Grilled Marinated Swordfish Steaks

By Pierre Franey

Updated April 4, 2024

Grilled Marinated Swordfish Steaks
Michael Kraus for The New York Times
Total Time
30 minutes
Rating
5(3,737)
Comments
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Swordfish, with its firm, lean flesh, is an ideal candidate for grilling. It's not as forgiving as some fatty fish, like tuna and black sea bass, so proceed with caution. If you remove the fish from the fire when the center is still slightly pink, by the time it gets to the table it should be cooked through. A quick marinade of soy sauce, red wine vinegar, rosemary, garlic, coriander and cumin pairs beautifully with the meatiness of the fish, but do not marinate for more than 10 to 15 minutes, or the acid will break down the flesh and leave it mushy (or the flavor will overpower the fish). If you don't have a grill, this works equally well in a broiler. Serve this alongside a colorful pile of Pierre Franey’s green bean and tomato salad. It's a meal you'll never forget.

(The Monterey Bay Aquarium's seafood watch list provides up-to-date information on sustainable seafood options here.)

Why You Should Trust This Recipe

The celebrated French chef Pierre Franey first created this recipe in 1993, and it remains the most popular swordfish recipe on New York Times Cooking. After a career in noted fine-dining kitchens, he began writing The Times’s “60-Minute Gourmet” column in 1976, teaching home cooks how to simply and quickly prepare restaurant-quality dishes.

Featured in: 60-Minute Gourmet

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Ingredients

Yield:4 servings
  • 4center-cut swordfish steaks, about 6 ounces each, one-inch thick
  • Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
  • 3tablespoons olive oil
  • 2teaspoons soy sauce
  • 1tablespoon red-wine vinegar
  • 4sprigs rosemary or 1 teaspoon dried
  • 1tablespoon finely chopped garlic
  • 2teaspoons ground coriander
  • 1teaspoon ground cumin
  • 2teaspoons grated lemon rind
  • ¼teaspoon red pepper flakes
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (4 servings)

353 calories; 22 grams fat; 4 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 13 grams monounsaturated fat; 3 grams polyunsaturated fat; 3 grams carbohydrates; 1 gram dietary fiber; 0 grams sugars; 34 grams protein; 458 milligrams sodium

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Preheat a charcoal grill or broiler, or heat a grill pan.

  2. Step 2

    Sprinkle fish with salt and pepper on both sides. Place oil in a flat dish, and add soy sauce, vinegar, rosemary, garlic, coriander, cumin, lemon rind and pepper flakes. Blend well. Place fish steaks in marinade, coat well on both sides, cover with plastic wrap and let stand for 10 to 15 minutes.

  3. Step 3

    If the swordfish is to be cooked on a grill (or grill pan), place fish on grill and cook for 3 to 4 minutes. Turn and cook for 3 minutes more. Cook longer if desired. If it is to be cooked under a broiler, place fish on a rack and cook for 3 to 4 minutes on each side. Serve with a string bean salad.

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Ratings

5 out of 5
3,737 user ratings
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Comments

NJR

I used two large (6 inch each) rosemary sprigs and broke them in half. I used them as a bed for the fish on a gas grill. The fish tasted of smoked rosemary. Absolutely wonderful.

Randy

Swordfish has a more muscular texture than ahi tuna so cooking it in the same manner will not yield the same silky texture that makes seared ahi so appealing. Swordfish is at its best if cooked briefly in oil + butter over MED heat which will yield a soft succulent texture in the M/MR spectrum.
I sear 3/4 thick steaks of ahi for 1 minute per side on high heat for rare. I sauté 3/4 inch thick swordfish for 2 minutes per side on medium heat for MR. Add aromatics, herbs, etc. for a pan sauce.

David Look

Swordfish can be very chewy when not cooked through. We recommend a temperature closer to well done.

sherril

Have cooked twice now and made once on the grill and once in the oven - both delicious. Just needed more time as the fish was quite thick. Made per recipe and might be a little spicy for some. Can easily adjust the spice level as needed by reducing amount of dry spice and garlic. Will continue to make for a quick and delicious dinner - suitable for company.

liz

I made this tonight and loved it. Only marinated for 15 minutes and the flavors did NOT overwhelm the fish as some people have mentioned. You have to like cumin and coriander and if you do, try this recipe. We loved it and will make it again.

Hetta

Excellent marinade. Because of the comments, I halved the spices, but otherwise followed the instructions. Timing on my oven broiler was 5-6 minutes on each side. Fish was perfectly moist and firm with just the right amount of flavor from the marinade.

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