Olive Oil Poached Halibut Dinner

This olive oil poached halibut is the perfect date night recipe – paired with creamy chickpeas and simple sauteed spinach, this meal is balanced, gourmet, fresh, and just really delicious. 

I’m calling this olive oil poached halibut the perfect dinner date recipe. Whether you interpret that as cooking this as a special treat for your partner, or cooking this together with your partner, I guarantee this dish will not disappoint. 

It’s fresh, comes together in an hour, and encompasses a gourmet meal you’d order at a restaurant. 

Now, most of my recipes don’t require a lot of steps. I will say this recipe has quite a few different components – none of which are complicated, but there are more than the usual amounts of sauces and components that build to the elegance and freshness of this dish. 

This recipe can be easily scaled from 2 people to 12 people. The mashed chickpeas are creamy, delicious, and fiber packed (you would never guess when you’re eating it!), and the sauteed spinach takes less than 5 minutes to complete from start to finish. The olive oil poached halibut is a classy, easy, and a delicious way to make fish. Poaching halibut in olive oil produces a buttery, tender, and flakey texture. 

Because there are a few different components to making this dish, it would be great to have someone else cook this meal with you. Everything is simple enough that even if you don’t have a lot of cooking experience, you can follow the instructions and it will turn out delicious. Pour you and your guest a glass of wine, and cook alongside each other.

Let me know if you give this a shot – I’d love to see some date night photos of y’all cooking this!

FAQ – for the Poached Halibut Dinner

Q: How do you poach halibut in olive oil?

A: To poach halibut, fill a pot with enough olive oil to cover the fish. Add aromatics like garlic cloves, lemon slices, and thyme to the oil and bring this to a simmer (you should begin to see small bubbles forming around the aromatics). Season the fish with salt and a touch of sugar (this is to keep that white layer from building on the outer edge of the fish), and add the fish to the oil. Make sure there’s enough oil to cover the fish, simmer, and cook for 8-10 minutes. 

Q: There seem to be a lot of components to this dish. What special equipment do I need? 

A: The only special equipment that I am using in this recipe is a mini food processor for the pistachio sauce. However, you can make the pistachio sauce without the food processor. Chop the pistachios by hand and toss this together with the lemon juice, olive oil, finely chopped parsley, salt, pepper, and minced garlic. The remaining ingredients can be made with just 2 pots / pans. Use one medium pot to make the tomatoes, beans, and spinach, and the other pan to make the poached halibut. 

Q: What oil should I use to poach the halibut? What should I do with the oil once I’m finished cooking the fish?

A: I’m poaching the halibut in olive oil, lemon slices, garlic, and thyme. You do want to use a high quality oil, as the olive oil will flavor the fish. After cooking the fish, let the oil cool, then strain it into a jar. You can use this oil for cooking other dishes (I used this oil for the spinach, or you can save this and use it really anything else). If you’re cooking fresh fish, you won’t notice a fishy flavor in the oil.

Q: Can I use other types of fish for this recipe?

A: Yes! Salmon would also be delicious in this recipe, as would cod. Since cooking time for fish typically vary by thickness, pay close attention to the doneness of the fish based on thickness. The ~1.5” thick halibut needed about 8 minutes to cook. 

Q: What can be made ahead of time? 

A: Since there are 5 different components of this dish, there are some elements that can be made ahead of time if you prefer. The burst cherry tomatoes, pistachio sauce, and braised chickpeas are all items you can make ahead of time. The chickpeas will thicken as they cool, so you may want to add a splash more water when you reheat and plate.

Q: What can I use instead of chickpeas?

A: You can use any white bean instead of chickpeas. I typically actually use a northern white bean instead of chickpeas (it has a thinner skin and yields for a creamier output, but when I made this recipe, I only had canned chickpeas in my pantry :))

Step by Step Instructions:

the Burst Cherry Tomatoes:

1. Add one tablespoon of olive oil to a small or medium pot. Heat on medium high heat, then add the cherry tomatoes and a big pinch of kosher salt. Let cook until they are about to burst, about 3-4 minutes. Use the back of a wooden spoon to release the juices out of the tomatoes. Taste, adjust with more salt and pepper as desired, and pour into a small bowl to set aside. 

For the Braised Chickpeas:

1. Prep the minced garlic. 
2. In a small or medium sized pot, add 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Add the drained can of chickpeas and a pinch of salt. Let the chickpeas begin to brown, about 2 minutes, then add in the minced garlic and give it another stir. 
3. Add the milk to the chickpeas, another pinch of salt, black pepper, and nestle in the sprigs of thyme. Cover and let cook on medium low heat for 15 minutes. Check the beans every 3-4 minutes and give it a stir. Add additional milk or water if the beans look a little dry.
4. After 15 minutes, begin to mash the beans with a wooden spoon. Add a touch more water or milk if needed (you want there to be some extra liquid in the pan, as it will thicken once you mash and once it cools a bit). 
5. Taste the bean mixture, adjust with more salt and pepper as desired, then plate.

the Olive Oil Poached Halibut 

1. Prep the lemon slices and peeled garlic. 
2. Portion the halibut into 2” pieces (~ 4 pieces for 2 servings). Season with kosher salt and a pinch of sugar. 
3. Add the olive oil to a small pot with the garlic cloves, thyme, and lemon slices. Heat on medium low heat. 
4. Once the oil is slightly heated, add the portioned halibut and additional olive oil to make sure the fish is covered. 
5. Keep the heat on medium low and cook for 10 minutes. 

the Sauteed Spinach

1. Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a medium sized pot on medium high heat.
2. Add the spinach, 1 tablespoon of water, and the minced garlic. Cover and let cook and wilt for 1 minute. 
3. Season with kosher salt and give everything a stir. Taste, adjust with more seasoning as desired, and set aside. 

For the Pistachio Sauce 

1. Add all the ingredients to a food processor. Blend until smooth, about 30 seconds, then pour into a serving bowl. 
2. If you want a looser texture, add another couple tablespoons of olive oil. Taste, adjust seasoning as desired, then serve.

To assemble the plate:

1. Spread 2 large spoonfuls of the mashed beans onto the plate. 
2. Add the halibut on top of the mashed beans. 
3. Plate the spinach next to the fish. 
4. Top the fish with the burst cherry tomatoes and a spoonful of the pistachio sauce. 
5. Serve immediately, and enjoy!

VIDEO TUTORIAL: Olive oil poached halibut

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