Halibut Recipe with Honey-Soy Glaze
Published March 23, 2022. This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy.
This full-flavored halibut recipe with honey-soy glaze comes together in under 15 minutes for the perfect weeknight or weekend meal. The combination of ingredients in this dish will have you begging for seconds.
Making seafood can sometimes involve some adventure if you’re not used to eating it. However, it is much easier to make than you may have thought, and I’ve got some very easy-to-make dishes like Blackened Salmon or Cajun Shrimp Pasta that you will love.
Halibut is such an easy-to-cook fish and is very forgiving in the flavor department thanks to its mild slightly sweet taste. Since halibut is firmer than most fish it can be prepared in a myriad of ways such as pan-seared, grilled, baked, or broiled.
The sauce that goes with this halibut is simple-to-prepare and would honestly go fantastic on just about any fresh fish out there as well as pork, chicken, or steak. If you need another reason to make this, it comes together in under 20 minutes.
Ingredients and Substitutions
- Oil – Sesame oil is best, but any neutral flavored oil will work.
- Butter – unsalted butter helps to brown the fish, add flavor, and assists on releasing it from the pan.
- Halibut – Use fresh, skinless, halibut for this recipe.
- Ginger – Peeled and finely grated so that it will infuse in the sauce.
- Garlic – Very finely minced garlic is what you will need.
- Soy Sauce – Any good tamari, shoyu, or soy sauce will work.
- Rice Wine Vinegar – This will help balance the flavors of the sauce.
- Honey – I used light amber honey, but any honey will work.
- Sesame Seeds – This is used to encrust the fish and add some great flavor.
- Green Onions – Sliced green onions are used as garnish and will also add flavor.
How to Make Halibut with Honey-Soy Glaze
Use these procedures and images to make this simple Halibut Recipe with Honey-Soy Glaze:
Prepare the sauce with the ingredients and set it aside.
Season the halibut on both sides with salt and pepper.
Next, press one side of the halibut fillet down into sesame seeds to encrust the fish.
Add some oil to a large frying pan and heat over high heat until it begins to lightly smoke.
Place in the halibut, turn the heat down to medium-high, add in some butter and cook for 3 to 3 ½ minutes per side or until golden brown and cooked throughout. Set aside.
Pour in the sauce and cook over low heat for 1 to 2 minutes or until it has slightly thickened up.
Serve the fish with the sauce and garnish with sliced green onions.
Make-Ahead and Storage
Make-Ahead: You can keep warm covered in a pan for up to 15 minutes before serving, but this recipe is meant to be eaten as soon as it is done being cooked.
How to Store: Cover and keep it in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. This will freeze covered for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator for 1 day before reheating.
How to Reheat: Place the desired number of halibut with sauce in a pan and heat in the oven at 350° for 5-6 minutes or until hot.
chef notes + tips
- You can use frozen halibut; just be sure it’s completely thawed before using.
- Pat the halibut down with paper towels as it will help release it from the pan when ready to flip over.
- This recipe is very versatile so just about any fish will work with the honey-soy glaze.
- If you notice the sesame seeds turning too brown too fast, remove the pan from the heat to cool slightly before returning to the burner and cooking over medium heat only.
More Fish Recipes
Video
Halibut Recipe with Honey-Soy Glaze
Ingredients
- 1/3 cup soy sauce
- 2 teaspoons rice wine vinegar
- 3 tablespoons honey
- 1 teaspoon peeled and finely grated fresh ginger
- 1 finely minced garlic clove
- 2 8- ounce fresh skinless halibut fillets
- 2 tablespoons sesame seeds
- 2 tablespoons sesame oil
- 1 teaspoon unsalted butter
- Sliced green onions for garnish
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- In a small bowl whisk together the soy sauce, vinegar, honey, ginger, and garlic until combined. Set aside.
- Season the halibut on both sides with salt and pepper.
- Next, press one side of the halibut fillet down into the sesame seeds to encrust the fish.
- Add some oil to a large frying pan and heat over high heat until it begins to lightly smoke.
- Place in the halibut, turn the heat down to medium to medium-high, add in some butter and cook for 3 to 3 ½ minutes per side or until golden brown and cooked throughout. Make sure to not burn the sesame seeds. Set aside.
- Pour in the sauce and cook over low heat for 1 to 2 minutes or until it has slightly thickened up.
- Serve the fish with the sauce and garnish with sliced green onions.
Chef, if I could rate this sauce a 10 I would. As I do not eat meat I have tried many many fish recipes and this is by far at the top of the list. If not the best. I have even recommended it to my carnivore, family and friendsas a sauce over pork. I served it with sweet potato and sautéed garlic spinach with lots of lemon to cut the sweetness of the potato and the sauce . The Barbara of the dish was the halibut, though. Thank you for all of your great recipes.
This is my go to sauce. It works with Halibut and Great with Tuna. I like to cook Tuna Rare, and slice and serve like sushi over a bed of yellow rice. It does not get any better than this. Tonight was the first time I made this with Tuna.
I cannot thank you enough for the recipe! Tasted delicious, was easy to prepare and also in very short time. Whole family was impressed!
I’m a self-professed, worst cook in the world, but this dish sounded so good, I dredged up some courage and made it. The sesame-crusted halibut was a bonified hit, and made me look like a legit cook. I served it with a rice pilaf and wished I’d grilled some veggies, too. The sauce was phenomenal over the halibut as well as the rice. I suspect it would take veggies to a new level as well. Thanks Billy Parisi!
love it!
Made last night – delish, but searing time needs to be slightly less for my tastes.
Perfect! Loved this recipe. As always the cooking methods were easy and spot on. Thanks Chef!
my pleasure!
Very easy and tasty! I appreciate all of his teaching of techniques! Thank you!
my pleasure!
Oh, Lordy, this meal was sublime! I served it with a Lime Cilantro Rice Medley with a Garlic Naan bread. The Halibut was by far the show stopper! A friend caught the fish in Alaska and although I was extremely grateful, I had no idea how I was going to cook it. Thank you, Billy for a delicious Sunday dinner.
my pleasure!
Made this last night and it was outstanding. And the tip about patting down the fish with paper towel before flipping…fantastic!
thank you so kindly!!
Easy and delicious.
Excellent!
You forgot to add the sesame oil from your ingredient list.
it’s in there, take another look.
I was gifted fresh halibut from Vancouver Island and this glaze was absolutely perfect to bring out the subtle flavor of fish. I can’t wait to try it on some salmon next!
Thank you!
This is a fantastic recipe….the sweetness and the sour is a marriage made in heaven.
I have made it with halibut as well as salmon. As a matter of fact, I am making dinner for 8 this week and this recipe is the main course.
Thanks Chef for a great recipe
Thanks for giving it a shot!!
Made this using Sea Bass and my entire family loved it!
great!
It was very good. Loved it
amazing
Unfortunately I looked all over Crown Point Indiana and could not find Haddock. I used Cod instead and the result was great. My wife and neighbor were really happy. I served it with garlic roasted brussel sprouts and a Gewurztaminer. My wife’s comment, “you can make this again. In fact, send me the recipe”. High praise indeed.
Fantastic work!
Recipe was easy to follow. It came out great! Delicious!