Air Fryer Halibut

This air fryer halibut is the easiest and most tender halibut recipe you’ll ever try! The air fryer does all the work to ensure a crisp exterior and juicy interior

Why this recipe works

• Easy enough for beginner air fryer cooks! This air fryer halibut is easy enough even for the beginner cook. And it is fast for a weeknight dinner.

• Clean and lean- A healthy fish dinner to incorporate more seafood into your diet, uses simple easy-to-find ingredients and halibut is an excellent source of lean protein.

• Mild flavor- This halibut has a flavor for which even picky eaters will ditch their fish sticks and tarter sauce.

Ingredient notes and substitutions

• Halibut– Any other firm white fish will make a good substitute for halibut such as cod, lingcod, tilapia, or hake. You can use frozen halibut that has been thawed in the fridge or cook from frozen! Check out expert tips on how.

• Spices- A savory mix of dried spices everyone has on hand.

• Olive oil- Feel free to use extra virgin or light-tasting olive oil here or even avocado oil. The oil helps the spices coat nicely and creates a crispy texture on the outside for the air fryer.

Step by step instructions for Air Fryer Halibut

1. Brush your halibut filets lightly with avocado, olive oil, or olive oil spray, and scatter the spice blend over the top.

2. Once preheated air fryer is hot, place it in the cooking basket and cook for 6-8 minutes. Be sure to leave room or cook in batches if needed so the halibut isn't touching.

3. Don't overcook! The cook time depends heavily on the height and thickness of your filets so you just have to watch carefully.  You'll know the fish is done because when you flake it with a fork, it's uniformly white and opaque and no longer pinkish and translucent. 

FAQ

What is the temperature you cook halibut to?

Use a meat thermometer to check the internal temperature is 130-135°F.

What does halibut taste like?

Halibut is a white fish with a delicate and mild taste similar to cod.

Is Halibut a Sustainable Fish? 

 Halibut is considered a smart and sustainable seafood option thanks to federal regulations on halibut fishing, according to NOAA. Just make sure to look for U.S. wild-caught Pacific halibut which means it’s responsibly harvested under those regulations.

How do I get the fish smell out of your air fryer afterward?

Whenever you cook something stinky in your air fryer, this trick works wonders! Place a tablespoon of each distilled white vinegar and lemon juice in a small glass bowl.

Place the bowl in your air fryer basket and leave at 400 degrees for three minutes. Then let it sit in the unheated air fryer for an additional 15 minutes once the timer has gone off.

Remove the bowl carefully with a hot pad and then clean the basket out with soapy water.

If I don’t have an air fryer, how can I cook this halibut?

If you don’t have the equipment to make this air fryer fish recipe, you can keep all the steps the same, but cook the halibut on a sheet pan at 400 degrees for 12-14 minutes, depending on the thickness of your filets.

Expert tips

• Halibut skin- if your halibut still has skin on go ahead and bake it with it on. It will be much easier to remove after it has cooked. Just place it skin side down into the air fryer and remove it after!

• Use frozen halibut- If you forgot to thaw your halibut no need to fret! Just follow the directions as normal and heat the air fryer to 390°F. The frozen filets will take 12-14 minutes to cook in the air fryer depending on the thickness of your filets.

• Flaky when ready- A fork should be able to flake the fish filet easily and the color should be uniform.

• Check it often! A tender fish like halibut can dry out easily so it’s super important to check it early and often so that you don’t overcook it. The thickness of the fish filet will determine the cooking time.

• Medium cooking temp- For medium doneness, aim for a 130-135 degree internal temp.

• Remove immediately- Make sure that when the filet is cooked through, you don’t let it sit inside the air fryer with it turned off. The residual heat will dry it out. Move the halibut from the fry basket to a plate as soon as it’s reached your preferred doneness.

More air fryer recipes

Recipe

Air Fryer Halibut

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• Author: Katie Clack
• Total Time: 13
• Yield: 3-4 Servings 1x

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Description

This air fryer halibut is the easiest and most tender halibut recipe you’ll ever try! The air fryer does all the work to ensure a crisp exterior and juicy interior. 

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Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

• 1 pound fresh halibut filets (see notes)
• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil or avocado oil
• ½ teaspoon kosher salt
• ½ teaspoon granulated garlic powder 
• ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
• ½ teaspoon ground cumin
• ¼ teaspoon cracked black pepper

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Instructions

1. Preheat your air fryer to 390°F, or conventional oven to 400°F
2. Cut your halibut into 3 or 4 equally sized filets if necessary. The skin on is ok.
3. Brush your filets with olive oil. Mix all the spices in a small bowl to combine, then sprinkle liberally over the halibut.
4. Add fish filets to your air fryer basket and bake for 6-8 minutes. You'll know the fish is done because when you flake it with a fork, it's uniformly white, opaque, and no longer pinkish and translucent. Or use a meat thermometer to check the internal temperature is 130-135 degrees F. Cook time depends on the thickness of your halibut filets.

Notes

• Other white fish you can use in this recipe include cod, lingcod, tilapia and hake.
• If you only have frozen halibut, you can place your frozen filets directly into the air fryer at 390 but it will take 12-14 minutes to cook them through.
• If you don’t have an air fryer, you can replicate this recipe in a convection oven at 400 degrees for approximate 12-14 minutes.
• Check it early and often. Over cooking will make the halibut dry. 
• Work in batches if needed so that the halibut does not overlap in the air fryer. 

• Prep Time: 5
• Cook Time: 8
• Category: Main Dish
• Method: Air Fryer