Pan-Seared Swordfish with Tomato Caper Sauce in One Skillet Tips, FAQ & printable recipe

Tips for success

Dry the swordfish thoroughly before seasoning and searing. Surface moisture steams the fish and blocks the golden crust. Pat the steaks with paper towels and let them sit in the open air for a few minutes while you prepare the lemon and tomatoes, but never leave them out for more than 30 minutes.

Use the skillet for both the sear and the sauce to capture every bit of flavor. Scrape up the golden bits from the bottom as the tomatoes soften. The sauce is ready when it looks rustic and glossy, not watery, which usually takes about five to eight minutes of gentle simmering.

Variations

• Lighter caper sauce: Replace the butter with a little more olive oil for a leaner sauce with a clean, fruity flavor. The tomatoes and olives still carry the dish, and the fish keeps its crisp golden edges.
• Extra briny finish: Add a spoonful of the olive brine from the jar to the sauce while it simmers. This sharpens the flavor and deepens the saltiness, so taste before adding any extra salt to the fish.
• Herb-forward plate: Finish the dish with a generous handful of chopped flat-leaf parsley alongside the thyme sprigs. The fresh green herb lifts the rich butter and olive flavors and adds color to the plate.
• Halibut version: Use halibut or mahi-mahi steaks of similar thickness in place of swordfish. Sear them the same way and check that the thickest part reaches 145°F before serving, adjusting the time for the thickness of the fish.

Storage and make-ahead

Fridge

Refrigerate leftover fish and sauce in a sealed container for one to two days.

Freezer

Freezing is not recommended, as the swordfish becomes dry and the tomato sauce separates.

Reheat

Warm gently in a covered skillet over low heat until hot, about 5 minutes, and do not boil.

Store leftover swordfish and tomato caper sauce separately from the lemon wedges and grated cheese. Let the fish and sauce cool for no more than 2 hours at room temperature, then transfer them to a shallow airtight container. Pack the fish in a single layer, spoon the sauce over it, and seal the container.

Refrigerate promptly and eat within one to two days for the best texture and flavor. Keep the grated cheese in its own container so it stays dry. Fresh thyme and lemon wedges are best discarded or used fresh the next day rather than stored with the dish.

You can prepare parts of this dish in advance so the cooking goes quickly. Halve the cherry tomatoes, pit the black and green olives, drain the capers, and store them in covered containers in the refrigerator for up to one day. Slice the lemon and keep the slices covered, then juice the remaining half right before cooking to keep the flavor bright.

Grate the hard cheese on the day you serve, because it loses its light, fluffy texture once it has been left out. Keep the swordfish chilled and season it just before searing. The fish is best cooked fresh, so avoid cooking it ahead of time and reheating it, which dries the flesh and dulls the crust.

Serving ideas

Serve the skillet at the table with the swordfish nestled in the tomato caper sauce. Spoon the sauce over each portion, and make sure every piece has a golden, crisp edge, a glossy spoonful of sauce and a few olives.

Add a thyme sprig and a lemon wedge to each plate so the dish looks finished and fresh. The grated hard cheese can be passed separately, letting each person add as much as they like. The contrast of crisp fish, soft tomatoes and briny olives makes a satisfying main course on its own.

For a simple accompaniment, pair the swordfish with plain steamed green vegetables or a crisp green salad dressed with olive oil and lemon. Crusty bread is useful for soaking up the sauce left in the pan.

A dry, crisp white wine complements the lemon and olives well. Keep the table setting simple so the skillet remains the centerpiece, and bring extra lemon wedges and a small bowl of olives so guests can add more to their plates.

Frequently asked questions

Recipe card

Pan-Seared Swordfish with Tomato Caper Sauce in One Skillet

Prep 15 minCook 20 minRest 3 minTotal 38 minServes 2

Ingredients

• 2 swordfish steaks, about 6 oz each
• kosher salt, to taste
• 1 lemon, halved and sliced, plus wedges for serving
• 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
• 1/4 cup pitted black olives, plus extra for garnish
• 1/4 cup pitted green olives, plus extra for garnish
• finely grated hard cheese, such as Parmigiano-Reggiano, for serving
• 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 tbsp unsalted butter
• 2 tbsp capers, drained
• fresh thyme sprigs, for garnish, to taste

Instructions

1. Set the swordfish steaks on a wooden cutting board and season both sides with kosher salt. Keep them chilled until you are ready to cook, and take them out of the refrigerator no more than 30 minutes before searing. Halve the lemon, slice one half thinly, and arrange the slices around the fish with the whole lemons, cherry tomatoes and olives.
2. Squeeze lemon over the fish, then finely grate the hard cheese on the small holes of a four-sided box grater. Scatter the fluffy grated cheese over the board so it is ready for the finish. Halve the cherry tomatoes and set them aside with the olives.
3. Heat the olive oil and the butter in the cast iron skillet over medium-high heat until the butter foams. Lay the swordfish steaks in the pan and sear each side until golden and lightly crisped at the edges. Spoon the melted butter and oil over the fish as it cooks.
4. Add the halved cherry tomatoes, the black olives, the green olives and the capers to the pan, along with the pan juices. Simmer gently, stirring occasionally, until the tomatoes soften and the sauce thickens into a rustic, glossy sauce.
5. Nestle the swordfish steaks back into the tomato caper sauce and cook until the thickest part of the fish is opaque and flakes at the center. The fish must reach 145°F (63°C) on an instant-read thermometer before you remove the skillet from the heat.
6. Serve the dish directly in the skillet. Garnish with fresh thyme sprigs, extra black and green olives and lemon wedges. Scatter the grated hard cheese over the top just before bringing the pan to the table.

Contains: fish, milk

Estimated nutrition per serving

Calories

520

Protein

40 g

Carbohydrates

12 g

Fat

34 g

Fiber

2 g

Sugar

5 g

Sodium

1200 mg

Automatic estimate from the ingredient list, not laboratory-verified.