Simple, flavorful dinner in minutes! Add this lime basil grilled swordfish steaks to your busy weeknight menu and enjoy melt-in-your-mouth-tender flakes with side of your favorite vegetables in less than 30 minutes.
Summer time means lots of grilling.
Steaks, burgers, chicken, bbq ribs, pork kebabs are all wonderful for grilling, but don’t just stop there. Fish is another great option. Not all fish are the same though. Choose firmer, meatier kind for grilling, like swordfish steaks.
I didn’t know about swordfish until recently. As our new local grocery store offers wide selection of fresh seafood, Garrat and I started trying different fish every time we come for groceries, besides our usual salmon and trout that is. So far, we’ve tried halibut, bluefin tuna steaks (amazing!), and swordfish. We actually loved swordfish so much, especially grilled, that we now get it on a regular.
And it takes literally minutes to get the dinner on the table. I even made a short video for you to show just how simple it is.
But don’t be fooled by its simplicity, these grilled swordfish steaks taste nothing but simple! Marinated in fresh n’ delicious lime basil sauce and grilled to tender perfection, these meaty fish makes one satisfying dinner. Throw some zucchini or vegetable of your choice on the grill as well for a complete meal.
As I mentioned above, swordfish steaks are meaty, firm fish, which makes it perfect for grilling. Be careful not to overcook it though, or you’ll end up with dry, chalky meat, that resembles wet newspaper (my husband’s description). Yes, we made that mistake once, and that won’t happen again.
Quick Tip: It takes no more than 4 minutes per side for 1-inch thick swordfish.
Now you can finally stop looking for the perfect recipe for grilled swordfish, because you just found it. 😉
Hope you give this wonderful fish a try. Thanks for stopping by!

Lime Basil Grilled Swordfish Steaks
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil
- 1 garlic clove minced
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- 4 5-6oz swordfish steaks (1-inch thick)
- 4 medium zucchini for side dish optional
- Diced tomato for garnish optional
Instructions
- In a large ziplock bag, combine olive oil, lime juice, basil, garlic, salt and pepper.
- Add swordfish and coat the fish with marinade. Let it sit for 15 minutes.
- Meanwhile, prepare the grill.
- Grill swordfish over medium high heat about 4-5 minutes per side, or until fish is cooked through.
- Cut zucchini lengthwise and grill alongside with fish, if desired.
Nicole B says
I made these last week when there was a sale on swordfish! I was looking for a new recipe that would be weeknight easy, good for the grill and had a nice flavor, and let me tell you THIS WAS IT!! I lit the grill, picked some basil, made the marinade and by the time the grill was ready so were my fishys! I can’t recommend this recipe enough! I’ve shared it with my mother and my cousin who I know will try and LOVE it! I did omit the tomatoes this time, but next time i will use them as well! I will make this MANY more times! I really enjoyed it! (also 3 y.o approved!) Thank you!!!
Sonja Smith says
This was a great recipe. I added some soy to perk it up a bit. I’ve always loved a soy-lime combination
Heather says
These steaks look beautiful! I’m so impressed by your grilling. I can never get that kind of char when I grill fish! I tried the recipe with salmon instead and the flavors were just perfect. For other readers/commenters who aren’t lucky enough to live near the coast (like me), I used this to find the fish. It might be helpful: https://qualityseafooddelivery.com/salmon/
Shinee says
Thank you so much for your kind compliments, Heather! Super hot grill lis essential for those nice grill marks.
Kylee from Kylee Cooks says
These look amazing. I love the color you got on them! What a bright and yummy combination.
Shinee says
Thank you, Kylee!
Molly Kumar says
My husband loves swordfish and this looks like a great recipe to try soon – Thanks for sharing.
Shinee says
Yay, let me know how it turns out. Thanks, Molly!
Kate says
I am not a huge fish eating, but these steaks look like chicken so maybe I can handle it! Now to find some sword fish in Idaho!
Shinee says
Kate, these are definitely meatier compared to most fish out there.
Sarah @ Champagne Tastes says
Yum… I love ahi tuna steaks, I bet these would be delicious too! I’m not sure I’ve ever eaten swordfish!
Shinee says
Ahi tuna is the best! I love it.