This simpe and colorful pan seared halibut served with dill sauce makes for a tasty family meal, especally on cool spring nights.
Paired with white wine sauce, shallots, and potatoes, this is one of the best seared halibut recipes you will ever try. The delicate flavor of the halibut steak pairs exceptionally well with the sauteed leeks, and fresh ginger in the creamy sauce.
Why you need to make this recipe:
You’d love this halibut steak because;
The creamy fish sauce is noticeably aromatic
The fish is seared to perfection!
It’s an ideal dinner for busy nights or weekends
You can make it in 35 minutes or less from start to finish
An awesome dinner for the whole family
You’ll be glad you did!
This fish recipe will pair well with this quinoa or creamed corn dish. Don’t forget the white wine to wash it all down.
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Ingredients for Halibut Steak
Here is a breakdown of some of the ingredients you’ll need to make this easy fish dinner recipe;
- Leeks: We only need the white part. Please make sure to wash the leeks thoroughly especially the ribs because of sand that might have been trapped in there (white part only)
- Shallots: You can use half of a sweet onion if you can’t find shallots.
- Potato: This is used to thicken the creamy sauce. You can equally use all-purpose flour if that’s all you have on hand.
Dry White wine: stare clear from sweet wine, instead use a crisp wine with high acidity. Good varieties to pick from are pinot grigio, pinot gris, dry vermouth, pinot blanc, or sauvignon blanc.
Milk: you can substitute with vegetable stock
Heavy cream: feel free to use half and half if you want it less fatty.
Cheese: I used a blend of Parmesan, Romano, and Asiago. Gorgonzola is another good choice.
Fresh dill: do not substitute this as the dill adds a distinct flavor. If dried dill is all you can find, then it’s okay to use. Be generous with it as the flavor is often faint.
Halibut: I used a boneless halibut with skin-on. Striped bass, hake, haddock, or sole are good substitutes.
Garlic cloves, Lemon juice, and zest
See the recipe card for quantities.
How to make creamy dill sauce for fish
I’ll show you how to make the halibut recipe in a second, but first, let’s make the creamy fish sauce. As you can see in the main photo, mine was thick; I made a runnier consistency in the images below to show you how you make make this sauce suit your needs. For a runnier consistency add a little more liquid (milk or water is fine).
Start by melting the butter in a saucepan. Cook the leeks and shallots for a few minutes, then add the potatoes.
Once the sauce begins to cook, you’ll add the wine and cook some more until the potato is fork-tender. Finally, add the cream, milk, and cheese.
Once it’s cooled, add the dill.
Blend
How to cook Halibut
- First, make a halibut marinade. Drizzle the halibut with olive oil, and add the garlic, lemon juice, salt, and pepper. Gently massage it with your hands until the fish is saturated with the mix. Refrigerate
- Next, heat up butter and oil, and slowly add the fish steak skin side down. Once the skin and the hue of the fish begin to change in color, flip to the other side and cook some more. Brush pan juice over the fish.
- Spoon a line of the lemon dill sauce on the side of a serving dish, add halibut steak, and serve with your favorite side. I love the medley of sautéed asparagus
What do you eat with halibut?
There are so many sauces, salads, and sides you can pair with pan-seared halibut. Here are a few to name:
- Pan-seared halibut with lemon dill sauce: Zesty lemon sauce with herbaceous dill goes so well with halibut.
- Pan-seared halibut with cream sauce: you might be wondering what sauce goes well with fish. Look no further! This creamy leek and dill puree sauce pairs exceptionally well with this fish dish. It’s creamy, rich, and works with a variety of dishes.
- Pan-seared halibut white wine sauce: Rich white wine sauce and halibut are a match made in heaven.
- Pan-seared halibut with pesto: Pesto is simple yet delicious. Pairing it with halibut is a simple, elegant, and flavorsome dish.
- Pan-seared halibut with brown butter: Brown butter has a unique flavor, making it a perfect pair with halibut.
What wine goes with white fish?
Medium texture fish like halibut, hake, and haddock pair especially well with big flavor wines like chardonnay (Cake bread cellars have one of the best, IMO), Pinot gris, Sauvignon blanc, Dry Riesling, etc
Equipment
I used a heavy-duty blender to cream the fish sauce. You can use a food processor or immersion blender as well. (affiliate link)
Storage
This white fish recipe tastes phenomenal when it’s eaten immediately. However, if you happen to have some leftovers, Store them separately without the sauce.
Place the fish in a foil and wrap it or in a storage container. Refrigerate for up to a day. Reheat and enjoy!
Cook’s tip
- Don’t overcook the fish; else it will be tough and chewy.
- Baste the fish with the fat in the pan, so it doesn’t dry out.
- I like to shred the cooked fish over my Buddha bowl. It makes for the perfect lunch.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Question
FAQ
Try this easy pan-seared halibut with skin, and I am sure you will instantly fall in love with the flavors. Whether it is lunch or dinner, you can serve it with your favorite sides and enjoy.
There you have it! I hope you give this simple halibut recipe a try. Share a bite with us on our social media. If you make this recipe using the hashtag worldlytreat(#worldlytreat), we’d love to join the soirée. Also, don’t forget to pin it for later. Chat soon?
PEACE & LOVE
Maureen
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Pan-Seared Halibut with Dill sauce
Ingredients
For the Dill Sauce
- 1 leek, trimmed, chopped (white part only)
- 2 shallots, peeled, chopped
- 8 tablespoon unsalted butter, divided
- 1 small potato, peeled and cubed
- 1 teaspoon freshly grated ginger
- ⅓ cup white wine
- 1 cup milk, divided
- ⅓ cup Chilled heavy cream
- ½ cup cheese blend (Parmesan, Romano, Asiago)
- ¼ cup fresh chopped dill
For the Fish
- 1 lb halibut boneless, skin-on
- 2 tsps olive oil
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 tablespoon lemon juice (freshly squeezed)
- 2 tsps lemon zest
- Salt and black pepper to taste
Instructions
For the sauce
- Place 4 tablespoons of butter into a heated saucepan. Once melted, add the leeks and shallots. Sauté for 3-5 minutes, constantly stirring. Add the potatoes and cook for 3 minutes.
- Add the white wine and half of the milk. Cook for 8 minutes or until the potatoes are fork-tender. Add the rest of the milk and cream, and cook for 2-3 minutes. Remove from heat and allow to cool or add to a heat-safe blender. Add the cheese and dill. purée until well incorporated. Add more milk if you prefer a runnier consistency. Set aside to cool
For the Fish
- Place the fish in a shallow bowl, and drizzle olive oil, garlic, lemon juice, salt, and pepper over the fish. Cover and set in the refrigerator to marinate for 30-45 minutes.
- Remove from the refrigerator—heat olive oil and remaining butter in a large pan over medium-high heat. Once the butter begins to foam, gently add the fish steak, skin side down, and cook for about 4 minutes. Once the fish's skin starts to change the hue, gently flip the fish and reduce the heat to medium. Cook for 10 minutes, and baste the fish at intervals as it cooks.
- Spoon a line of the purée on the side of a serving dish, add halibut steak, and serve with your favorite side. I love the medley of sautéed asparagus
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