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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I have so enjoyed this recipe. I have prepared it using cod, and I have also prepared the tomatoes, adding them to pasta and fresh basil pesto. Recommended!!
This was very good, especially with cherry tomatoes and basil right from the garden. I used nice thick cod, which has a more mild flavor. Cod is also not as firm as halibut, so the fillets sort of fell apart. I didn’t use a nonstick pan (ever the rebel!) and it did stick too much in my cast iron pan. The flavor was great though! I’ll definitely make it again using a nonstick pan and maybe even spring for the halibut (twice as expensive as cod) next time too.
Your skillet wasn’t hot enough to keep the fish from sticking.
I love this recipe. It’s absolutely delicious. When halibut is out of season would this work with salmon?
Thanks for your wonderful recipes.
Sure (and so glad you like the recipes)! 🙂
I made this with Orange Roughy and grape shaped tomatoes as substitutions
and it was absolutely delicious!
Thank you so much for this recipe.
janie
So easy, delicious and healthy.
Followed this recipe as indicated but it did not yield a sauce. Perhaps I needed more tomatoes and should have cooked them longer. I love halibut but I found this recipe to be a bit bland.
I used this recipe using cod filets from Costco. Served fish and tomato sauce over pasta along with a simple salad. It was delicious! I have already shared it with my sister and two daughters.
The frozen wild cod? I just bought a bag and was hoping it would work with this recipe:)
I love this recipe from the cookbook! What brand of nonstick pans do you like? Thank you!
Glad you like this! My favorite brand is All-Clad. They can be a bit pricy so if you’d like to spend a little less, Calphalon and Analon are also good.
Thank you so much! I can’t wait for your next book!
LOVE this simple, quick and very delicious halibut recipe!!
I failed to add oil before fish and it stuck a bit, but did not hurt the overall effect once topped with the sautéed tomato mixture! Such a tasty dish, and perfect for the fresh halibut we just caught in Alaska!! Thanks again Jenn!
This was so simple yet delicious. A lovely summertime meal that is light and takes advantage of seasonal ingredients! Thank you for another winning recipe!