This Air Fryer Halibut recipe uses simple pantry ingredients. Elegant enough for a dinner party but straightforward enough for week night dinner. Halibut cooked in the Air Fryer is a no fuss, no muss dinner. A couple of minutes prep and 10 minutes in the Air Fryer and you’ve got yourself a quick, healthy and delicious meal.
In this post I’ll cover:
- What Halibut is?
- Whether or not it should be breaded before Air Frying and if so, what type of breading to choose.
- Ingredients used in this recipe.
- Step by step visual and written instructions how to make Air Fryer Halibut.
- How long to Air Fry the Halibut.
- How to know when it is cooked.
- What temperature should Halibut be Air Fried.
- Additional Air Fryer Halibut recipes.
- More recipes using the Air Fryer.
- There is, of course, a ‘Tip From Me.’
- Questions with answers.
- Lastly, the recipe!
What is Halibut?
Halibut is a type of flatfish found in the cold oceanic waters of the North Atlantic and North Pacific. It’s a large fish in size and weight that requires deep sea fishing techniques to catch it. This chap will not win any beauty contests! Halibuts’ bodies are flattened and mis-shapen. Both eyes on one side of their head with their mouth extending to the other side. Good thing we don’t have to look at them while we eat!
In culinary terms, Halibut has a mild, sweet, non fishy flavor. So it’s a great fish to eat for non fish lovers. Its firm white flesh allows it to be cut into filets (a thinner, boneless cut from the side of the fish), steaks (a thick portion cut across the body of the fish, and therefore contains bone) and chunks (boneless pieces suitable for fish nuggets or tacos).
Halibut lends itself well to various cooking preparations, including grilling, baking, broiling, pan-searing and in this recipe Air Frying. As a lean source of protein, it is a popular alternative to meat and other animal proteins.
To Bread or Not to Bread
Halibut in the Air Fryer can be made with or without breading (breadcrumbs or similar coating.) This Air Fryer Halibut is without breading and more appealing to those people watching carbs and calories. Here’s how to bread and Air Fry Halibut:
- Dust about a tablespoon of flour over dried Halibut (pat it with a paper towel.)
- Use either 1 egg (beaten) or a heaped tablespoon of mayonnaise to act as the clue for the breading. Dip the fish into the beaten egg, or spread all sides of the Halibut with mayonnaise.
- Dredge the Halibut into the breading of your choice and ensure it is fully coated. Breading can be store bought or homemade breadcrumbs, seasoned with herbs or parmesan or just plain. Alternative breading includes cracker or pretzel crumbs, cornflakes and rolled oats. There’s also Air Fryer Halibut breaded with panko (very dry Japanese style breadcrumbs that result in a crispy exterior.)
- Spray or brush the Halibut generously with oil.
- Lower the Halibut into the Air Fryer basket and cook for about 5 minutes.
- Pull out the Air Fryer basket and generously brush the breading again with oil.
- Continue to Air Fry until the Halibut is cooked. Scroll down for more info on knowing when Halibut is cooked.
Ingredients
- Halibut: fresh or defrosted, wild if possible, skinless and boneless.
- Salt: I used Celtic sea salt.
- Oil: any high temp cooking oil, I used olive oil.
- Seasoning: my choice is Lemon Pepper, homemade using lemon zest and black pepper.
If you prefer, a shake of garlic powder and / or dried herbs such as oregano and dill can be used instead of Lemon Pepper. Or to keep this Air Fryer Halibut recipe really simple, season with salt and pepper.
Use olive oil spray instead of brushing the oil on the fish if desired. I recommend spraying the Halibut before it goes into the Air Fryer. The build up of sprayed on oils will decrease the working life of your Air Fryer as a result.
Instructions How to Cook Halibut in the Air Fryer
When cooking Halibut in the Air Fryer, it is a good idea to line the basket of the Air Fryer with a burn resistant paper such as parchment. This rule applies with any type of fish. If the fish does start to fall apart, the paper catches it all. Another alternative is to use a silicone Air Fryer liner like this one.
You’ll need parchment paper NOT wax paper and a hole punch. If you don’t have a hole punch use a knife to cut slits into the paper.
Place the basket on the parchment paper and draw around it. Cut out the shape of the basket, fold it into quarters or eighths and punch holes in it.
Place the paper into the Air Fryer basket.
Dry the Halibut with a paper towel to remove excess moisture.
Lower the Halibut and into the Air Fryer basket and brush with oil. Brush only the top side of the fish.
Sprinkle salt over the Halibut.
Disperse the Lemon Pepper over the fish to create a light even layer of seasoning.
Place the basket into the body of the Air Fryer, set the temperature to 375 degrees F. / 190 degrees C. for 10 minutes or so, until the Halibut is cooked.
Air Fryer Halibut Cooking Time
So how long exactly does Halibut take to Air Fry? Great question and one that cannot be given a firm, exact answer because of the variables involved such as:
- Is the Halibut a filet (thinner in depth) or a steak (thicker piece).
- How thick the filet of fish (or steak) is. The thicker it is, the longer it will need.
- How big the Air Fryer is. The smaller the Air Fryer, the quicker the Halibut will cook because there is less capacity size in the cooking chamber.
- Is the Halibut at room temperature or refrigerated prior to cooking.
- Is the Air Fryer preheated. This recipe does not require preheating, but some people prefer to preheat their Air Fryer prior to cooking food.
How do I Know When Halibut is Cooked?
There are a few ways of knowing when the Halibut is cooked and ready to eat. A little detective work comes into play:
- Look at the appearance of the Halibut. Does the flesh look white and opaque? Possibly even golden brown? Are the fish juices clear and not milky?
- Touch the surface of the fish with clean hands or a spoon. How does the pressure feel? It should be firm but softer than uncooked Halibut. It should start to yield (into flakes), but don’t flake it, this will spoil the appearance.
- The final and most accurate way to know is by using a digital thermometer. Aim the probe of the thermometer into the thickest part of the fish, which is usually the center. Make sure not to have the probe touching the metal bottom of the Air Fryer. The temperature should reach an internal temperature of 145°F (63°C) (according to the USDA) to ensure it is fully cooked and safe to eat.
What temperature should you cook fish in an Air Fryer?
What is the best temperature for cooked Halibut? The ideal temperature to cook halibut is 350°F to 390°F (175°C to 200°C). This temperature range works for both Air Fryer and oven.
Air Fryer Halibut Recipes
Besides breading Halibut with your breading of choice, other recipes include:
- Air Fryer beer battered Halibut. Mix 4 oz all purpose flour (plain flour), 1 tbsp of corn starch (corn flour), ¼ tsp baking soda, 3 oz beer of your choice altogether. Dip the Halibut into the batter and place it immediately into a lined Air Fryer basket. Air Fry at 390 degrees F. for about 12-14 minutes. Use a digital thermometer to confirm an internal temperature of 145°F (63°C). Don’t forget the tartar sauce!
- Air Fryer macadamia nut crusted Halibut. Mix 2 oz of chopped macadamia nuts together with 4 oz panko. Add 1 tsp each of minced garlic and chopped parsley if desired. Add the Halibut filet to a lined Air Fryer basket. Brush the top of the Halibut with 1 tbsp of melted butter and then add the nut and panko mixture. Distribute evenly. Air Fry at 375°F (190°C) for 10-12 minutes. Check the doneness of the Halibut with a digital thermometer.
- Use my recipe to cook the Halibut and serve it with your choice of sauce. My favorite sauce to serve with Halibut is Parsley Sauce. Other examples include creamy lemon, garlic and dill, chimichurri or even katsu sauce.
Additional Air Fryer Recipes
Air Fryers are very versatile. They can make main dishes, sides and even sweet treats!
A Tip From Me
Line Air Fryer baskets with parchment paper or use a silicone liner. Fish or other delicate foods won’t fall through the spaces in the basket. Lining the basket also makes the cleaning of it easier.
This basket lining is especially helpful when Air Frying Halibut chunks or pieces.
When using an Air Fryer to cook fish, meat, or scones, always arrange them in the basket in a single layer. Food cooks evenly due to the even air flow within the Fryer.
Got Questions?
I’ve got answers – hopefully!
Remove excess moisture from Halibut before Air Frying. If there is excess moisture, it will cause the fish to steam rather than fry. Dab the fish flesh gently with a couple of sheets of disposable kitchen paper (kitchen roll).
Fish, such as Halibut can be cooked from frozen in the Air Fryer. It will take longer to cook and there is the risk that by the time the center of the fish has reached the required internal temperature of 145°F (63°C), the outside of the fish starts to dry out and curl. Add another 5 minutes or so to the cooking time, but use a digital thermometer to be sure the fish is cooked. I recommend cooking defrosted or fresh fish for a more even cooking result.
Air Fryer Halibut
Equipment
Ingredients
- 7 oz halibut filet fresh or defrosted.
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tbsp lemon pepper Use this recipe
- ⅓ tsp Celtic salt
Instructions
- Line the Air Fryer basket with burn resistant paper such as parchment with holes punched in it to allow air flow.
- Dry the Halibut with a paper towel.
- Lower the Halibut and into the Air Fryer basket and brush with oil. Brush only the top side of the fish.
- Sprinkle salt and lemon pepper over the Halibut.
- Place the basket into the body of the Air Fryer, set the temperature to 375 degrees F. / 190 degrees C. for 10 minutes or so, until the Halibut is cooked.
- For further info about how long to cook halibut and at what temperature, please refer to the post.
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