Juicy Grilled Atlantic Swordfish Recipe

Grilled tender swordfish

Charred, tender and juicy swordfish prepared simply and cooked to perfection with a few steamed summer veggies and some lemon and basil on the side.

I love swordfish, and living in New England, we have access to some amazing Atlantic Swordfish. I happen to have a source for fish locally, and they do their best to procure sustainable seafood, so I use them all the time. Their quality is second to none. Today we're firing up the grill, and this recipe involves 6 ingredients. Could not be simpler.

Serves 2 hungry people, 4 with more sides and an appetizer

  • 1 lb. best quality swordfish, cut into 2 or 4 pieces
  • extra virgin olive oil
  • salt and pepper
  • Old Bay Seasoning
  • fresh chopped basil
  • the zest and juice of 1 - 2 lemons

Place the swordfish on a platter and sprinkle both sides liberally with olive oil, salt and pepper, Old Bay Seasoning and freshly-chopped basil. Cover and let sit in the refrigerator for an hour or two.

Swordfish marinating

The swordfish, minus the lemon zest and juice, just hangin’ out and getting ready for the grill.

Five minutes before grill time, remove the swordfish from the refrigerator and add the lemon zest and juice, again on both sides. The lemon will "cook" the fish if applied too early, so wait! Once it's all citrused up, place on a hot grill and watch for flare-ups. Bob is usually in charge of this step and he does a nice job getting grill marks on each side. It will release from the grill when it is done, so don't poke around with it!

Swordfish on the grill

Grill marks are looking good! Don’t over-cook your swordfish, it should be a little forgiving in the middle when you give it the poke-test.

Once you have it cooked on both sides while still a little soft in the middle, return it to the marinade plate. You heard me. No poison resides there, it is all good! If this blows your mind, put the fish on a clean platter and top with olive oil, lemon juice, chopped basil and salt and pepper. I like to serve this with some lightly steamed vegetables. You can do a rice dish on the side but apparently I was not in the mood.

Fresh steamed summer vegetables

A little spring/summer vegetable combo here. Summer squash, asparagus and some white onion. Steam lightly, drain, and then finish off with a touch of butter and a good squeeze of lemon.

This is a delicious summer dinner fit for company, or just the two of you on a sunny summer night. Cooks in about 5 minutes per side, depending on your grill. I hope you enjoy it, and thanks for following Ann!

Delicious grilled swordfish

Grilled swordfish swimming in a marinade of olive oil, lemon juice, lemon zest, salt, pepper, Old Bay and fresh basil. It is delectable. Don’t overcook it!