Swordfish steak, pesce spada in Italian, is a great classic along the coasts of southern Italy, especially in Sicily and Calabria. Its firm, boneless flesh cooks almost like meat, and that’s what I love about it: a quick sear in the pan is all it needs.
On 24 August 2026 I shared this very simple plate on Instagram: a nicely golden swordfish steak with mini peppers pan-roasted until soft and slightly caramelised. A little garlic, a drizzle of olive oil and a squeeze of lemon to finish.
It’s a perfect summer dish, light and full of sunshine, ready in half an hour. The only rule to remember: don’t overcook the swordfish or it gets dry. A few minutes on each side and it stays tender and juicy.
The recipe
My recipeIngredients
Swordfish
- 2 swordfish steaks, about 200 g each (2 cm thick)
- 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1/2 lemon (juice)
- Fine salt and freshly ground black pepper
Mini peppers
- 300 g mini peppers
- 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 garlic clove
- 1 pinch of salt
- 1 tbsp chopped flat-leaf parsley
Method
- Take the swordfish out of the fridge 10 minutes before cooking. Pat the steaks dry with kitchen paper, brush them with 1 tbsp olive oil and season with pepper.
- Wash and dry the mini peppers. Leave them whole or halve the larger ones lengthways. Peel the garlic and crush it lightly.
- Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. Add the mini peppers and garlic, season with salt and cook for 12 to 15 minutes, stirring now and then, until tender and nicely browned.
- Remove the garlic, keep the peppers warm in a dish and quickly wipe out the pan.
- Heat the pan over high heat. Add the swordfish steaks and cook for 2 to 3 minutes on each side without moving them, until golden outside and just opaque in the centre.
- Season the swordfish with salt at the end and pour over the lemon juice. Serve right away with the mini peppers sprinkled with parsley.
Tips and variations
- Don't cook a 2 cm swordfish steak for more than 3 minutes per side, it dries out very quickly.
- You can cook the swordfish and peppers on the barbecue or a griddle for a grilled flavour.
- Leftovers keep for 1 day in the fridge and are good cold, flaked into a salad.
- For extra aroma, sprinkle a pinch of dried oregano over the swordfish just before serving.
Recipe shared for guidance only, adapt it to your equipment: times and temperatures may vary. Check for allergens (gluten, milk, eggs, fish, shellfish, nuts, sesame…) and make sure ingredients are fresh. Raw or undercooked fish, meat and eggs are not recommended for pregnant women, young children, elderly or vulnerable people. Take care with hot oil, flambéing and alcohol. I am not a health or nutrition professional.