Lemon Garlic Halibut with Summer Tomato Pasta
- Jul 15
- 3 min read
Our Story
This one was a true team dinner. Gab made the summer tomato pasta, her take on Ina Garten's Summer Garden Pasta, where sweet cherry tomatoes, garlic, and fresh basil come together over thin spaghetti with nothing heavier than good olive oil. AJ handled the halibut, seared until deep golden and finished with a lemon garlic butter baste, plus a quick garlic zucchini on the side. It all comes together in about 40 minutes and tastes like a table by the water.
Quick Stats
Serves: 4
Prep: 20
min
Cook: 25 min
Total: 50 min
Difficulty: 3 / 5
Cost: $$$
Ingredients
For the halibut
4 halibut fillets (about 6 oz each), thawed if frozen
1 tbsp avocado oil
2 tbsp butter
2 tsp minced garlic
1 lemon
Fresh parsley, chopped
Kosher salt, fresh cracked black pepper, garlic powder, and Italian seasoning, for the rub
For the summer tomato pasta
1 lb thin spaghetti or angel hair
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
3 cups cherry tomatoes, halved
2 cloves garlic, minced (or 2 tsp jarred minced garlic)
Fresh basil, chopped
Freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Salt and black pepper
For the garlic zucchini
2 zucchini, sliced into rounds
1 tbsp olive oil
Salt, black pepper, and garlic powder
Instructions
Cook the pasta: bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the pasta until al dente. Reserve about 1/2 cup of pasta water before draining.
Build the tomato sauce: while the pasta cooks, heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium. Add the garlic and cook about 30 seconds until fragrant, then stir in the tomatoes and cook 3 to 4 minutes, just until they soften while still holding their shape. Add the pasta and toss, adding a splash of the reserved pasta water to coat the noodles. Finish with fresh basil, Parmesan, salt, and pepper.
Saute the zucchini: heat olive oil over medium-high. Season the zucchini with salt, pepper, and garlic powder and cook 2 to 3 minutes per side, until lightly browned and just tender. Set aside.
Sear the halibut: pat the fillets completely dry and season both sides generously with kosher salt, black pepper, garlic powder, and Italian seasoning. Heat a large skillet over medium-high, add the avocado oil, and cook the halibut undisturbed 4 to 5 minutes until a deep golden crust develops.
Butter baste: carefully flip each fillet, then immediately add the butter, minced garlic, and the juice from half the lemon. Spoon the lemon garlic butter over the fish continuously for another 3 to 4 minutes, until it flakes easily with a fork. Rest 3 minutes, then finish with chopped parsley and an extra squeeze of lemon.
To serve: plate the pasta first, then the zucchini and halibut. Spoon any remaining lemon garlic butter from the pan over the fish, add a little extra Parmesan over the pasta, and serve with a lemon wedge.
Brands We Used and Love
Chosen Foods Avocado Oil
Kosterina Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Le Creuset cast iron skillet
Lodge cast iron skillet
Montebello Organic Spaghetti
Hexclad Pan
Shop the full kit here: https://shopmy.us/shop/collections/6394329
Browse everything in our cooking shop: https://shopmy.us/ajdillon/cooking
The Dillon Scorecard
AJ: 5 / 5
Gab: 4 / 5
Trey: 5 / 5 - loved the pasta!
What We'd Change Next Time
The whole secret to the restaurant-style crust is patting the halibut completely dry and not moving it once it hits the pan; let it sear undisturbed before flipping. Same idea with the zucchini: do not overcrowd the pan or it steams instead of browns, and pull it while it still has a little bite. And do not skip the reserved pasta water, a small splash is what makes the olive oil and Parmesan cling to the noodles.
Estimated Nutrition
Per serving (1 of 4): roughly 780 calories, 52g protein, 90g carbohydrate, 24g fat. This is an estimate based on standard ingredient values and will shift with fillet size and how much butter, oil, and Parmesan you use.
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