My easy Pan Seared Halibut with Creamed Spinach Recipe will show you how to prepare pan-seared halibut perfectly every time!
After spending six weeks in Europe this summer I realized that I needed to get more seafood in my diet. Too much red meat, white meat or any kind of meat is not good for the body.
Now don’t get me wrong I love meat, but it just needs to be eaten in moderation and in smaller portions. My goal is to eat seafood 2-3 times a week and halibut has become one of my favorite fish to eat.
It’s Important to Find a Trusted Source of Quality Seafood
If you don’t have a good source for fresh seafood in your area (and I don’t mean your local grocery store) there are many online sources for fresh frozen and cryovaced portions of fish.
What Ingredients do you need to make pan seared halibut?
Let’s gather the ingredients for this dish which is referred to as the mise en place in chef speak, which means everything in its place. This is always a good way to start your recipe so all the ingredients are at ready (and in the house) before you start cooking.
I knew I wanted to pan-sear my halibut and as I thought about how to serve it without making an additional sauce, creamed spinach seemed like the perfect companion to this light flaky fish.
Tips for Perfect Pan-Seared Halibut
It’s not difficult to pan-sear halibut (or other fish) if you follow these few simple steps.
- remove the halibut from the refrigerator and let stand for 15 minutes before starting
- dry the surface of the fish very well in between two paper towels
- preheat your skillet (I used cast iron but stainless steel works well too) over high heat
- add a small amount of vegetable oil to the pan, heating the oil until it starts to shimmer slightly
- place each fillet skin side up (good side down) carefully onto the heated pan
- lightly press down on the fish with your spatula to create the perfect crust
Create a Restaurant Style Dish in your home
Creating mouth-watering restaurant-style dishes is a lot easier than you think. It all comes down to getting quality products to create your dishes.
So get in your kitchen and start cooking. I promise after you make this dish you’ll be trying more of my seafood recipes in your home and have fun in the process.
You’ll be creating delicious restaurant-style meals in your own home at a fraction of the cost of going out to dinner. And you’ll have full control of the ingredients used in making your dinner, that’s the best part.
More Seafood Recipes You’ll Love!
- Blackened Salmon with a Gorgonzola Cream Sauce
- Ginger Garlic Pan Roasted Swordfish
- How to Poach Mahi-Mahi (or your favorite fish)
- Grilled Atlantic Rockfish
- Pan Seared Rockfish
Pan Seared Halibut with Creamed Spinach
Ingredients
Pan Seared Halibut
- 12 ounces halibut fillets 2- six ounce fillets
- sea salt and black pepper to taste
- 1 ounce vegetable oil for searing
Creamed Spinach
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- ½ cup Vidalia onion minced
- 1 clove garlic minced
- 12 ounces baby spinach stems removed
- sea salt and black pepper to taste
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ½ cup heavy cream
- ¼ cup Romano cheese grated
Instructions
Pan Seared Halibut
- season each side of the halibut fillets generously with sea salt and black pepper before searing.
- Preheat a large cast-iron or stainless steel pan over high heat. Add just enough oil for a good coating of the pan. Heat until oil starts to shimmer slightly.
- Add each halibut fillet very carefully to the pan with the good side down.
- Lightly press down on the fish with a spatula to create direct contact with the pan to create the crust for 30 seconds to a minute. Continue to cook the fish for 2-3 minutes.
- Reduce heat to medium-low and turn over the fish to the other side. Continue cooking the fish for 2-4 minutes until cooked all the way through. Be careful not to overcook. Undercooked slightly overcooked.
Creamed Spinach
- In a medium saute pan over medium-high heat, melt butter and then add the olive oil.
- Mix in the onions and garlic, cook for 2 minutes until soft.
- Add the spinach and saute until wilted.
- Reduce heat to medium and add the salt, pepper, nutmeg, Romano cheese and the heavy cream. Mix well.
- Cook until liquid reduces by half and sauce thickens. About 5-6 minutes.
Assembly
- Place creamed spinach on a plate and serve pan-seared halibut on top of the spinach. Serve immediately
Rick
Can’t understand where all the carbs are coming from. This seems like it should be keto friendly.
Chef Dennis Littley
it looks like the veggies, cream and cheese are adding small amounts of carbs
Shannon Gurnee
My husband loves Halibut! I may have to try making this recipe for him as a surprise.
Peter
I love this recipe. Pan seared halibut is a big favourite of mine. This is going on the dinner menu this week
Heather
This looks delicious and is plated so pretty. My family enjoys fish and I don’t prepare it often enough. Adding this one to our weekly lineup! I’ve had not heard of Sizzlefish previously and will definitely place an order.
Alyssa Hertzig
You had me at “Creamed Spinach!” Yum! This looks fantastic.
Natalie
While I don’t eat fish, my family does and they would definitely love this. They are big on halibut.
Terri Steffes
You have made a believer out of me. That dish looks incredible and you made it look easy! Company dinner on a week night!
Lindsay | Paperclips and Pacis
This looks amazing! My son loves seafood so I like to find great recipes that he will enjoy.
Tabitha Blue
Oh this looks so fresh and delicious! Yum. And the creamed spinach, something I need to try.
Brianne Manz
Wow what a great looking meal and 2 things I would enjoy. I want to make this for dinner and have my family be amazed!
Pam
This looks great. I have never made my own creamed spinach before but I need to.
sara lafountain
This looks like such a healthy dinner! I saw that halibut was on sale at Whole Foods this week so I will definitely be trying this dish.
Jeanette
This looks absolutely amazing! We love seafood and this is a great way to make it. My mouth is watering just thinking about it.
Candy
We use to eat fresh halibut all the time when we lived in Alaska. You dish looks very tasty
Chubskulit Rose
This is my kind of dinner. Spinach and halibut combination is delicious. I would eat it with rice, ahhh tasty!