Pan-Seared Halibut with Lemon Caper Sauce
This pan-seared halibut with buttery lemon caper sauce comes together in under 30 minutes.
Serves4
Prep10 minutes
Cook15 minutes
Why You’ll Love It
- Pan searing is quick and easy. To sear the fish, you’ll place it in a hot pan on one side first for four to five minutes until the underside is golden-brown and the fillets are cooked halfway up the sides. Then, you’ll flip the fillets and continue to cook for three to five minutes more until the fish flakes easily.
- The lemon caper sauce is so flavorful. Lemon is a classic pairing for all fish, and it’s no different with halibut. Capers, garlic, and butter are also happy matches, and all of these ingredients are featured here.
Sweet, flaky halibut is a true dinnertime luxury. Because the white fish doesn’t come cheap, I like to save it for special occasions. When I do splurge, I want the halibut to be the star. Halibut is a mild white fish, which means it’s quite versatile and pairs well with most flavors. I like to let its pleasant sweetness take center stage, so I generally steer away from overwhelming it with strong spices. In this recipe, I simply dress pan-seared fillets with a warm lemon caper butter sauce — it’s understated elegance that tastes like a fancy restaurant meal.
Key Ingredients for Pan-Seared Halibut
- Halibut fillets: Pat 4 (4 to 6-ounce) skinless halibut fillets dry with paper towels before seasoning with kosher salt and black pepper.
- Lemon: Finely grate the zest of 1 small lemon (about 1 teaspoon). Juice the lemon until you have 2 tablespoons.
- Garlic: Mince 2 garlic cloves.
- Capers: Rinse 1 tablespoon capers well under cold running water, if salt-packed, to remove salt.
- Butter: Cut 4 tablespoons cold unsalted butter into 4 pieces.
- Parsley: Coarsely chop the leaves of 2 fresh parsley sprigs (about 1 tablespoon).
How to Make Pan-Seared Halibut
- Prepare the lemon caper mixture. Combine lemon zest, lemon juice, minced garlic, and capers in a small bowl.
- Sear the halibut. Sear undisturbed until well browned on the bottom and the sides are cooked just past halfway up the fillets. Reduce the heat to medium, flip the fillets, and cook until just cooked through and the flesh flakes easily. Transfer to a serving platter or individual plates.
- Make the pan sauce. Reduce the heat to medium-low. Add the lemon caper mixture and scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon. Add cold unsalted butter pieces, one piece at a time, waiting until each piece is almost completely melted before adding the next.
- Finish the dish. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in chopped fresh parsley. Pour over the halibut and serve immediately.
What to Serve with Pan-Seared Halibut
Pan-Seared Halibut Recipe
This pan-seared halibut with buttery lemon caper sauce comes together in under 30 minutes.
Prep time 10 minutes
Cook time 15 minutes
Serves 4
Nutritional Info
Ingredients
- 1 teaspoon
finely grated lemon zest (from 1 small lemon)
- 2 tablespoons
freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 2 cloves
garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon
capers
- 4
(4 to 6-ounce) skinless halibut fillets
- 1 teaspoon
kosher salt, plus more as needed
- 1/4 teaspoon
freshly ground black pepper, plus more as needed
- 2 tablespoons
olive oil
- 4 tablespoons
cold unsalted butter, cut into 4 pieces
- 1 tablespoon
coarsely chopped fresh parsley leaves (from 2 sprigs)
Instructions
Combine 1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest, 2 tablespoons lemon juice, 2 minced garlic cloves, and 1 tablespoon capers in a small bowl.
Pat 4 (4 to 6-ounce) skinless halibut fillets dry with paper towels. Season all over with 1 teaspoon kosher salt and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper.
Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large cast iron or nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until just starting to smoke, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the halibut and sear undisturbed until well browned on the bottom and the sides are cooked just past halfway up the fillets, 4 to 5 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium, flip the fillets, and cook until just cooked through and the flesh flakes easily, 3 to 5 minutes more. Transfer to a serving platter or individual plates.
Reduce the heat to medium-low. Add the lemon juice mixture and scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon. Add 4 tablespoons cold unsalted butter pieces, one piece at a time, waiting until each piece is almost completely melted before adding the next.
Remove the pan from the heat and stir in 1 tablespoon coarsely chopped fresh parsley. Taste and season with kosher salt and black pepper as needed. Pour over the halibut and serve immediately.
Recipe Notes
Storage: Leftovers can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 2 days.