Roasted Halibut With Lemons, Olives and Rosemary Recipe (2024)

By Melissa Clark

Updated Oct. 16, 2023

Roasted Halibut With Lemons, Olives and Rosemary Recipe (1)

Total Time
10 minutes
Cook Time
10 minutes
Rating
5(3,461)
Notes
Read community notes

Fish can be finicky dinner-party fare, especially for the distracted cook. Step away for a moment to sip your co*cktail and your fillets might go from pearly to parched. This dish, though, inspired by one from Southern Italy, elegantly feeds a crowd. The fish, halibut, is seasoned with chile, salt and olive oil, then topped with rosemary, lemon and olives and roasted. It’s a lighter main dish that won’t leave anyone hungry.

Featured in: Fish That You Can Invite to a Dinner Party

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Ingredients

Yield:2 servings

  • 2(8-ounce) halibut fillets, preferably at least 1-inch thick
  • teaspoons extra virgin olive oil, more to taste
  • Kosher salt
  • Ground chile pepper, preferably Turkish or Aleppo
  • 2rosemary branches
  • 1small lemon, very thinly sliced
  • ¼cup sliced, pitted calamata or other good-quality black olives

Ingredient Substitution Guide

Nutritional analysis per serving (2 servings)

275 calories; 9 grams fat; 2 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 5 grams monounsaturated fat; 1 gram polyunsaturated fat; 6 grams carbohydrates; 2 grams dietary fiber; 1 gram sugars; 43 grams protein; 679 milligrams sodium

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Roasted Halibut With Lemons, Olives and Rosemary Recipe (2)

Preparation

  1. Step

    1

    Heat oven to 450 degrees. Place fish in a baking dish, brush fillets with 1 teaspoon of oil and season with salt and chile pepper. Top each fillet with a rosemary branch and several slices of lemon. Drizzle remaining oil over lemon slices and sprinkle with additional salt. Scatter olives over fish and pan.

  2. Step

    2

    Bake until just opaque, about 10 minutes. If lemon slices have not browned or singed (this will depend on how thinly you slice them), place pan under broiler for 1 to 2 minutes. Serve drizzled with more olive oil; sprinkle with more salt and chili, if desired.

Ratings

5

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3,461

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Private Notes

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Cooking Notes

Robert

Found this somewhere: The proper proportion for the best alternative to Aleppo pepper: Mix four parts sweet paprika to one part cayenne. Optional: Add a tiny pinch of salt.

Brie

Seems like you'd have known, as a chef, that this would destroy the fish. I have cooked it this way several times and it's wonderful. If you don't overcook it, there is just enough going in the recipe to let the natural flavor take center stage. Not fair to blame this outcome on the recipe itself.

Mark

Really good. Used very fresh cod cut more than 1" thick (fresher and a lot cheaper than halibut where I shopped). Used Aleppo pepper and it works well. I agree with prior comments that more lemon "oomph" would help -- such as grating some zest over the fish before cooking and/or squeezing lemon over after.

Martyn Reynods

If you have a temperature probe. The ideal internal temperature of halibut and cod is 130ºF. For Salmon it is 121ºF.Takes the guessing out of the equation.

Barbara Wheeler

This recipe deserves its high ratings, even with use-what-you-have substitutions. In my case those were thick fresh cod fillets that were on sale at Fairway, "pure" chili powder (though I'll look for Turkish or Aleppo), dried rosemary, green manzanilla olives. Simple, sophisticated, quick and--unusual for a Melissa Clark recipe--no garlic, something I like only in small doses! Do try this when you want to impress. Served with tiny Yukon gold potatoes, European butter, pan charred broccoli.

MaryBretired

Super good!Put a very little lemon olive oil in a baggie and crushed some rosemary in it and let it sit a couple of hours. ‘Marinated’ the fish with that mix for about an hour. Followed all other recipe instructions, except sprinkled olives on after fish baked and after additional drizzle of fresh lemon. A truly exquisite presentation and soooooo delish. Bought Halibut special for this meal. WORTH IT.

Liz

I cooked this for a dinner party last night. It was delicious and there were clean plates all around. I made the recipe exactly as written, except for one thing: I didn't have ground chili pepper, so I used flaked red chili pepper. I am so happy with how it turned out and it really is the easiest main dish to serve for company! A keeper. Thank you Melissa!

Micheal DeStio

Loved this recipe. If guests are sensitive to spice then cut down on the Aleppo pepper but otherwise a big winner. Used branches of rosemary below and above the fish very thin slices of lemon. Let the fish sit in the refrigerator for about an hour with the seasonings on, then out 30-40 minutes before cooking. Cooked at 450 for 10 minutes then 2 minutes under the broiler. I am sure it would be great with any flakey fish and also with capers instead of olives but as is, it is a wow!

Elaine

I cooked 2 lbs of fresh Halibut and served it to guests who are great cooks. They raved about it. I added 5 minutes to the cook time for the additional fish. 15 minutes at 450 was perfect. I will make this again.

Ramona Rey

This may sound weird but I made this recipe with chicken and it was awesome (the halibut looked tired that day). And I will do it again!

nancy giuliano

I added about 2 T of capers on top, as I like the flavor boost it provides to SIcilian inspired recipes. Delicious recipe overall. I will make it again.

Carol

I loved this recipe, so simple and delicious. I used cod rather than halibut and omitted the salt as there was enough in the olive brine. It was visually appealing and the combined taste of the lemon and olives was spectacular. We served it over rice (making sure to serve it with all of the sauce, lemon, olives and rosemary) with broccoli. We will definitely make this again.
Thank you Melissa.

Shelly

Really very good, with fresh local halibut, meyer lemon slices, rosemary, aleppo pepper, a little smoked paprika, and capers (as someone suggested in lieu of olives). It's surprising that the rosemary's fragrance infuses the fish as much as it does, but next time I'll put it (or branches of thyme, another good suggestion) both above and below the fish, covered in the fridge, for a few hours prior to cooking. The only trick is not to under- or over-cook it; 425º seemed right for mine.

Steve Abbott

Delicious and easy. Added lemon zest at the end to intensify lemon flavor

kate

Will make again. Will season with salt on both sides next time and oil the pan to prevent sticking.

Kathy Thompson

The proper proportion for the best alternative to Aleppo pepper: Mix four parts sweet paprika to one part cayenne. Optional: Add a tiny pinch of salt.

Pam W

Add: 1/4 cup Castelvetrano olives pitted 1/4 cup peppadews6 oz. Valberaso sheeps milk feta (in chunks)5 sprigs rosemary Thinly sliced red onionsLemon Fustini’s oil over veggies and feta, fish Homemade 3 chili powder plus Aleppo

Laurens Grove

Adored by all. Simple and fast. Many different combos of spices also work.

mickie

Needed to cook a little longer. Fillets may have been a little thicker - used grouper. Very good

Stacy

I used California grouper (San Diego local), added one sliced clove of blanched garlic, thyme instead of rosemary, a mix of green olives. I placed garlic and half of herbs, olives and lemon slices under the fillet, the rest on top. For a 0.88 lb piece, it took about 25 minutes. Served with herb-buttered fingerling potatoes and blanched green beans. An amazingly easy, delicious meal!!

Carrie

Excellent and easy recipe. My halibut piece was a little thick so I ended up cooking 15 min vs 10. Delicious!

Marty

Very nice recipe, served it with a really good sauvignon blanc.

Tony

"The best chef in the world would be worried about his job if he tasted this" -My 11 year old son. Thanks for a great family dinner!

Jo Ann

Made exactly as written. Fish was bland. Extra fresh lemon juice helped. I just don’t like olives in food. They overwhelm the other flavors. I won’t be making this again.

Frann

cooked this last night for a celebration and it was well received. One problem was having all pieces the same size and cooking slightly different times, 1-2 minutes makes a difference for the texture of the fish.

VHackman

Hmm, followed directions exactly, using halibut. It was good, but didn't match my expectation for a 5 star recipe with rave reviews. Topped each piece with 4 very thin lemon slices. No marination. Baked 10 mins. Both lemon and pepper flavors were quite prominent but we didn't get a hint of the rosemary flavor, which I would have preferred. Looked really pretty on the plate, though.

sam

I used preserved lemons instead of fresh and skipped the salt (as preserved lemons are already extremely salty), did everything else as written. It was awesome, highly recommend.

Cindy

I substituted green olives for black and tarragon for rosemary...pretty amazing! Plus a tiny bit of butter helps too. :-)

NJA

I fixed this for a party. I was very careful not to overcook. My guests loved the recipe and commented that fish was perfectly done. I served with several different rose' wines. The seasonings were a great match.

jane

Totally bland, except for the overwhelming flavor of fish.

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Roasted Halibut With Lemons, Olives and Rosemary Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What temperature should halibut be baked at? ›

The recommended cooking temperature for halibut by the USDA is 375°F (190°C) for approximately 10-15 minutes per inch of thickness. Internal temperature should reach 145°F (63°C) for safe consumption, ensuring the fish is cooked thoroughly while remaining tender and moist.

Do you rinse halibut before cooking? ›

Pan-Seared Marinated Halibut Fillets FAQs

Halibut should not be rinsed before cooking. The cleaning process of filets should be done with a paper towel or some other way to wipe the fish down. Rinsing may contaminate the flavor and dilute its briny taste.

How do you keep halibut moist when cooking? ›

Baking halibut with plenty of olive oil, butter, or even in a sauce, will prevent it from drying out. 2. Poach: Try poaching delicate halibut in tomato sauce or a broth flavored with lemon and white wine, or butter, garlic, and parsley. Simmer for about 5 to 10 minutes, depending on the thickness of the fish.

How to cook halibut Bobby Flay? ›

Season the halibut with salt and pepper, to taste, on both sides and grill until slightly charred and just cooked through, about 5 minutes per side. Remove from the grill to a platter. Garnish with tarragon and serve immediately with the tomato relish on the side.

Why is my baked halibut tough? ›

A perfectly baked fillet of Pacific halibut boasts a delicate and mild flavor profile, with large-yet-tender, moist flakes and a characteristically meaty bite. But being so lean and meaty, Pacific halibut can become quite tough when overdone, so timing and technique is key for this variety of fish.

Should you salt halibut before cooking? ›

Before cooking it, some cooks prefer to season halibut with their favorite herbs and spices, like salt, pepper, paprika, garlic, or parsley, regardless of the cooking method. Others like using a marinade to add some flavor to halibut, which is generally mild in taste to start with.

Why do you soak halibut in milk? ›

We've found an easy way to eliminate the smell: Soak the fish or the shellfish meat in milk for 20 minutes and then drain and pat dry. The casein in milk binds to the TMA, and when drained away, it takes the culprit that causes fishy odor with it. The result is seafood that's sweet smelling and clean-flavored.

Why is halibut difficult to cook? ›

Halibut is notoriously difficult to grill due to its low fat content. The brining process helps solve that problem, but there are a few more tricks as well. First, don't overcook it. Halibut is best when cooked to a low internal temperature.

Should halibut be at room temperature before cooking? ›

Tip: If your halibut was in the fridge, let your fish comes to room temperature for about 15 minutes before cooking. Place the halibut fillets in a large cast-iron skillet and turn the heat to medium heat. Sear the halibut for 3-4 minutes.

Why is my halibut meat mushy after cooking? ›

The fillets may ooze water and are mushy when cooked. While the cause of the condition is unknown, it is thought to be the result of nutritional deficiencies. Microscopically, there is muscle fiber atrophy and sometimes infiltration by inflammatory cells, fibrosis, and calcification of atrophied fibers.

How is halibut supposed to be cooked? ›

Halibut can be expensive, so make the most of it by grilling, pan-searing and roasting. Halibut is thick and firm, so it's naturally suited to these high-heat methods. It's one of the easier white fish to flip, too.

How to cook halibut Martha Stewart? ›

Chop 1/2 cup of parsley and add to leeks. Meanwhile, place the halibut in a pan with enough skim milk to just cover. Season with salt and freshly ground pepper. Bring to a boil, cover pan, and gently simmer for 4 minutes.

Why is my halibut rubbery? ›

When you overcook fish, it can become dry, tough, and lack flavor. Overcooked fish loses its natural moisture, which can result in a dry and chewy texture. The proteins in the fish also begin to tighten, which can make the fish tough and rubbery.

What do you soak halibut in? ›

Some recipes for sous vide halibut recommend soaking the fish in a saltwater brine before cooking, in order to season it more deeply and to give it a denser, firmer texture.

What is the best temperature to bake fish? ›

Baking Temperatures for Fish

Chefs recommend baking fish at between 350° Fahrenheit and 450° Fahrenheit.

What temperature is fish cooked at in Fahrenheit? ›

What temperature should fish be cooked to? Fish and other seafood should be cooked to an internal temperature of 145°F (63°C). At this cooked temperature, fish meat develops an opaque, white color up to the center and flaky meat characteristics.

What temperature should cod be cooked to in the oven? ›

Bake for approx 12 minutes, or to an internal temp of 145 degrees.

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