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Grilled Swordfish With Tomatoes

A plank of grilled swordfish on a platter cut into slices and topped with a relish or burst cherry tomatoes and olives.
Photo by Emma Fishman, Food Styling by Susie Theodorou, Prop Styling by Elizabeth Jaime

If you’re new to grilling fish, swordfish steaks are the perfect place to start—sturdy, skinless, and meaty, they take to the grill like a champ. The key is to not overcook them. You’re shooting for an internal temperature that’s just shy of 135°F, which will yield meat that’s just-opaque and juicy. If your fish is sticking to the grate once your timer dings, don’t panic: As long as your steaks are properly oiled, they’ll release easily when they’re ready.

I like to finish my fish with a relish-y tomato topping flavored with saffron, almost-crispy garlic, and buttery olives for a superfast and summery dinner that begs to be eaten outdoors. Multi-colored cherry tomatoes from the farmers’ market make for the best presentation, but aren’t strictly necessary; a cold bottle of wine at the ready, on the other hand, is non-negotiable. —Kendra Vaculin

This recipe is part of Short Is Sweet, our collection of summer dishes that deliver a whole lot of deliciousness in 30 minutes or less.

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What you’ll need

Recipe information

  • Yield

    4 Servings

Ingredients

2 Tbsp. vegetable oil, plus more for grill
2 1"-thick swordfish steaks (about 12 oz. each)
Kosher salt
3 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
½ tsp. saffron threads
12 oz. cherry tomatoes, halved, quartered if large
1 small bunch chives, cut into ½" pieces (about ¼ cup)
½ cup coarsely chopped parsley
½ cup Castelvetrano olives, smashed, pits removed
1 Tbsp. sherry vinegar or red wine vinegar
Freshly ground black pepper

Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Prepare a grill for medium-high heat; oil grate with vegetable oil. Season fish on both sides with salt. Pour 2 Tbsp. vegetable oil into a shallow bowl or a baking dish; add fish and turn to coat.

    Step 2

    Heat olive oil in a small saucepan over medium-low. Add garlic and saffron, crushing threads between your fingers, and cook, stirring occasionally, until garlic is just starting to turn golden at the edges, about 2 minutes. Scrape into a medium heatproof bowl; set aside.

    Step 3

    Grill fish until firm when gently pressed and opaque throughout, about 5 minutes per side. Transfer to a platter.

    Step 4

    Add tomatoes, chives, parsley, olives, and vinegar to bowl with reserved garlic mixture and toss to combine; season with salt and pepper. Spoon over fish.

TagsSwordfishFishSeafoodCherry TomatoTomatoVegetableCastelvetrano OliveOliveSummerQuickEasyWeeknight MealsMainDairy FreeGluten FreeNut FreeKetoHealthyishGrillingDinnerBon Appétit

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