Pan-Fried Halibut Recipe

I consider pan-fried halibut to be the ideal healthy protein to whip up on a busy weeknight.

You will transform four beautiful ingredients into a restaurant-worthy entrée in less than 20 minutes. You can never go wrong with this crunchy skin and succulent, flakey flesh.

This easy pan-fried halibut recipe is simple to make and mouth-watering.

This guide is for you if you are looking for a captivating restaurant-quality halibut dish that is simple to make at home.

The fish is seasoned with a simple blend of salt, parsley, pepper, and garlic, then pan-fried for the ideal crunchy skin and flakey fish. This recipe is ideal for a weeknight meal or a special event.

I believe simplicity is the key when it comes to cooking fish. All you need is a few staple ingredients to make any fish dish shine, and this pan-fried halibut dish is no exception.

This recipe will make you crave more, especially if you’ve been on the fence about cooking halibut at home.

What is Pan-Seared Halibut?

Pan-seared halibut with lemon is an easy and budget-friendly dish of white fish and butter sauce.

Texture

Keep in mind that the texture of the halibut should be light, flakey, and moist. And when it comes to keeping the halibut fillets nice and hydrated, you would agree that the lemon juice-infused butter sauce does work wonders.

Flavor

Halibut does cook quickly and comes with a sweet, mild taste to it, just like most white fish.

The addition of butter, lemon, garlic, parsley, salt, and herbs elevates the flavor of the halibut while keeping it neutral enough to be paired with a variety of side dishes.

Time

It should only take around 3 to 4 minutes of cooking time on the first side and 2 to 3 minutes on the other side once you add the fish to the hot pan.

And, once it is finished cooking, immediately remove the fish from the pan to prevent it from turning rubbery.

What is Halibut?

Halibut refers to the largest species of flatfish. They are rather similar to flounder in their taste and appearance.

That being said, halibut are much larger and possess firmer meat. And one fun fact about this dish is that both of their eyes are on the same side of their heads.

This white-fleshed fish comes with mild and ever-so-slightly delicious-tasting fillets.

It is an excellent seafood option for those who are sensitive to fishy flavors. The funniest thing is that halibut fillets are not fishy in the slightest and are likely to be dry.

So, cooking methods should retain moisture in the fish, and sauces pair amazingly well with it.

Halibut Recipe (with Lemon Butter Sauce)

With this recipe, you will get to learn how to cook halibut that is perfectly flaky and succulent. This pan-fried halibut recipe with lemon butter sauce takes just 20 minutes.

Course: Dinner, Main Course
Cuisine: American
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 15 minutes
Servings: 4

Ingredients

Halibut

• 4 (6-oz) of halibut fillets, 1.5 lbs total
• ¼ teaspoon of black pepper
• 2 tablespoons of olive oil
• ½ teaspoon of garlic powder
• ½ teaspoon of paprika
• 1 teaspoon of sea salt

Lemon Butter Sauce

• 1 medium lemon (cut in half)
• ½ cup of salted butter

Laid-Out Instructions

• First, you are to use paper towels to pat the halibut fillets completely dry; this will ensure even browning. Also season the fish on both sides with paprika, sea salt, garlic powder, and black pepper, then set it aside.
• After that, heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat for 2 minutes.
• That being done, add the fish fillets in a single layer; however, if all the fish won’t fit in a single layer, you can always do it in batches. Afterward, sear without moving for 3 to 4 minutes until the edges of the fish are opaque. Now, flip and cook for 2 to 4 minutes until it is cooked through.
• When that is done, remove the fish from the pan and cover it tightly with foil to keep it warm.
• Proceed to reduce the heat to medium-low and add the butter to the same pan. Wait for it to melt, then heat for 2 to 3 minutes while you stir it occasionally until the butter is browned and smells nutty.
• After that, use the Zulay Kitchen Lemon Squeezer to squeeze all the juice from both halves of the lemon into the pan and bring it to a simmer, then reduce the heat and simmer for around 3 to 4 minutes while you also stir it often until the volume is reduced by half. The lemon butter sauce will still be thin.
• That being done, spray a little lemon butter sauce over each serving plate, then place the pan-seared halibut fillets over the sauce and spray more sauce on top.

What to Serve with Pan Fry Halibut

Potatoes

Just try extra crispy smashed potatoes or garlic butter herb potatoes if you are looking for the ideal potato sides for pan-fried halibut.

Veggies

I always love serving my favorite veggie sides with fish. You can just try pairing quick and simple air fryer broccoli or delicious and tangy roasted Brussels sprouts with honey sriracha for a cooked veggie side. I’m sure you will love the kale Brussels sprouts salad with honey mustard dressing for a fresh, crunchy side.

Dessert

I’ve got you covered if you are craving a dessert to serve after this recipe. A sweet and delectable peach crisp recipe is certainly worth trying. And whenever it is possible, you will love to whip up peanut butter oatmeal cookies.

Rice

It’s a proven fact that wild rice pilaf pairs perfectly well with any fish. However, you can try pairing Instant Pot jasmine rice or perfect Instant Pot brown rice with pan-fried halibut if you are looking for an extremely simple but delicious side.

How to Store and Reheat Halibut

To Store

Just proceed to place the cooked halibut in a tightly sealed container and refrigerate.

To Reheat

When it comes to reheating it, you can either microwave or pan-fry your fish. I’m sure what you want is to heat the fish until it’s warmed through, or it will become dry and tough.

To Microwave

To do this, just place the cooked halibut on a plate, then cover it with damp paper towels and proceed to heat for 1 to 2 minutes, or until it’s just heated through.

To Pan Fry

I recommend you heat a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat, then add a tablespoon of oil to the pan and place the halibut fillet, skin side down. Ensure that you cook for 2 to 3 minutes, or until it’s just heated through.

Can I Freeze Halibut?

Well, of course, you certainly can freeze cooked halibut. All you need to do is place it in a tightly sealed container or just wrap it tightly in plastic wrap and store it in the freezer, which will make it last for up to 3 months. Just defrost it overnight in the refrigerator when you are ready to eat before you reheat it.

Conclusion

And you might want to ask whether you can use butter rather than oil. Well, for me, I won’t.

This is so because butter does not stand up well to high heat and might even begin to burn before your halibut is ready to come out of the pan, which can certainly cause an acrid taste.

However, I will say it is best to add it at the end of cooking if you choose to add butter.

Well, this concludes this guide, as you now have the best recipe for pan-fried halibut.