Pan-Seared Halibut with Cherry Tomatoes & Basil
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A simple, summery pan-seared halibut with a sweet cherry tomato and basil sauce—ready in about 30 minutes.
Fresh Pacific halibut is a seasonal splurge. It needs very little to enhance its flavor—in fact, it’s almost a sin to fuss too much with it. I like to prepare it simply: pan-seared until golden and crisp with a quick sauté of sweet, garlicky cherry tomatoes on the side. Depending on how long you cook the tomatoes, they can be firm and fresh or soft and jammy. I usually aim for somewhere right in between, but they’re delicious either way.
If you enjoy this simple preparation, you might also like my pan-seared salmon, which cooks up just as quickly.
“I made this for dinner guests last night. Seriously, they thought they were eating at a 5-star restaurant. It was FANTASTIC!”
What You’ll Need To Make Pan-Seared Halibut with Cherry Tomatoes & Basil
- Halibut: Pacific halibut, packed with high-quality protein, is a firm, dense, and sweet white fish, available fresh between March and November. (Avoid frozen halibut as it tends to be dry.) If fresh halibut isn’t available, you can substitute other mild white fish like haddock, mahi-mahi, sea bass, tilapia, or cod.
- Cherry Tomatoes, Garlic, Red Wine Vinegar, Olive Oil, and Basil: This fresh, Mediterranean-inspired topping comes together by sautéing the tomatoes and garlic in olive oil until the tomatoes burst, then finishing with a splash of vinegar and fresh basil for a bright, flavorful sauce that perfectly complements the seared fish.
- Jump to the printable recipe for precise measurements
Step-by-Step INSTRUCTIONS
Step 1: Prep the tomatoes. In a medium bowl, combine the tomatoes, garlic, vinegar, salt, and pepper. Toss well and set aside.
Pro Tip: Letting the tomato mixture sit while you prepare the fish gives the salt and vinegar time to draw out the juices, creating a more flavorful sauce once it hits the pan.
Step 2: Sear the fish. Season the halibut with salt and pepper. Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Place the fish presentation-side down in the hot pan, ensuring it sizzles and is not crowded.
Pro Tip: A hot pan is the trick to a perfect crust. If the fish doesn’t sizzle immediately upon contact, remove it and wait another minute; otherwise, it will steam rather than sear.
Step 3: Flip and finish. Cook without moving for 3 minutes until golden and crisp. Flip the fish, lower the heat to medium, and cook for 3 to 4 minutes more until opaque and just firm. Transfer the halibut to a platter.
Pro Tip: Use a wide, flexible spatula to support the entire filet. Halibut is very lean and flaky, so a broad base is the trick to flipping it in one piece without damaging the delicate, golden crust.
Step 4: Cook the sauce. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil and the tomato mixture to the pan. Stir occasionally over medium heat for a few minutes until the tomatoes soften and release their juices.
Pro Tip: Use your spoon to gently press down on a few of the tomatoes as they cook. This helps them release their juices faster to create a saucy consistency that coats the halibut.
Step 5: Finish with basil. Stir in the basil, then taste and adjust the seasoning if necessary.
Step 6: Serve. Serve the halibut filets with the cherry tomatoes and juices spooned over top.
More Simple Seafood Dishes You’ll Love
Pan-Seared Halibut with Cherry Tomatoes & Basil
Ingredients
- 1 pint cherry/grape tomatoes, halved (preferably mixed colors)
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon red wine vinegar
- Salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 4 (6-oz) skinless halibut filets (or other mild white fish)
- 3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- 2 tablespoons fresh chopped basil
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, combine the tomatoes, garlic, vinegar, a heaping ¼ teaspoon salt, and ⅛ teaspoon pepper. Set aside.
- Season the halibut all over with ¾ teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon pepper.
- Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a 12-in (30-cm) nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until hot and shimmering. Place the fish, presentation-side down, in the pan and cook, without touching, until golden brown and crisp, about 3 minutes. Flip the fish and lower the heat to medium; continue cooking until the halibut is just firm to the touch and opaque when you pry open a thicker piece with a paring knife, 3 to 4 minutes. Transfer the cooked halibut to a plate or serving platter.
- Add the remaining 1 tablespoon oil to the pan, followed by the cherry tomato mixture. Cook, stirring occasionally, over medium heat until the tomatoes start to break down and release their juices, a few minutes. Stir in basil, then taste and adjust seasoning if necessary.
- Serve the halibut filets with the cherry tomatoes spooned over top and alongside.
Pair with
Nutrition Information
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
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This recipe is not only easy to make, flavourful and delicious, it’s beautiful to look at too.
I made it with fresh cod and it was amazing. To be honest, I didn’t think that I’d like fish and tomatoes together, but knowing it was one of Jenn’s recipes, gave it a try and I’m very happy I did! You’re the best Jenn! Thanks for another fabulous recipe.
Simple and delicious. The tomato mix is surprisingly tasty. Served with Jenn’s couscous and a fennel-cucumber salad. Perfect Sunday dinner for a summer evening. As another reviewer noted, halibut here in Victoria is plentiful and that’s what I used but I’m sure it would be good with almost any fish.
Love it! Used frozen cod and it was delicious. I can only imagine what it would taste like if it were fresh halibut. Easy, fast and healthy – what more could you ask for?
This was a v. successful dinner for two. Rather than frozen supermarket catch of the day I had some fresh brown trout which gave me two small steak cuts to pan sear. My sides were a Knorr Rice “Select” and green beans. … I am a late -to-the -kitchen “cooker” (84) in new care-giver mode and enjoy your recipes.
This is a winner! Easy to prepare and very tasty! I used halibut, but easily see myself using cod and/or haddock—which are both very plentiful here in SE Massachusetts. Thanks, Jenn!
I made this tonight using a thick piece of fresh cod, basil from my garden and local tomatoes. This recipe is quick, simple, tasty and looks beautiful on the platter. I served it with Lemon Israeli Couscous, a lettuce salad and a green bean salad.
This is one of my favorite recipes from the cookbook and I make it often. It works equally well with salmon!
The sauce was outstanding. Love halibut and this recipe made it much more fulfilling. You’re the best, Jenn.
Amazing! Simple, clean and yammy. My little kids enjoyed it too.
This is delicious and very simple to make. When the email with this recipe came this morning, I had been planning halibut for dinner anyway so I tried it. We all, including my grandson who is staying with us, really enjoyed it. Halibut is plentiful here in Victoria at this time of year so this will definitely be made again. Thank you.