Pan Seared Swordfish Steaks With Olives And Capers

Are you looking for an amazing fish recipe?  If yes, then you need to try our pan-seared swordfish with olives and capers!  The whole dish can be made in under 30 minutes.  That's what's great about making most fish dishes!  This is an adaptation of a Sicilian recipe I've had in many New York Italian restaurants.

Some variations on the sauce in this recipe include the addition of pine nuts, raisins, and anchovies. 

I think the simple fresh flavors, kind of like what we used in our baccala alla napoletana recipe or puttanesca sauce, go really well with the pan-seared swordfish but feel free to add any ingredients you like.

Great quality ingredients are where it all starts for this Sicilian-style swordfish. 

Find out what's really fresh from your fishmonger.  Swordfish is obviously the first choice, but this recipe works equally well with Tuna.  It's always nice to have a plan B when going shopping!

How to make pan-seared swordfish with olives and capers

1. Pic of garlic, parsley, tomatoes, capers, and olives.
2. Roughly chop the olives.  Mince the garlic.  Halve the tomatoes and scoop out the seeds with a spoon.

3. Chop the tomatoes as shown.
4. Saute the garlic for 1-2 minutes on medium to medium-low in ¼ cup of extra virgin olive oil.
5. Add the olives and saute for 1 minute.
6. Add the tomatoes and saute for 1 minute more.

7. Turn off the heat and add the capers, parsley, and pepper flakes if using them.
8. Plate the sauce in a bowl and wipe the pan with some paper towels.  The pan will be used for the next step of pan searing the swordfish.
9. Pat the swordfish steaks dry with a paper towel.
10. Season the steaks with salt and pepper - about ¼ tsp each of salt and pepper.

11. Heat ¼ cup of regular olive oil in the pan on medium heat.  Place the swordfish in the pan and move around in the beginning to assure the fish won't stick.  Basically, let the oil get under the fish.
12. After 3 minutes flip the swordfish carefully and cook for 2-3 minutes more until done.  They should feel firm to the touch.  Remove the swordfish and plate.  Serve the olive and caper Sicilian sauce all over the fish.

Swordfish substitutes

My top swordfish substitutes are tuna, mako shark, and salmon in that order.  Swordfish is a very meaty fish.  It has an almost steak-like quality and is very satisfying.  It works well in many ways that other fish simply cannot.  Kebabs are a prime example of one of those ways.

Mako shark and Tuna have a similar texture to swordfish.

Salmon is not as robust and firm so that would be my last choice of the bunch.

Can swordfish be eaten raw/rare?

While it can be eaten raw or rare, I don't recommend it.  Do you know why?  I rarely see it in Japanese restaurants.  I think that is a major tell.  Read this Quora info on Why is shark or swordfish not used for sushi?

Now I do like to cook the swordfish a tiny bit under-cooked.  Basically medium-well.  If an oily fish like swordfish or tuna is cooked well done it will release more oils and take on a more fishy taste.

More ways to cook swordfish

The grill is excellent for swordfish steaks or kebabs.

For this particular recipe, everything can be made outside. 

Just bring all the chopped ingredients to the grill with a heavy-duty pan and make the sauce in the same manner over medium heat.

When that's finished brush the swordfish steaks with some olive oil, salt, and pepper and grill them over medium heat.  The cooking time should be roughly 6 minutes total for 1" thick steaks.

Another easy swordfish recipe is to simply broil in the oven with oil, salt, and pepper.  I like to put the swordfish steaks in a cast iron pan and broil for 2-3 minutes per side.

When they are finished, a super simple caper, lemon butter sauce can be whipped up in the pan in 1 minute with no heat. 

I'm getting hungry thinking of that dish - that will be another recipe I write up on here at some point!

This is an excellent Mediterranean fish recipe that we really hope you enjoy!

More seafood recipes you might enjoy

• Italian calamari salad - Red onion, crunchy celery, green olives, red roasted peppers with calamari in a simple lemon and olive oil vinaigrette.
• Shrimp scampi - Easy dish with garlic, lemon, white wine, and parsley.
• Clams in red sauce recipe - Littleneck clams steamed and tossed in a garlicky red sauce with basil.
• Mussels marinara - Simple appetizer with a quick marinara.
• Lemon garlic shrimp pasta - Shrimp, garlic, butter, and lemon over linguine.
• Shrimp fra diavolo - Spicy shrimp in garlic tomato sauce over pasta.
• Shrimp oreganata - White wine and garlic-seasoned breadcrumbs sprinkled over juicy baked shrimp.

If you’ve enjoyed this pan-seared swordfish recipe or any recipe on this site please let us know in the comments.

We would love to hear how you did and it’s nice to show others as well. Thanks!

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