrong kind. Large crystals. We actually had to rinse off the fillets in order to eat them. The sauce was excellent. I will make this again but will omit the sea salt. May use a small amount of regular salt. Please advise.
Bob M
0Just use a pinch between your fingers. Otherwise it will be too salty.
Katie
0I have been scrolling for a while… can’t find the recipe…
Wholesome Yum D
0Hi Katie, There is a ‘jump to recipe’ button at the top of the page that you can use to get right to the recipe.
William Pendleton
0Best fish I’ve had in a while…my wife went crazy over it!
Melissa
0First time in a long time making Halibut and it came out just perfect! Thank you so much for the recipe and technique!
Susan
0Simple and delicious! We will definitely be making this again. It was so easy to make. We used it on halibut we caught ourselves in Alaska😊
Kara
0Tasty on their own, but the lemon butter sauce takes them to the next level. Seriously delicious!
Kristyn
0This is the most tender dish!! That lemon butter sauce tastes amazing with the halibut! I can’t believe how easy it is to make!
Julia
0We LOVE fish in our house!! This is such a simple recipe to make! Thanks for posting!
Mary Reuland
0Is was excellent! I added chopped garlic and capers to the butter sauce…. Will definitely make again!
Lynda Peitzsch
0Was very tasty and enjoyed by the family.
Stephen
0I had caught 2 halibut and used this on our last few packages. Was the best and very simple recipe yet. Just got back with 15 lbs coho and will use your pan seared recipe for the salmon. Love it baked but the butter pan seared is to die for.
Maritza
0This is by far the best and easiest recipe E-V-E-R!!! I love cooking and I regularly prepare a number of complex recipes, but this recipe is truly awesome; easy to follow and uses easy and few ingredients for optimal results! THANK YOU!!!!!
Colleen
0This was easy and so delicious. I couldn’t find my paprika but proceeded without it. I cooked the fish a bit less than recommended but it was perfect. Thanks.
Chris L
0This worked terrifically for me. Easy (important for an unskilled cook), loved the strong lemon flavor, and the seasonings all worked for me. Thank you.
Gretta C.
0Wonderful recipe that I have made 4 times now and each time successfully with a delicious outcome.
Susan Torres
0Thank you for your details on how to pan sear halibut. I can’t thank you enough.
Elizabeth "Mimi" Baldwin
0My daughter just had a new baby and I’m with her family, helping with the 3 older siblings, so I’m in charge of meals. Made this for my granddaughters (9, 7, 2) with Sole, adjusting the cooking time since it’s much thinner fish. And I used smoked paprika since that’s all my daughter had in the spice cabinet. Then I made this with halibut for the 3 adults… My 7 year old granddaughter doesn’t really care for fish, but when she tried this recipe, she literally said”Mimi, you’ve changed my life”! So funny and what a compliment! We all enjoyed the dish and I’m planning on making it over and over again because it’s so simple and so good. I served the fish with Rice Pilaf and steamed zucchini with some parmesan and butter. Huge hit! Thank you for sharing this recipe!
Jess H.
0I somehow completely overlooked the brown butter sauce in the recipe haha. Even though I didn’t finish the sauce the recipe was great! I am trying to eat more fish and have probably cooked it less than 5 times in my life so this was a great recipe for a newbie. Thanks!
Jan Robinson
0I reviewed the feedback before choosing this recipe for some beautiful fresh (expensive) halibut. We are experienced cooks, love flavours, and cook fish regularly.
Unfortunately, we didn’t like the spice combo (at all) – the paprika ruined it (badly). In our opinion, not the right spice for this recipe, particularly with a lemon butter.
Wholesome Yum D
0Hi Jan, Sorry this recipe didn’t meet expectations. Did you follow the measurements exactly because there is only 1/2 tsp of paprika in the whole spice mixture?
Rich
0You did not list amounts of ingredients to use / measurements. 2 sticks or 4 onces of butter for example. Size and thickness and weight of fish.
Wholesome Yum D
0Hi Rich, You can find the measurements in the recipe card which is right above where you left this comment.
Linda
0Delicious!!! Cooked perfectly. My husband loves it!! Will definitely make it again
MMLB
0Fantastic! Company worthy! I brushed Olive oil on the top sides of the Halibut steaks in the pan, then sprinkled half the spices (mixed together) on the fish. Flip the fish and sprinkle the remaining spices. Since we were cooking thick Halibut steaks, we flipped them more than once. The fresh Halibut was light and flakey for a dense fish. Enjoy:-)
Tre
0Needed an easy recipe fast, found this one, had all the ingredients on hand and it was absolutely amazing. The fish melted in our mouths and the seasoning was on point. Made it with roasted sweet potato and garlic sautéed bok choy. Totally delish. Thnx.
Myrriah
0This may be the most delicious halibut I’ve ever had! And it was so simple. Thank you.
Marti
0This is a great recipe! Delicious! We had it with jasmine rice and a spinach strawberry salad.
Parin
0Excellent recipe. I served it over grits with a side salad. The only downside is spattering of oil on the stove. Cleaned up well after this great dinner.
Nanci Freudenburg
0The recipe was great. The fish was delicious. I did not have a lemon and was too lazy to go to the store so I used half an orange in the sauce and it was great. Thank yo so much for recipe.
Sharon
0I’m just starting to eat Alaska fish and halibut was one of the choices. This pan seared was restaurant quality. And I made it!! Which is more surprising. Will be getting other recipes for salmon, cod and rock fish. Thanks for sharing!!