Pan-Seared Halibut with Lemon, Garlic & Herbs

January 17, 2025

A Skillet Recipe for Four Fillet Portions

Pat the halibut dry, give each piece room in the pan and add garlic and butter near the end. Finish with lemon and herbs after cooking for a simple fillet dinner.

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Choose the Right Halibut

Use plain fresh halibut fillet portions or frozen halibut fillets, thawed according to their package directions. Follow any requirement to open vacuum packaging before thawing. Recipe quantities describe the food you prepare, not the retail package.

Whole halibut is head-off and gutted and may arrive in large sections; prepare suitable fillets first. Steaks and cheeks need handling and timing suited to those cuts.

Ingredients for Four Servings

4 plain halibut fillet portions, approximately 6 oz each, skin removed and checked for bones
1½ tbsp neutral cooking oil
1 tbsp unsalted butter
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
½ tsp salt and ¼ tsp black pepper, or to taste
1 tbsp lemon juice, plus wedges for serving
1 tbsp chopped parsley or dill

Use similarly thick portions where possible. An 8 oz portion can also be used; its cooking time depends on thickness, and the total recipe weight will be different.

Method

Pat the fillets dry and season with salt and pepper. Keep refrigerated until you are ready to cook.
Heat the oil in a heavy skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add the fish with space between pieces, working in batches if needed.
Let the underside brown before turning with a fish spatula. Begin checking after about 3 minutes, but do not force the fish loose if it is sticking.
Turn carefully and lower the heat to medium. Add butter and garlic near the end of cooking, keeping the garlic from burning. Spoon the melted butter over the fish.
Continue cooking until a thermometer inserted into the thickest part reads 145°F. Check thinner pieces first and remove them when ready.
Transfer to clean plates. Add lemon juice and chopped herbs, then serve with the pan butter.

Cook fish to 145°F in its thickest part, following FDA seafood guidance. Thickness and equipment affect timing; browning alone does not measure the center temperature.

Getting a Better Crust

Dry the surface before seasoning; excess moisture makes browning harder.
Leave room between portions so liquid can evaporate.
Reduce the heat if the surface browns before the center is cooked.
Add garlic late to avoid burning it during the initial sear.

Lemon-Basil Variation

Add ½ tsp dried basil to the seasoning, or finish with chopped fresh basil. Lemon is added after cooking in this version. If you use a separate marinade, reserve clean sauce before it touches raw fish and do not use the raw-fish marinade as an uncooked finishing sauce.

Serving and Leftovers

Serve with rice, mashed potatoes, asparagus or a green salad. A spoonful of mango salsa offers a fruit topping. Refrigerate leftovers promptly; see the linked storage guide below.

For a tortilla-based meal, use the halibut fish taco recipe. For cheeks, follow the separate halibut cheeks preparation.