Pan-Seared Swordfish with Lemon Garlic Butter and Herb Salad
Firm swordfish steaks pan-seared to golden perfection and finished with a bright lemon garlic butter, served alongside a fresh herb salad. This Mediterranean-inspired seafood recipe, ready in about 20 minutes, pairs swordfish steaks, unsalted butter, garlic cloves for a weeknight-friendly dinner that comes together with one pan and minimal cleanup. Each serving lands at about 380 calories and feeds 4, so it slots cleanly into a weekly meal plan and pairs well with a quick salad or grain on the side. Tap "Plan a meal with the AI" below to drop this recipe into your week and send the ingredients straight to Instacart. Nutrition values are approximate, calculated from USDA FoodData Central (fdc.nal.usda.gov) — verify against ingredient labels for any health-driven dietary plan.
Ingredients
- 4 pieces, 6 oz each swordfish steaks
- 4 tbsp unsalted butter
- 3, minced garlic cloves
- 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
- 2 tbsp chopped fresh basil
- 1 tbsp chopped fresh chives
- 1 1/2 tsp, divided salt
- 1 tsp, divided black pepper
- 4 cups mixed salad greens
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Equipment for this recipe
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Instructions
- Step 1: Pat dry 4 swordfish steaks (6 oz each) and season both sides with 1 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp black pepper. Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering.
- Step 2: Place swordfish steaks in the skillet and cook for 4 minutes on the first side without moving, until the edges turn golden and firm.
- Step 3: Flip the steaks carefully and cook for another 3-4 minutes until the fish is opaque and flakes easily with a fork.
- Step 4: While the fish cooks, melt 4 tbsp unsalted butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add 3 minced garlic cloves and sauté for 1 minute until fragrant but not browned.
- Step 5: Stir in 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice, 1/2 tsp salt, and 1/2 tsp black pepper, then remove from heat.
- Step 6: In a medium bowl, toss 4 cups mixed salad greens with 1/4 cup chopped parsley, 2 tbsp chopped basil, and 1 tbsp chopped chives.
- Step 7: Plate the swordfish steaks and spoon the lemon garlic butter evenly over each. Serve immediately with the fresh herb salad on the side.









