This grilled halibut is so good! Warm spices, including paprika and cumin, add an exciting layer of flavor to the mild fish.
With a prep time of about ten minutes and a cooking time of another ten, this ultra-quick dish will be on your table in less than 20 minutes!
Although I prefer fatty fish such as baked salmon or rainbow trout, I enjoy the flavor of halibut and its firm, meaty texture. But like most white fish (such as baked cod or grilled mahi mahi), it can be a little bland.
So, in this easy 20-minute recipe, I add warm spices such as paprika and cumin. They enhance the flavor of the fish without overpowering it. Another tasty way to prepare this fish is to make this blackened halibut recipe.
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Ingredients
You'll only need a few simple ingredients to make grilled halibut. The exact measurements are included in the recipe card below. Here's an overview of what you'll need:
- Olive oil: I love the flavor of this delicious oil. If you prefer an oil with a higher smoke point, you can use avocado oil instead.
- Garlic: It's best to use freshly minced garlic.
- Lemon zest: When you zest the lemon, use only the yellow part of the peel and avoid the white part, which can be bitter.
- To season: Kosher salt, black pepper, smoked paprika, and ground cumin.
- Halibut fillets: Skin-on or skin-off. Both work, although personally, I love the skin on fish.
Variations
- You can use ghee instead of olive oil. It adds a wonderfully nutty flavor.
- Add more spices. Dried thyme is a good option that I tried and liked.
- Smoked paprika is a good alternative to sweet paprika in this recipe. I love the smoky flavor it adds.
Grilled Halibut Instructions
Scroll down to the recipe card for detailed instructions. Here are the basic steps for making this recipe:
Mix together olive oil, garlic, lemon zest, and spices. (Photos 1-4).
Coat the fish fillets all over with the olive oil mixture. You can use a pastry brush or your hands. (Photos 5-6).
Grill the halibut over medium-high heat for 2 minutes per side, then lower the heat to medium and keep cooking until the fish is cooked through and flakes easily with a fork, about 2 more minutes per side. Serve immediately. (Photos 7-8).
Expert Tip
Grilled fish is delicious, but you don't want it to become charred. Two reliable ways to prevent charring are to be vigilant about keeping the grill from getting too hot and turn the fish often while it cooks.
Recipe FAQs
Halibut fillets usually come with the skin off. But if you're fortunate enough to have skin on your fish, keep it on! Crispy halibut skin is delicious.
Yes. To ensure even cooking, you should grill the fish for 2 minutes per side over medium-high heat, then reduce the heat to medium and keep cooking until it's cooked through, about 2 more minutes per side.
Lemon zest is the outside, yellow part of its peel. The inner peel, which is white in color, is bitter, so you should avoid it when you zest the lemon.
Yes. Halibut is suitable for grilling because of its firm texture. But any firm-fleshed white fish will work as long as it's thick enough. Cod is a good option and is more affordable than halibut.
Serving Suggestions
Grilled halibut is a versatile main course that goes with many sides. I usually serve it with any of the following side dishes:
Storing Leftovers
You can keep the leftovers in the fridge, in an airtight container, for up to 3 days. Reheat them gently, covered, in the microwave at 50% power.
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Recipe Card
Grilled Halibut Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- ½ teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt or ¼ teaspoon of any other salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- 2 (6 oz) halibut fillets ½-inch thick
Instructions
- In a small bowl, use a fork to mix the olive oil, garlic, lemon zest, kosher salt, black pepper, smoked paprika, and ground cumin.
- Pat the halibut fillets dry with a paper towel. Coat them all over with the olive oil mixture. You can use a pastry brush or your hands.
- Preheat a grill pan to medium-high and lightly grease it.
- Grill the halibut over medium-high heat for 2 minutes per side, pressing gently on each fillet to make sure the fish has full contact with the pan.
- Lower the heat to medium and keep cooking until the fish is cooked through and flakes easily with a fork, about 2 more minutes per side.
Video
Notes
- Lemon zest is the outside, yellow part of its peel. The inner peel, which is white in color, is bitter, so you should avoid it when you zest the lemon.
- Grilled fish is delicious, but you don't want it charred. Two reliable ways to prevent charring are to be vigilant about keeping the grill from getting too hot and to turn the fish often while it cooks.
- You can keep the leftovers in the fridge, in an airtight container, for up to 3 days. Reheat them gently, covered, in the microwave at 50% power.
Add Your Own Notes
Nutrition per Serving
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Vered DeLeeuw, LL.M., CNC, has been following a low-carb real-food diet and blogging about it since 2011. She's a Certified Nutrition Coach (NASM-CNC), has taken courses at the Harvard School of Public Health, and has earned a Nutrition and Healthy Living Certificate from Cornell University. Her work has appeared in several major media outlets, including Healthline, HuffPost, Today, Women's Health, Shape, and Country Living. 
Lori Mitton
I am hoping to try this for dinner tonight! Would you recommend any changes in temperature or cooking time (or anything else, for that matter) if cooked on a gas grill?
Vered DeLeeuw
No changes are necessary! The best way to ensure the fish is done is to check with an instant-read thermometer. Its internal temperature should reach 145°F.
Ginger
This was quite possibly the best recipe for halibut I've made yet! I wasn't sure what to expect with the cumin and paprika thinking it may taste more like a Mexican dish but it didn't. The flavor was outstanding! And grilled was the way to go! Will definitely be adding to my rotation! Thanks for the recipe!
Vered DeLeeuw
I'm so glad you liked this recipe, Ginger!
Lise
This was absolutely delicious and I have made it twice. Added some lemon juice and a dash more olive oil the second time around. My boyfriend loved it!
Vered DeLeeuw
Glad you and the boyfriend are enjoying this recipe, Lise! I like the idea of adding lemon juice.
Richard
Delicious! This a great way to perk up halibut. We actually pan fried it and it was awesome. Thank you for a great recipe!
Vered DeLeeuw
How wonderful, Richard! Pan-frying is definitely an option.
Greg T
Can’t believe how delicious this was for a healthy recipe. I will make this many times again.
Vered DeLeeuw
So glad you enjoyed this recipe, Greg!