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Pesce spada alla siciliana with capers and olives is swordfish steaks simmered in a tomato sauce built on onion and celery, then finished with briny green olives and capers. It takes 45 minutes in one 30 cm / 12-inch skillet.
The order matters. You make the sauce first and the fish goes in last, for only 9 minutes. Swordfish is lean and dense, so past 145 F / 63 C it turns dry and chalky. I check the thickest part with a thermometer instead of guessing.
Olives and capers bring plenty of salt, so the seasoning stays light until the end. The sauce tastes sweet from the soffritto and sharp from the capers.
It’s a good weeknight dinner because the sauce can be made ahead and the fish needs just 9 minutes.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- One skillet, from soffritto to finished fish
- Sauce can be made up to 3 days ahead
- Fish cooks in just 9 minutes at the end
- Pantry-friendly base of canned tomatoes, olives and capers
Ingredient Notes
- Swordfish steaks: Buy steaks about 2 cm thick with firm, moist flesh and no brown edges. Thick tuna or halibut steaks work if swordfish isn’t available. Swordfish is high in mercury, so pregnant women and young children are usually advised to avoid it.
- Capers: Salt-packed capers have a cleaner flavor, but brined ones are fine. Rinse either type well so the sauce doesn’t turn too salty.
- Green olives: Sicilian Nocellara or Castelvetrano olives are mild and meaty. Pitted jarred green olives are a good budget swap, just taste one first for saltiness.
- Canned whole peeled tomatoes: Crush them by hand for a sauce with some texture. Good canned tomatoes are better than pale fresh ones out of season.
Easy Pesce Spada alla Siciliana with Capers and Olives
Ingredients
Method
- Pat the swordfish dry and season both sides with the pepper. Rinse the capers, halve the olives, and finely dice the onion and celery.
- Heat the olive oil in a 30 cm / 12-inch deep skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and celery with a pinch of salt and cook for 6 minutes, stirring, until soft and translucent but not browned. Stir in the garlic and pepper flakes for 30 seconds.
- Pour in the wine and simmer for 2 minutes until the sharp alcohol smell fades. Add the crushed tomatoes, water, olives and capers. Simmer over medium-low heat for 12 minutes, stirring now and then, until the sauce coats the back of a spoon.
- Nestle the swordfish steaks in a single layer in the sauce and spoon some sauce over the tops. Cover and cook at a low simmer for 5 minutes. Flip, spoon over more sauce, cover, and cook 4 minutes more, until the fish is opaque and a thermometer reads 145 F / 63 C at the thickest point.
- Taste the sauce and add salt only if it needs it. Scatter the parsley over the pan and serve right away, with lemon wedges.
Notes
- Make the sauce completely before the fish goes in, so the swordfish only needs 9 minutes.
- Use steaks about 2 cm thick so they stay moist through the simmer.
- Salt the sauce only after tasting, because olives and capers are already salty.
- Spoon sauce over the fish before covering the pan to keep the tops from drying out.
Tips for Success
- Choose steaks at least 2 cm thick, because thinner cuts overcook in the 9 minutes the sauce needs to flavor them.
- Rinse the capers well and taste an olive first, since both add salt and you’ll season the sauce only at the end.
- Cook the onion and celery for a full 6 minutes over medium heat until soft and pale, not browned.
- Simmer the sauce until it coats the back of a spoon before the fish goes in, or it will stay watery.
- Check the thickest part of the fish with an instant-read thermometer and stop at 145 F / 63 C.
Variations
- Make it Palermo-style by stirring in 2 tablespoons of raisins and 1 tablespoon of toasted pine nuts with the olives.
- In summer, swap the canned tomatoes for 500 g halved cherry tomatoes and simmer 15 minutes until they collapse into the sauce.
- For a sharper, saltier sauce, double the red pepper flakes and melt 2 anchovy fillets into the oil with the onion.
Storage and Reheating
Store leftover swordfish in its sauce in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. Keeping the fish covered in sauce helps it stay moist.
Reheat in a covered skillet over low heat with 2 tablespoons of water for 4 to 5 minutes, until hot throughout. In the microwave, use 50% power in 1-minute bursts. The fish will be a little firmer than the first night.
For make-ahead, cook the sauce through step 3 and refrigerate it for up to 3 days, or freeze it for up to 3 months. Cook the swordfish fresh in the reheated sauce, because cooked swordfish turns dry and spongy after freezing.
Serving Suggestions
Serve the swordfish straight from the skillet, with the sauce spooned over each steak and a lemon wedge on the side. Crusty bread is the best tool for the sauce.
Boiled new potatoes, plain couscous or a shaved fennel and orange salad all balance the salty olives and capers. Keep the sides simple.
A chilled Etna Bianco or Grillo from Sicily suits the dish well. A dry white you’d already use for cooking works too.
FAQ
How do I know when pesce spada alla siciliana is done?
Swordfish is done when the center turns opaque and flakes under a fork, and an instant-read thermometer reads 145 F / 63 C at the thickest point. For 2 cm steaks that’s about 5 minutes on the first side and 4 on the second. Serve right away, since the fish keeps cooking a little in the hot sauce.
Can I use tuna or halibut instead of swordfish?
Yes, thick halibut or seared tuna steaks both work. Tuna behaves like swordfish, so keep the same timing. Halibut is flakier and cooks faster, so cut the total time in the sauce to about 7 minutes and turn it gently with a wide spatula. Use steaks about 2 cm thick either way.
Can I freeze swordfish alla siciliana with the sauce?
Freeze the sauce, not the cooked fish. The tomato, olive and caper base keeps for 3 months in the freezer, while cooked swordfish turns dry and spongy once thawed. Thaw the sauce overnight in the fridge, bring it to a simmer, then cook fresh steaks in it as written.
What goes well with Sicilian swordfish with capers and olives?
Crusty bread is the first choice for mopping up the sauce. Boiled or roasted potatoes, plain couscous, or a shaved fennel and orange salad also work, since each one balances the salty olives and capers. I’d keep the sides plain and lightly seasoned so the sauce stays the main flavor.
Is swordfish alla siciliana gluten free and dairy free?
Yes, as written it’s both gluten free and dairy free, with no flour, cheese or butter. Check the labels on your canned tomatoes and wine if you’re strict about it. Swordfish is also high in mercury, so pregnant women and young children are usually advised to skip it.
Why is my swordfish sauce too salty?
Olives and capers carry most of the salt, so season the fish lightly and salt the sauce only at the end. Rinse salted capers for 2 minutes, or brined ones under running water. If the sauce is already salty, stir in 60 ml water and a spoonful of crushed tomatoes, then simmer 3 minutes.