• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
The Cozy Apron
  • Home
  • Cozy Recipes
    • Appetizers
    • Soups
    • Salads
    • Entrees
      • Burgers & Sandwiches
    • Desserts
    • Breakfast
  • Videos
  • From the Heart
  • About
    • FAQ
    • Contact
menu icon
go to homepage
search icon
Homepage link
  • Home
  • Recipes
  • Videos
  • From the Heart
  • About
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
  • ×

    Home / Entrees / Grilled Swordfish

    Grilled Swordfish

    April 1, 2022 by Ingrid Beer 2 Comments

    Succulent and flavorful, my grilled swordfish is a vibrant, Mediterranean-inspired dish that's incredibly easy to prepare as a healthy dinner any night of the week. Fresh swordfish steaks are marinated in lemon, garlic and olive oil before a quick trip to the grill pan, then topped with a fresh tomato-olive salad for a burst of sweet, juicy flavor!

    Grilled Swordfish

    Swordfish Steaks, Perfect For The Grill Pan

    While we love to indulge in a rich, decadent meal in our household from time to time, I'd have to say that, more and more, we’re finding ourselves gravitating towards fresh, vibrant recipes that pack lots of nutrition by way of lean protein and fresh produce.

    Seeing as my hubs and I are always looking to incorporate more fresh fish into our diets, experimenting with different varieties of fish to see which we enjoy the best has become a bit of fun kitchen adventure for me.

    Our latest favorite fish to cook with is swordfish, specifically swordfish steaks, which are high in vitamin D and E, and lots of those healthy omega-3 fatty acids.

    I love the firm texture of swordfish, which makes it a perfect candidate for the grill pan, as well as the mild flavor which makes it a terrific canvas for adding any flavor that I like to it.

    My grilled swordfish recipe has a bit of a Mediterranean twist from the notes of lemon, garlic and olive oil, plus the fresh, juicy topping of a simple tomato-olive salad for a bit of tangy, briny flavor.

    Prepared in less than thirty minutes, it's an ideal option when you're craving a fresh fish recipe filled with lots of texture and color, made with just a few ingredients!

    Grilled Swordfish on a Grill Pan | thecozyapron.com

    My Grilled Swordfish Recipe with Tomato-Olive Salad

    While there are myriad of ways to cook swordfish, from searing the steaks in a hot cast iron pan to baking or broiling them in the oven, I find the most flavorful way to cook them is to grill them.

    It only takes mere minutes to grill swordfish steaks to succulent, juicy perfection, about 3 to 4 minutes per side depending on thickness.

    That hint of “charred” flavor from grilling lends even more flavor to the steaks, and you can achieve this by using either a grill pan (my preferred method), or your outdoor grill.

    For added deliciousness, marinating swordfish steaks is a terrific way to go....

    Marination can be done very quickly and easily by using a bit of olive oil, garlic, dried herbs, lemon zest and lemon juice, plus a sprinkle of sea salt and black pepper.

    The ingredients I use in my recipe create a lot of savory, bright flavor, and penetrate the mild swordfish for juicy results once the fish is grilled.

    And to make this recipe extra irresistible, I like to finish the grilled swordfish steaks with a simple little tomato-olive salad, with a flourish of fresh parsley and basil—absolutely scrumptious!

    Here's a glance at my grilled swordfish recipe: (or just jump to the full recipe...)

    1. To get started, I marinate my swordfish steaks in my marinade ingredients for about 20 minutes.
    2. While the swordfish marinates, I prepare my tomato-olive salad, and keep that chilled in the fridge.
    3. To grill my swordfish steaks, I grill them for 3 to 4 minutes per side (depending on thickness), just until cooked through yet juicy on the inside.
    4. To serve, I place the grilled swordfish on a platter or individual plate, spoon over some of the tomato-olive salad, finish with a sprinkle of fresh parsley and basil, and serve as is or with quinoa, rice, roasted potatoes, or couscous on the side.
    Grilled Swordfish with Tomato-Olive Salad | thecozyapron.com

    Recipe

    Grilled Swordfish

    by Ingrid Beer

    Print Friendly, PDF & EmailPrint Recipe
    Grilled Swordfish | thecozyapron.com

    This succulent grilled swordfish is marinated in lemon, garlic and olive oil, then finished off with a fresh and rustic tomato-olive salad!

    Category: Entree
    Cuisine: Mediterranean

    Yield: Serves 4

    Nutrition Info: 560 calories per serving

    Prep Time: 20 minutes
    Cook time: 8 minutes
    Total time: 28 minutes

    Grilled Swordfish Ingredients:

    • 4 (6 to 8 ounce) swordfish steaks (skin removed)
    • Sea salt
    • Black pepper
    • 4 cloves garlic, pressed through garlic press
    • 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
    • 1 teaspoon lemon zest
    • 1 tablespoon lemon juice
    • Olive oil
    • Torn basil leaves, for garnish
    • Roughly chopped parsley, for garish

    Tomato-Olive Salad Ingredients:

    • 1 pint small cherry tomatoes, halved
    • ¼ cup pitted Kalamata olives, sliced in half
    • 1 large garlic clove, pressed through garlic press
    • ½ teaspoon lemon zest
    • Pinch red pepper flakes
    • Pinch sea salt
    • Pinch black pepper
    • 2 tablespoons lemon juice
    • ¼ cup olive oil
    Preparation:
    1. Begin by gathering and prepping all of your grilled swordfish ingredients according to the ingredient list above to have ready and organized for use.
    2. To marinate the swordfish steaks, place them into a large shallow bowl or onto a platter. Sprinkle with a few pinches of sea salt and black pepper, then add the pressed garlic cloves, Italian seasoning, lemon zest, lemon juice, and about 2 to 3 tablespoons of the olive oil. Use your hands to rub this marinade into the swordfish, and allow it to marinate for 20 to 30 minutes.
    3. While the swordfish marinates, gather and prep all of your tomato-olive salad ingredients according to the ingredient list above to have ready and organized for use.
    4. To prepare the salad, add all of the ingredients to a large bowl, and using a spoon, very gently toss to combine the ingredients. Taste to see if any additional salt/pepper is needed, then cover and place into the fridge while you grill your swordfish.
    5. To grill your swordfish, place a large grill pan over medium-high heat (add a bit of oil if it isn't non-stick). Once the grill pan is hot, add in the swordfish steaks and allow them to grill on that first side for 3 to 4 minutes (depending on thickness), then flip and grill for an additional 3 to 4 minutes, or until cooked through to your liking. (Take care not to overcook your swordfish, as it tends to dry out in that case.)
    6. Once the swordfish steaks are grilled, place them onto a platter and allow them to rest for just a couple of minutes.
    7. To serve, spoon over top of each swordfish steak a generous spoonful or two of the fresh tomato-olive salad, then sprinkle over top some of the torn basil leaves and chopped parsley, and serve with your favorite accompaniment.

    Tips & Tidbits for my Grilled Swordfish recipe:

    • 6 to 8 ounce swordfish steaks: Typically, swordfish is already portioned off into steaks that are roughly 6 to 8 ounces. But if your fish monger only has larger portions, then you simply cut them into the size steaks that you need here. And if your steaks are on the thicker side (more than 1” thick), then grill slightly longer on each side, about 3 ½ to 4 minutes.
    • Alternatives to a grill pan: If you don't have a grill pan, you can substitute a cast iron or non-stick pan, and cook according to the recipe time listed above. You can also broil the swordfish steaks in the oven for the same amount of time, flipping the fish halfway through.
    • Prepare the tomato-olive salad shortly before serving: This salad is best prepped just a little while before you grill your swordfish and serve it, so that the tomatoes stay fresh and firm. However, if you'd like to prep the salad a little earlier for convenience, then hold off on adding the salt, lemon juice and olive oil until just before you toss it to spoon over top of the fish, to keep the tomatoes from getting too soft.
    • What to serve with grilled swordfish: I love fluffy quinoa with this dish, but roasted fingerling potatoes, rice, pasta, or even a spicy green salad will do the trick nicely.
    Grilled Swordfish with Tomato-Olive Salad | thecozyapron.com
    Grilled Swordfish with Quinoa | thecozyapron.com
    Flaky Interior of Grilled Swordfish | thecozyapron.com

    Craving more mouthwatering and healthy seafood dishes? Check out this Pan Seared Salmon, this Grilled Mahi Mahi, this Baked Halibut, these Pan Seared Scallops, this Bourbon Glazed Salmon, or this Mediterranean Salmon Burger!

    « Chicken Penne Pasta
    Turkey Club Sandwich »

    About Ingrid Beer

    Ingrid obtained her Culinary Arts degree in 2005 after graduating with honors from the California School of Culinary Arts (Le Cordon Bleu program) in Pasadena, CA.

    She has had the pleasure and privilege of being the Executive Chef for two substance abuse facilities in Malibu, Ca., as well as a personal chef for private clients.

    More about Ingrid →

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Melissa

      August 13, 2022 at 5:30 pm

      Wow!! I was uncertain if we could make this work, but it was AMAZING! The only things we did differently was to grill the swordfish gently and added feta cheese to the olive & tomato topping. My husband…a total American meat lover said, “This goes into the rotation!”

      Reply
      • The Cozy Apron

        August 15, 2022 at 9:35 am

        Melissa, thrilled you all enjoyed! 😁 Thanks so much for sharing your experience with me.

        Reply

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

    Primary Sidebar

    Ingrid Beer bio photo

    Welcome to The Cozy Apron — so glad to have you as a guest at my table! Here's where I share my passion for food, people and life through my culinary creations and my writing; and where my husband shares his love for food photography and all things visual.

    More about Ingrid →

    You might like these...

    • Loaded Hummus | thecozyapron.com
      Loaded Hummus
    • Chili Cheesesteak Stew | thecozyapron.com
      Chili Cheesesteak Stew
    • Baked Ziti | thecozyapron.com
      Baked Ziti
    • Almond Flour Cookies | thecozyapron.com
      Almond Flour Cookies

    In the Press

    Link to Philly Cheesesteak Stew recipe
    Link to Saucy Italian Drunken Noodles recipe
    Link to Gumbo-Laya recipe
    Link to Saucy Red Potato Goulash recipe
    Link to Creamy White Bean Stew recipe

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    About

    • Ingrid Beer
    • Privacy Policy

    Newsletter

    • Sign up for emails and updates!

    Contact

    • Contact
    • FAQ

    Copyright © 2023 The Cozy Apron