Regarding fish, halibut is a true powerhouse and a healthy choice for any meal. Its mild flavor makes it versatile enough to pair with various ingredients.
Whether you’re looking for a simple weeknight meal or an impressive dish to serve at a dinner party, these halibut recipes are sure to please.
If you live near the ocean, or if summer is drawing near, you’re probably considering replacing the typical pork and beef with lighter meat like fish. And what better fish to have than halibut?
In today’s article, we will be looking over some of the best keto halibut recipes you can easily make at home.
Halibut is an excellent source of protein and omega-3 fatty acids, making it a perfect addition to any keto diet.
Halibut and Keto Diets
Keto diets are all about eating protein and fats in high quantities to offset that you’re not allowed to eat any carbs.
Because of this, foods you’d probably believe to be off-limits are encouraged on a keto diet. For example, fatty cuts of meat and full-fat dairy products are allowed (and encouraged!) on a keto diet.
So, if you want to add more protein and healthy fats to your diet, halibut is a great option. It is a lean source of protein, but it’s also packed with omega-3 fatty acids, which have numerous health benefits.
Some of the health benefits associated with omega-3 fatty acids include:
- Improved heart health
- Reduced inflammation
- Lower blood pressure
- Enhanced brain function
These things are great for people trying to lose weight or improve their overall health.
So, if you’re on a keto diet and looking for delicious and healthy fish to add to your meals, look no further than halibut! Not to mention, you can cook it in various ways so you’ll never get bored eating it.
20 Healthy and Easy Halibut Recipes
So, if you’re looking for new and delicious halibut recipes to try out, look no further. Here are 20 of the best keto-friendly halibut recipes Gordon Ramsay would approve of:
1. Baked Halibut Recipes with Asparagus
Topping off our list is this simple yet heavenly halibut recipe. This baked halibut recipe on Julia’s Album is healthy, flavorful, and perfect for a keto diet.
While more ingredients are involved than the name suggests, this recipe is straightforward to make. The hardest part will be waiting for the halibut to bake!
Ingredients:
- Halibut fillets
- Salt
- Olive oil
- Asparagus
- Minced garlic
- Cracked black pepper
- Chopped fresh parsley
- Shredded Parmesan cheese
The dish tastes delicious, and its macro profile consists of nothing more than protein and fat (the halibut) and plenty of dietary fiber (the asparagus).
Sure enough, if you don’t like your asparagus seasoned in the same way as the fish, or if you plan on baking it separately, we suggest you check out our recipe for oven-roasted asparagus.
It’s just as easy to make, and you can bake them simultaneously on two separate baking trays.
2. 20-Minute Summer Grilled Halibut Recipes
As soon as summertime rolls around, we start to crave grilled food.
There’s just something about the taste of food cooked over an open flame that makes it taste extra delicious.
And this 20-minute grilled halibut recipe from Healthy Recipes Blogs is the perfect summertime meal. It’s light, healthy, and packed with flavor.
Ingredients:
- Halibut fillets
- Olive oil
- Lemon zest
- Kosher salt
- Black pepper
- Minced garlic
- Ground cumin
- Smoked paprika
You’re free to mix up the spices and use whatever oils you want, but we think that the recipe tastes best when made with olive oil, lemon zest, garlic, cumin, and smoked paprika.
These are all common ingredients you probably already have in your spice cabinet. And if not, they’re easy to find at any grocery store.
As for side dishes, we think that grilled fish should go together with something that’s also grilled, such as some keto BBQ mushrooms.
It will make for a protein-rich dish low in carbs and full of flavor.
3. Pan-Seared Halibut Recipes with Garlic Butter Sauce
Not everyone has a backyard where they can cook a barbecue, and not everyone likes the taste of grilled fish.
So, for those who fall into either of those categories, this pan-seared halibut recipe we found on Low Carb Spark is the perfect solution.
It’s a quick and easy recipe that can be made in less than 30 minutes and tastes just as good as any grilled fish recipe.
Ingredients:
- Halibut fillets
- Salt
- Pepper
- Paprika
- Sea salt
- Olive oil
- Lemons
- Black pepper
- Garlic powder
- Melted butter
- Minced garlic
- Chopped fresh parsley
Seasoning the fish properly is the most important part of this recipe. Use good quality paprika, and don’t be afraid to go heavy on the sea salt.
As for the butter sauce, we suggest using freshly minced garlic instead of garlic powder. It will make a world of difference in terms of flavor.
A simple pan-seared recipe deserves a classic side dish, such as rice, but since that’s out of the question in a keto diet, we suggest you make some cauliflower rice with garlic.
4. Parmesan Pecan-Crusted Halibut Recipes
If that pan-seared halibut sounded terrific, but you’re looking for something even crispier, you need to try this crusted halibut recipe from Mae Bell’s.
It’s more work than the pan-seared recipe, but it’s well worth the effort. And trust us, your taste buds will thank you.
Ingredients:
- Halibut fillets
- Parmesan cheese
- Salt and pepper
- Green onion
- Lemon juice
- Pecans
- Butter
- Garlic
Usually, when you hear about crusted food, especially fish, you probably imagine that a lot of flour, breadcrumbs, or even cornflour is involved.
However, this recipe is 100% keto and uses none of the above. The parmesan and the pecan’s unique texture allow them to act as a cheesy breading for the fish.
As for a side dish, we recommend you go with something just as crispy, like some oven-baked zucchini fries.
5. Best Baked Halibut Recipes with Sour Cream, Parmesan, and Dill Topping
Combining a crispy main dish with a very creamy sauce is timeless, and this recipe for baked halibut with sour cream, Parmesan cheese, and a dill topping from Kalyn’s Kitchen hits all the right notes.
It tastes incredible, but it’s also very refreshing, and it’s also a visual treat. The dill topping gives the whole dish a beautiful white and green color that will impress your dinner guests.
Ingredients:
- Halibut
- Salt
- Sour cream
- Garlic powder
- Dried dill leaves
- Sliced green onion
- Fresh ground pepper
- Ground Parmesan cheese
Unlike other similar recipes where you would cook the halibut and then pour the dill topping afterward, this recipe calls for the dill topping to be spread out on top of the fish before you bake it so that it too can get crispy.
The result is a fantastic contrast of textures and flavors that will have you hooked from the first bite. We recommend some oven-roasted broccoli for a side dish that you also cover with the dill topping mentioned earlier.
6. Creamy Baked Halibut – Gourmet Halibut Recipes
A dish can win you over in three ways: the way it tastes, the way it looks, and the way it feels inside your mouth.
This recipe for creamy baked halibut we discovered on Belly Full hits all three marks. It feels like a luxury dish – meant to be savored and not devoured.
Ingredients:
- Skinless halibut fillets
- Grated Parmesan cheese
- Softened butter
- Mayonnaise
- Lemon juice
- Salt
- Hot sauce
- Minced garlic
- Diced scallions
The creamy mayonnaise sauce is the real star here and does a great job of making the entire dish feel indulgent. It’s also vibrant and flavorful, so a little goes a long way.
Make sure to serve this dish with some simple steamed vegetables so that they can help balance out the richness of the sauce. To that end, we recommend you go for oven-roasted Brussels sprouts.
7. Fast & Spicy Alaskan Halibut Recipes
For a good reason, Alaskan halibut is seen as a bit of a luxury ingredient. It’s one of the tastiest fish out there, and it’s also versatile – more than enough reason for you to at least try it.
This recipe from Alaska Seafood hits two birds with one stone by being fast and spicy. As the name implies, it doesn’t require much time to make, and the spicy kick comes from a generous amount of blackened seasoning.
Ingredients:
- Alaska halibut steaks or fillets
- Cayenne pepper
- Dried oregano
- Melted butter
- Onion powder
- Garlic powder
- Black pepper
- Dried thyme
- Paprika
- Salt
As you can probably tell from the recipe list alone, it’s a relatively simple dish that uses nothing more than fish, a seasoning mix, and melted butter to stick the seasoning to the surface of the fish.
However, that seasoning mix comprises 8 different spices that give this dish flavor. And trust us when we say that it’s worth the effort.
8. Keto Breaded Fried Halibut Recipes
We mentioned earlier how it’s pretty rare to find recipes with breaded meat that also happens to be keto. But with a bit of imagination, anything is possible.
For example, look at this keto breaded fried fish recipe found on My Keto Kitchen. It uses crushed pork rinds in place of breadcrumbs and throws in some shredded Parmesan cheese to give the coating some extra flavor.
Ingredients:
- Fillets of white fish (you can use halibut)
- Grated Parmesan cheese
- Ground pepper
- Dried parsley
- Almond flour
- Lemon zest
- Eggs
- Salt
- Oil
The great thing about this breaded fried fish recipe is that you can use it regardless of what kind of white fish you have. So if you’re more partial to tilapia than halibut, go right ahead and improvise.
Also, we liked how the recipe uses almond flour as the core ingredient for the breading, especially considering its trendy flour alternative for keto users.
Don’t be afraid that your halibut will be deep-fried since, in case you forgot, fats are your friend when you’re on a keto diet.
9. BBQ Halibut Recipes
Halibuts can grow huge, especially Alaskan halibuts that can exceed 8 feet in length and weigh over 500 pounds. So it’s no wonder some refer to their pieces of meat as halibut steaks.
This recipe for barbequed halibut steaks from All Recipes is a great way to cook them, and all you need is some essential BBQ ingredients and a love for grilling.
Ingredients:
- Halibut steak
- Butter
- Soy sauce
- Lemon juice
- Brown sugar (to be replaced)
- Minced garlic
- Ground black pepper
While brown sugar is healthier than regular white sugar, it’s still not something you should be consuming on a keto diet.
We recommend that you use one of these keto-friendly sugar substitutes.
10. Fresh Halibut Recipes with Herbs
Some of the best fish dishes are where you don’t go overboard with the ingredients or the seasoning and just let the flavor of the fish shine through.
And that’s precisely the case with this recipe for fresh herbed halibut from All Recipes. It uses a mix of fresh herbs, lemon juice, and garlic to enhance the flavor of the fish without overpowering it.
Ingredients:
- Halibut fillet
- Lemon
- Olive oil
- Sea salt
- Dill weed
- Garlic powder
As you can see, there are only 6 ingredients in total, so it’s an effortless dish that anyone can make. Plus, it’s healthy and delicious, which is always a bonus.
As for a side dish, we think that a simple halibut recipe deserves something that is also a classic, so a batch of oven-baked cauliflower should just about do it.
11. Mediterranean Roasted Halibut Recipes
A Mediterranean taste is always a winner in our books. If you’re thinking of preparing your halibut to make it taste amazing, this recipe from The Foodie Physician is what you need.
It’s pretty well-rounded and shouldn’t be restricted to use only with halibut. Feel free to adapt this recipe to whatever white fish you may have, including catfish, cod, grouper, flounder, haddock, tilapia, and sea bass.
Ingredients:
- Whitefish fillet
- Olive oil
- Garlic cloves
- Lemon juice
- Drained capers
- Salt and pepper
- Pitted black olives
- Sun-dried tomatoes
- Fresh basil or parsley
As with some of our other recipes, the crust gives this dish flavor and visual appeal, and you’ll probably be working up an appetite just by looking at the illustration above.
The combination of olives, sundried tomatoes, capers, garlic, basil, lemon juice, and olive oil is a textbook example of why Mediterranean food is popular and why you should try it.
12. Best Grilled Halibut Recipes with Lemon-Basil Vinaigrette
Vinaigrettes are a fantastic way to add flavor to any dish, especially those made up of meat. And this recipe for grilled halibut with lemon-basil vinaigrette from Epicurious is no exception.
It’s light, refreshing, and perfect for a summer meal. Plus, it takes little time to prepare, especially if you already have vinaigrette.
Ingredients:
- Halibut steaks
- Basil
- Olive oil
- Lemon juice
- Dried capers
- Crushed garlic
- Grated lemon peel
As you can imagine, you’ll be pouring a bit of vinaigrette on top of the fish right before you start grilling it. And then you’ll add the rest of it on top of the fish as soon as grilling is over.
Since halibut grills quickly, we recommend that you keep a close eye on it, so it doesn’t accidentally burn. Besides, you can use this time to brush some more vinaigrette onto the meat so that it doesn’t dry out too much.
As for a side dish, we recommend either cauliflower rice or grilled mushrooms, whichever you prefer most.
13. Easy Baked Halibut Recipes with Garlic Lemon Butter Sauce
There’s something about the combination of fish, lemons, and light fats like butter that just makes them go so well together. And this recipe for baked halibut with garlic lemon butter sauce from Keto Pots is no exception.
Even though it’s a bit more high-fat than some of our other recipes, it’s still a keto-friendly dish, and all the fat comes from healthy sources like butter and olive oil.
Ingredients:
- Halibut fillets
- Olive oil
- Lemon zest
- Lemon juice
- Softened butter
- Black pepper to taste
- Sliced garlic cloves
- Sliced lemons
A fragrant garlic lemon butter sauce accompanies the light taste of the halibut. And the result is a dish that is not only tasty, but the aroma alone is mouthwatering.
Besides, it takes around 20 minutes to prepare (30 if you count the part where you wash the dishes), so it’s a perfect meal for those that need to get their dinner on the table ASAP.
It’s best to serve this meal with a side of steamed broccoli, green beans, or whatever vegetables that are safe for keto you happen to have.
14. Pan-Fried Halibut Recipes with Lemon Caper Sauce
Dining out at a fancy restaurant is always pleasant, primarily if the place is known for making unique dishes.
But sometimes you just want to stay home and cook something special that won’t cost you an arm and a leg.
If a restaurant-quality dish is what you’re after, take a look at this recipe for pan-seared halibut with lemon caper sauce from A Family Feast.
Ingredients:
- Skinned halibut
- Butter
- Kosher salt
- White wine
- Lemon juice
- Lemon slices
- Chopped garlic
- Drained capers
- Extra-virgin olive oil
- Ground black pepper
- Chopped flat-leafed parsley
You will need to follow the steps to the letter if you want this dish to turn out, but as long as you follow those instructions, everything should be fine.
It looks, smells, and tastes fantastic. So if you decide to make this dish when you have guests over, we guarantee they’ll be impressed.
This halibut dish is an excellent main course. But if you want to stir up the appetite of your guests, you should first start with some fancy hors d’oeuvres, such as keto deviled eggs.
15. Smoked Halibut Recipe with Wine, Garlic, and Pepper
Whoever came up with smoked fish hundreds (or maybe thousands) of years ago should be given a medal because smoking fish is a culinary technique that simply can’t be beaten.
Halibut is also a fish that you can smoke without any problems. And this recipe for smoked halibut with wine, garlic, and pepper from Char-Broil is proof you just can’t beat a classic.
Ingredients:
- Halibut fillets
- Melted butter
- Minced garlic
- White wine
- Pepper
- Salt
Halibut meat tends to be among the most flavorful among all white fish. However, the butter, white wine, garlic, salt, and pepper will give it an even more intense flavor, making your taste buds go crazy.
As for the smoking process, the biggest challenge will be finding a smoking wood that won’t overpower the flavor of the halibut; otherwise, it will defeat the purpose.
Make sure you constantly brush the halibut fillets with your butter sauce while smoking them; otherwise, they will turn into dry pieces of fish jerky.
16. Halibut Cheeks Recipe with Lemon-Dill Beurre Blanc
Halibut can be expensive, but if money isn’t a problem and you want to go full-on gourmet mode, you should know that the best part of the halibut is the cheeks.
These small and delicate pieces of meat are the cheeks of the halibut, and they’re the center of attention in this recipe for halibut cheeks with lemon-dill beurre blanc from Pacific Seafood.
Ingredients:
- Halibut cheeks
- Grapeseed oil
- Lemon juice
- White wine
- Fresh dill
- Shallots
- Pepper
- Lemon
- Butter
- Salt
Given that halibut cheeks are pretty expensive, we recommend that you pay close attention to the instructions in the original article since you wouldn’t want to ruin them.
In terms of taste, the lemon-dill beurre blanc sauce is impressive; it brings out the best in the halibut cheeks.
As for what side dish you should use, we suggest you skip it entirely or stick to something as simple as possible, such as steamed asparagus stalks.
17. Keto Oven-Baked Halibut Fillet Recipes with Almond Crust
Baking fish in the oven is arguably the healthiest way to cook it, and if you manage to envelop it in a crust that will keep it moist and tender, you’re in for a treat.
This recipe for keto oven-baked halibut with almond crust from Fooducate proves that you can still enjoy fish even if you’re on a keto diet.
Ingredients:
- Halibut fillets
- Almond flour or meal
- Grated Parmesan cheese
- Pink Himalayan salt
- Cayenne pepper
- Ground pepper
- Minced garlic
- Egg whites
We’ll credit Fooducate for adapting this recipe to be made entirely of keto ingredients, particularly the almond crust, which is a great idea.
If you want to give this dish a cheesy twist, you could try using Parmesan cheese, or maybe even a combination of Parmesan cheese and pork rinds.
Whichever version you make, know this: the dish is low-carb, so go ahead and add it to your list of keto diet foods without giving it a second thought.
18. Seared Halibut Taco Recipe with Cilantro Slaw
Tacos are a fantastic dish, but most steer away from them when keto-dieting because of the tortillas.
However, there are ways around that, and this recipe for seared halibut tacos with cilantro slaw from Cooking Light is the perfect example.
Ingredients:
- Skinless halibut fillet
- Canola oil
- Lime juice
- Kosher salt
- Black pepper
- Corn tortillas
- Pico de Gallo
- Sliced scallions
- Canola mayonnaise
- Sliced red bell pepper
- Shredded coleslaw mix
- Chopped fresh cilantro
- Crumbled queso fresco (fresh Mexican cheese)
The original recipe calls for corn tortillas, but as we all know, those are a no-no on a keto diet. So, you can use corn tortillas instead or make your own keto-friendly almond flour tortillas.
More so, if you like your tacos to be drizzled and cheesy, we recommend you also take a look at our recipe for keto-friendly cheese sauce; it’s better than the storebought version, and it’s elementary to make.
19. Grilled Halibut Steak Recipe with Basil Chimichurri Sauce
You may have noticed a trend in the halibut recipes we have showcased so far, and that’s because most of them feature the fish being cooked in some form of sauce.
This recipe for grilled keto halibut steaks with basil chimichurri from What Great Grandma Ate is no different, but the chimichurri sauce is like nothing else we’ve discussed.
Ingredients:
- Halibut steaks
- Sea salt
- Cooking oil
- Basil leaves
- Garlic cloves
- Dried oregano
- Red wine vinegar
- Extra virgin olive oil
- Crushed red pepper
- Ground black pepper
The chimichurri sauce is a visual treat since it has a lush green color that will contrast with the white halibut steak, and the herbal taste goes well with pretty much any type of white fish.
However, you’ll only be able to make the sauce if you have a food processor or a blender since whisking by hand simply won’t cut it.
Alternatively, you could simply grill some halibut and drizzle some storebought chimichurri sauce over it, which would achieve a similar result.
20. Halibut Ceviche Recipe
The last recipe on our list is a bit different from the rest since it’s the only one where no actual cooking is involved. And no, we’re not talking about making some kind of halibut sushi.
You see, ceviche is a dish from Peru typically made with fish cured in citrus juice. And it’s then mixed with other ingredients to create a refreshing salad of sorts.
This recipe for fresh and spicy halibut ceviche from Allergy Free Alaska is about as flavorful as it gets. And it’s also pretty healthy since it’s essentially just fish and vegetables.
Ingredients:
- Halibut diced into small cubes
- Minced Serrano peppers
- Diced red onions
- Diced tomatoes
- Minced garlic
- Diced cilantro
- Lemon juice
- Lime juice
- Sea salt
- Sriracha
- Avocado
The main ingredient, of course, is halibut, but you could also use any other type of white fish if you want. As for the vegetables, feel free to mix and match them according to your preference; just make sure they’re all diced into small pieces to be easy to eat.
As a final note, this recipe calls for sriracha, a type of hot sauce made with chili peppers, vinegar, garlic, sugar, and salt. If you can’t handle the heat, feel free to leave it out or replace it with some other hot sauce.
FAQ
Discover more information about healthy halibut recipes:
Can you eat halibut on keto?
Halibut meat is very lean, and the very few traces of fat it does have happens to be very healthy as well, just like pretty much any other type of ocean fish.
Because of this, halibut is an excellent ingredient in keto dishes, just as long as all the other ingredients are also keto.
What seafood is keto?
All fish and shellfish are considered keto-friendly since they contain zero carbs and are a source of lean protein.
If you happen to be cooking salmon, you’ll also be getting a good dose of healthy omega-3 fatty acids, thus rounding up your daily macros with some much-needed fats.
How do you cook halibut keto?
Any cooking method you could think of can be used when cooking keto halibut recipes. This includes baking, frying, grilling, and so on.
You only need to be careful of using keto-friendly ingredients, such as sugar-free sauces, and replacing white flour with a keto alternative whenever a dish demands some kind of breading.
Is halibut a flaky fish?
Because the muscles of the halibut are divided into layers separated by connective tissue, they are considered a type of flaky fish.
This connective tissue breaks down when cooking, causing the muscles to separate and flake easily.
Do you cook halibut with the skin on?
Halibut skin is too tough and chewy to make cooking it worthwhile, and that’s why most halibut recipes will usually demand that you remove the skin.
However, some prefer keeping the skin on since it holds the meat together if it flakes too much, making it easier to handle.
Closing Thoughts
This concludes our roundup of some of the best halibut recipes for keto diets.
As you can see, there’s a lot of variety to choose from, so you’re sure to find something that’ll suit your taste.
Do you have a favorite recipe that we didn’t include? Feel free to share it with us in the comments below!
