This blackened swordfish is perfectly seasoned and requires less than 10 minutes to prepare! Loaded with protein, this lean fish is just what the doctor ordered. Serve pan-seared swordfish with pear arugula salad or make a swordfish sandwich on a ciabatta roll with lemon garlic aioli or lemon and dill sauce.
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Blackened swordfish isn't something that you can only order at your favorite seafood restaurant. In fact, swordfish is one of the easiest fish to prepare!
Although I've tried store-bought blackening seasoning, I always come back to my own made-from-scratch seasoning blend. Using Carne asada seasoning may sound strange, however, it has many of the same ingredients found in traditional blackening seasoning so why not?
Of course, if it's easier for you, you can try Emeril's Blackening Seasoning. Emeril won't steer you wrong!
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😍 Why You'll Love This Recipe
- This blackened swordfish recipe is so easy and is a total show-stopper, no one will guess what little effort is required to prepare it!
- Pan-seared swordfish fits into most diets including a low-carb, gluten-free, and keto.
- This delicious fish is mild, meaty, and loaded with protein. In fact, there are 22 grams of protein in one 4-ounce swordfish steak.
- Leftovers can be enjoyed in blackened fish tacos, over a salad, or make a swordfish sandwich!
🛒 What You Need For This Recipe
🔖 Ingredients & Substitutions
- Fish: You'll need 4-ounce, 1-inch thick swordfish steaks per serving.
- Seasoning: Use store-bought or homemade blackening seasoning or try my carne asada seasoning. This tasty seasoning blend is made with sea salt, chili powder, oregano, black pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, Tajin, ground cumin, chipotle pepper, and cayenne pepper. For a milder taste, substitute paprika for the chipotle and cayenne pepper.
- Fat: Olive oil to brush on the swordfish before seasoning it and melted butter or olive oil to sear the swordfish.
🧂Blackening Seasoning
There are many blackening seasoning options that you can use for this recipe. If you plan on trying my carne asada seasoning recipe, you'll need the ingredients below:
🐟 How To Make Blackened Swordfish
Step 1: Make sure the swordfish is completely defrosted. Pat dry with paper towels to remove excess moisture. Sprinkle seasoning in one layer onto a plate. Brush the fish fillet with olive oil on both sides and dip into the seasoning.
Pro Tip: Another option is to sprinkle the fish with the seasoning, and don't forget the sides!
Step 2: Heat a cast iron skillet until very hot. Melt ½ tablespoon of unsalted butter into the pan then add the seasoned swordfish. Cover with a lid and cook over medium-high heat for 2 minutes.
Pro Tip: Covering the pan as the swordfish is being seared not only cooks the fish faster, it also keeps the smoke down and keeps you from breathing the cloud of spices, which can trigger coughing and choking.
Step 3: Flip the swordfish to the other side, cover, and cook for an additional 2 minutes, or until the fish is cooked through (145 degrees F) and flakes easily.
🍽 Serving Suggestions
Enjoy blackened swordfish with morel mushroom and prawn risotto, a pear salad, or dill rice.
Another option is to make fish burritos or to add the fish to a salad similar to this smoked salmon salad. Finally, you can make a blackened swordfish sandwich.
🥖 Blackened Swordfish Sandwich Directions
Step 1: To make a blackened swordfish sandwich, prepare lemon garlic aioli and my honey and vinegar coleslaw. If you prefer spicy food, mix 1 ½ tablespoons of cilantro chimichurri sauce with 1 cup of shredded cabbage and use it instead of coleslaw.
Step 2: Next, butter ciabatta bread. Place the bread, buttered side down, and grill in a hot pan until golden brown. Place the bread on a plate and cover it with foil to keep warm while you prepare the swordfish as described above.
Pro Tip: Another option is to slather mayo on the bread instead of butter, then grill as usual.
Step 3: To plate your fish dinner, spread lemon aioli on both sides of your grilled bread then add the fish steak, coleslaw, and red onion. You can also add other toppings like cheese, tomato slices, refrigerator pickles, lettuce, etc.
Need more seafood recipe ideas? If so, check out this blackened ahi tuna, or this crispy fish batter! You can also use this blackened fish to make blackened fish tacos!
🤷🏻♀️ Recipe FAQs
Whether you rinse fish before cooking is really a matter of preference.
Blackened fish simply means that the fish is heavily seasoned and seared in a hot skillet on both sides. Cooking the fish in this manner gives it a blackened appearance.
Swordfish is not fishy at all! In fact, it's a mild-tasting fish with a white, meaty texture and usually sliced into steaks.
👩🏼🍳 Pro Tips
- The cooking time may need to be adjusted based on the thickness of the fish.
- The FDA recommends that swordfish be cooked to an internal temperature of 145°F and should separate easily with a fork.
- If you like to eat your fish on the rare side, the FDA also recommends that the fish be frozen first to kill any parasites that may be present.
- Store pan-seared swordfish leftovers in the fridge, in an airtight container, for up to 4 days.
- Use the leftovers to make swordfish tacos, fish burritos, or crumble the swordfish fillets over your favorite salad.
🐡 More Seafood Recipes
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Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Make sure the swordfish is completely defrosted. Pat dry with paper towels to remove excess moisture. Sprinkle seasoning in one layer onto a plate. Brush the fish fillet with olive oil on both sides and dip into seasoning.
- Heat a cast iron skillet until very hot. Melt ½ tablespoon of unsalted butter into the pan than add the seasoned swordfish. Cover with a lid and cook over medium-high heat for 2 minutes.
- Flip the swordfish to the other side, cover, and cook for an additional 2 minutes, or until the fish is cooked through (145° F) and flakes easily.
- To make a blackened swordfish sandwich, prepare lemon garlic aioli and my honey and vinegar coleslaw. If you prefer spicy food, mix a 1 ½ tablespoons of chimichurri sauce with 1 cups of shredded cabbage and use instead of coleslaw.
- Next, butter ciabatta bread. Place the bread, buttered side down and grill in a hot pan until golden brown. Place the bread on a plate and cover with foil to keep warm while you prepare the swordfish as described above.
- To plate your fish dinner, spread lemon aioli on both sides of your grilled bread then add the fish steak and top with coleslaw and red onion. You can also add other toppings like cheese, tomato slices, refrigerator pickles, lettuce, etc.
Nutrition
Notes
- Covering the pan as the swordfish is being seared not only cooks the fish faster, it also keeps the smoke down and keeps you from breathing the cloud of spices, which can trigger coughing and choking.
- The cooking time may need to be adjusted based on the thickness of the fish.
- The FDA recommends that swordfish be cooked to an internal temperature of 145°F and should separate easily with a fork.
- If you like to eat your fish on the rare side, the FDA also recommends that the fish be frozen first to kill any parasites that may be present.
- Store pan seared swordfish leftovers in the fridge, in an airtight container, for up to 4 days.
- Use the leftovers to make swordfish tacos, fish burritos, or crumble the swordfish fillets over your favorite salad
Marta says
We don’t see the measurements for seasoning. Is it “seasoned to taste?”
Hilda Sterner says
Hi Marta, The exact measurement (2 tablespoons) is listed in the recipe card at the bottom of the post! 🙂