Grilled halibut is tasty, but grilled halibut with mango salsa is even better! If you want to spice up your usual fish dinner, try this recipe!
Grilled halibut is a lean fish with a slightly sweet, mild flavor, making it highly versatile, but I think pairing it with fresh flavors is best. I usually pair grilled halibut with a colorful salsa like the mango salsa featured in this recipe. The salsa is sweet, tart, and spicy. Moreover, the astringency of the onion is super delicious, as is the citrusy flavor of the cilantro. Not only does it play up the natural flavor of the fish, but it complements the charred flavor developed during cooking.
Why You’ll Love Grilled Halibut
Short cook time – Halibut fillets are grilled and ready to go in 10 minutes. You can’t beat that!
Fresh ingredients – Freshness is essential here because of the dish’s simplicity and makes the food shine. When you go in with quality ingredients, you can taste the freshness in every bite. The flavor profile is so clean and satisfying.
Low in fat – If you’re looking for a lower-fat fish option, grilled halibut, or any halibut for that matter, is an excellent choice. Halibut is also low in cholesterol and sodium.
High in protein – Six ounces comes in at an impressive 30 grams!
Colorful – Nothing beats a vibrant, colorful dish, and grilled halibut doesn’t disappoint. Yellow, white, green, red – so many vibrant hues. The dish is so appealing to the eyes!
Grilled Halibut Ingredients Notes
To make grilled halibut, you need the following:
- Halibut: When shopping for halibut, look for white glossy flesh (not slimy) with no fishy smell. Instead, it should smell like the sea. Skinless halibut is also vital because although edible, the skin doesn’t taste good. Even if you buy the fish with the skin on, remove it before grilling.
- Olive oil: Use extra-virgin olive oil since you’re grilling the fish. It has a much higher smoke point, so extra-virgin olive oil can handle the grill’s high heat.
- Salt and pepper: This synonymous duo is all a good piece of fish really needs.
- Mango: Use a red mango or two honey mangos. Honey mangos bring a smooth, almost creamy texture to the salsa.
- Tomato: Roma tomatoes are great for salsas since they have a garden-fresh flavor, fewer seeds, and denser flesh able to stand up against the other ingredients in a chunkier salsa.
- Jalapeno: A fresh jalapeno adds heat to the salsa. Scale back the spice by removing the seeds and ribs or leave both intact for more kick.
You’ll find the complete ingredients list with amounts in the recipe card below!
How to Make Grilled Halibut
Making grilled halibut is a simple process that takes almost no time. To make this dish:
- Prepare the salsa: Add all the ingredients to a bowl and mix until well combined. You want to make the salsa first to give the flavors time to meld.
- Season and grill: Brush the fish with oil, season both sides of each fillet, and grill for 5 minutes per side.
- Plate and serve: Plate the fish, top each serving with a few spoonfuls of mango salsa, and enjoy.
Variations, Substitutions, and Cooking Tips
Clean the grates before cooking – Take the time to clean your grill grates, especially when grilling fish which is more prone to sticking than other proteins. To clean, spray the grates with a mixture of water and vinegar, leave on the grates for 10 minutes, then brush clean or use a grill spray.
Use a grill basket to prevent sticking – Remember to grease the basket to prevent the fish from sticking to it. Even if the basket is nonstick, lightly grease it anyway because the fillets will fall apart if they stick. They’ll still taste good, but the presentation won’t be.
Replace the halibut with another white fish – Cod, striped bass, flounder, or sole are all delicious substitutes.
Switch up the salsa ingredients – Try another fruit like pineapple, use habanero to up the heat, and incorporate herbs, spices, and more. There are numerous ways to make it your own.
What to Serve with Grilled Halibut
It’s easy to create a meal around grilled halibut. A grilled vegetable side is always a good choice. If you prefer rice, try cilantro lime rice or go with pasta, like pasta tossed in a creamy avocado pesto. Another option is something cold like a salad or chilled soup. Whatever you choose, keep the flavors clean and bright.
Storage and Freezer Tips
Store leftover grilled halibut fillets in a single layer in an airtight container once it has cooled to room temperature, then refrigerate. For optimal texture and flavor, do not freeze leftovers. As for the salsa, store it in a separate airtight container and refrigerate. The salsa will last much longer (5-7 days), but the recipe yields enough for four fillets.
Grilled Halibut
Grilled halibut is tasty, but grilled halibut with mango salsa is even better! If you want to spice up your usual fish dinner, try this recipe!
Ingredients
Salsa
- 1 large red mango, chopped
- 3 tablespoons chopped yellow onion
- Juice of 1 lemon
- 1 small jalapeño, seeds removed and chopped
- 1 Roma tomato, chopped
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro
- ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1/8 teaspoon black pepper
Halibut
- 4 (6-ounce) halibut fillets, skinless
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon chili powder
Instructions
- Add the salsa ingredients to a bowl, mix well, and refrigerate until the fish is ready.
- Gently rinse the fish under cool water and pat dry with paper towels.
- Prepare a grill for medium-high heat cooking over direct heat. You can also preheat a grill pan over medium-high.
- Brush the halibut with oil and season both sides of each fillet with salt, black pepper, and chili powder.
- Grill for 5 minutes per side or until the internal temperature reaches 130-135 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Plate the grilled halibut, spoon salsa on the fillets, and serve.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 4 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 123Total Fat: 7gSaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 6gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 454mgCarbohydrates: 16gFiber: 2gSugar: 13gProtein: 1g
This data was provided and calculated by Nutritionix.
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