When I went to Italy a number of years ago, I had a swordfish dish that was full of flavor and is still one of my favorites today. This is a version of that that takes far less time to cook, but incorporates all of those great ingredients and taste.
If you’re looking for a meal to make in less than 30 minutes, you’ll love this one. And, you’ll feel like you made a fancier dinner with not very much work. Who doesn’t love that!
What You’ll Need:
- swordfish steaks
- salt and pepper
- olive oil
- red wine vinegar
- olives
- roma tomatoes
- capers
- pine nuts
- basil
![](https://realfoodwell.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/Pan-Seared-Swordfish-with-Mediterranean-Salsa-Ingredients-rc-1024x683.jpg)
What You’ll Need:
This recipe can be made in less than 30 minutes if you are smart about the prep.
Start by patting the swordfish steaks dry with a paper towel. Rub them with oil on both sides and season.
![](https://realfoodwell.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/Pan-Seared-Swordfish-with-Mediterranean-Salsa-Process-1rc-1024x683.jpg)
Make the salsa next. Quarter the olives, if you didn’t buy them already sliced. Dice the tomatoes and chop the basil. Then, toast the pine nuts in a warm skillet just until they are lightly browned and fragrant. Let them cool a bit before adding them to the salsa mixture.
Next, sear the swordfish for about 5 minutes on each side. It may take a little less or more time, depending on the thickness of your steaks. Let them rest a few minutes once done cooking, while you plate any side dish you may have made to go with the fish.
![](https://realfoodwell.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/Pan-Seared-Swordfish-with-Mediterranean-Salsa-Process-2rc-1024x683.jpg)
Top the swordfish with the salsa and some fresh basil right before serving.
I love to serve this with a simple arugula salad dressed with olive oil and a few squeezes of lemon juice, seasoned with a tiny bit of salt and freshly ground black pepper, and then topped with more pine nuts and some shaved parmesan.
![swordfish with olive and tomato salsa with arugula salad.](https://realfoodwell.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/Pan-Seared-Swordfish-with-Mediterranean-Salsa-FInal-rc-1024x683.jpg)
Buon appetito!
Print![swordfish with olive and tomato salsa with arugula salad.](https://realfoodwell.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/Pan-Seared-Swordfish-with-Mediterranean-Salsa-FInal-rc-150x150.jpg)
Pan Seared Swordfish with Mediterranean Salsa
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 20 minutes
- Yield: 4 1x
- Category: main dish
- Method: stovetop
- Cuisine: Mediterranean
- Diet: Gluten Free
Description
This healthy and delicious seafood dish is packed with flavor and takes less than 30 minutes to make.
Ingredients
For the Swordfish:
- 4 6oz. swordfish steaks
- 1 tsp. Kosher salt
- ¼ tsp. freshly ground black pepper
- 2 Tbsp. olive oil, extra virgin and cold pressed
For the Salsa:
- 1/2 cup Castelvetrano olives, pitted and quartered
- 1/2 cup Kalamata olives, pitted and quartered
- 2 medium Roma tomatoes, diced
- 2 Tbsp. capers, drained
- 2 Tbsp. pine nuts, toasted
- 2 Tbsp. basil, chopped (for garnish)
- 2 Tbsp. olive oil, extra virgin and cold pressed
- 1 Tbsp. red wine vinegar
Instructions
- Pat the swordfish steaks dry with a paper towel. Rub a little avocado oil on both sides of each steak and season with salt and pepper.
- Make the salsa so that it is ready to go, prior to cooking the steaks.
- Toast the pine nuts in a small skillet. Toss them frequently, so that they don’t burn. They should be lightly browned and fragrant. Let them cool and add them to the salsa before serving.
- Warm a skillet to medium-high heat. Place the steaks in the pan and sear them on each side for about 5 minutes. Cook time may vary depending on the thickness of the steaks.
- Top with the steaks with the salsa and a little fresh basil.
Notes
- You can buy already pitted and sliced olives to save on prep time.
- Use a Mediterranean or Italian seasoning on the swordfish, if you like.
- I like to serve this with a simple side of arugula with a little olive oil, a few squeezes of fresh lemon juice, some salt and pepper and finished with shaved parmesan and toasted pine nuts.