Baked Swordfish with Sesame Ginger Glaze

Baked Swordfish FAQs

This oven swordfish recipe is anything but boring. As a mild, slightly sweet white fish, swordfish is the perfect canvas for a variety of mouthwatering flavors. Keep reading for more cooking tips for our baked swordfish. 

What Does Swordfish Taste Like?

Swordfish is a tasty white fish that is often described as mild, slightly sweet with a buttery richness and meaty texture. . High quality swordfish doesn’t have a fishy flavor, making it the perfect canvas for a variety of strong flavors.

However, unlike salmon or cod , it's not a flaky fish. Swordfish has a meaty texture and is often sold in steaks or thick portions. 

Should You Remove the Skin Before Baking Swordfish?

That’s up to you! For this baked swordfish recipe, you can choose to leave the skin on or take it off. Leaving the skin on may help keep the fish moist and flavorful during cooking. You can then remove the skin after cooking!

Should You Remove the Bloodline Before Eating Swordfish?

While the bloodline of swordfish is completely safe and edible, many people prefer to remove it before serving or eat around it because it can have a stronger “fishy” flavor. You can cook a swordfish steak with the bloodline still intact, though, as it won’t permeate into the other parts of the steak or affect the rest of the flavor.

Should Swordfish Be Rinsed Before Cooking?

Not necessary! There’s no need to rinse swordfish before cooking. However, we would recommend patting it dry of any excess moisture before cooking, as this yields the cleanest flavor profile possible. 

What Temperature Do You Bake Swordfish?

It’s best to bake swordfish at a medium-high temperature. For our baked swordfish, we recommend preheating your oven to 400°F (200°C). 

How is Swordfish Meant to Be Cooked?

Swordfish is a very versatile fish that is a popular choice for grilling, broiling, and baking.. We love oven swordfish because it’s a very hands-off method of preparation (no need to worry about flipping it!).

How Should You Season Swordfish?

As we said before, swordfish is truly a versatile fish and very accepting of other flavors. You can find plenty of recipes that use simple seasonings like salt and black pepper or lemon juice and garlic powder. However, you can also get creative with other herbs and spices, or a marinade. 

It’s important to note that you only need to let swordfish marinate for around 15 minutes. Unlike other proteins like chicken or steak, seafood soaks in flavor (and moisture) much more quickly. 

How Long Does Swordfish Take to Bake?

Baking time for oven swordfish can vary depending on the size of the portion. However, it still bakes relatively quickly. This swordfish bake can be cooked for around 12-15 minutes. Overcooking this fish will result in a dry, pasty bite that no one wants.

How Do You Tell if Swordfish is Cooked All The Way?

Well-cooked swordfish will have a moist texture with an internal temperature around 135 degrees fahrenheit.

Here’s a helpful chef tip! To check Swordfish is cooked through, gently push the flat side of a wooden skewer through the thickest part of the fish. If it goes through with no resistance, it is done. If there is resistance, cook for another minute or so and test again.

The flesh of the swordfish should be white and opaque. 

Try this recipe for yourself! North Coast Seafoods delivers pure seafood right to your door. Check out our complete selection of fresh and frozen seafood delivery.