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Pistachio-Crusted Halibut with Citrus Salsa

This Pistachio-Crusted Halibut with Citrus Salsa is the perfect 30-minute impressive meal for date-night and beyond!

fish topped with oranges, pistachios and herbs on a plate with green beans

This post has been sponsored by Sunkist Growers. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Each season comes with its own exciting produce that I wait patiently to be at its peak ripeness. In the winter, and into spring, that produce is citrus.

This Pistachio-Crusted Halibut with Citrus Salsa is one of my favorites for an elegant, nutritious, and flavorful meal that highlights all that the season has to offer.

There’s one superior name when it comes to citrus, and that’s Sunkist Growers. The three varieties that get me so excited this time of year are Sunkist® Blood Oranges, Minneola Tangelos, and Cara Cara Oranges.

Each with its own claim to fame, each one insanely delicious, and each one is perfect in this citrus salsa. 

Blood Oranges offer a distinct, rich orange taste with a hint of fresh raspberry which makes them my favorite for citrus baking.

Give me a slice of Blood Orange Pound Cake any day! As you can imagine, they get their name from the maroon color of their interior.

These oranges make such a stunning presentation–I also love segmenting them for winter salads and charcuterie boards!

Like most citrus, Blood Oranges are high in Vitamin C and also contain fiber, folate, and thiamin.

Minneola Tangelos are the juiciest of the bunch! Norah is a fan of all things tangy (she even loves eating lemons and limes) and the Minneola Tangelos are her fave.

They have a bold, tangy flavor and you can distinguish them by the knob-like formation on the stem. I love using their juices for homemade salad dressings! They’re also an excellent source of Vitamin C and folate! 

Cara Cara Oranges are my absolute favorites for snacking. No joke, I get so excited when winter rolls around and I know my local Meijer is going to be stocked up.

They’re branded by Sunkist as The Power Orange®, and offer the most vitamin C of the Sunkist citrus varieties, with 100% of the recommended daily intake in just one orange.

Their seedless interior has a rich pink hue due to the natural presence of the antioxidant lycopene and they’re so sweet and juicy. Perfect for an afternoon snack. 

You can find all of the ingredients for this recipe and basically anything else you need at your local Meijer!

I have been a massive Meijer fan since I was a kid and I love that I can get super fresh produce along with my perfectly portioned fish at their seafood counter.

Seriously, if you have one close you must check it out because their grocery variety is phenomenal. 

You can also save on Sunkist citrus at SunkistShopperHub.com. Click to find coupons, recipes, and shop ingredients!

fish topped with oranges, pistachios and herbs on a plate with green beans and orange slices

Pistachio-Crusted Halibut with Citrus Salsa Ingredients & Subs

roasted shelled pistachios — I LOVE pistachios here, but feel free to use walnuts or cashews instead! If you have a nut allergy, pepitas would also be great. 

halibut filets — Any firm, white fish will work well like, pollock, cod, haddock, or even salmon!

lemon juice

honey

whole-grain mustard — You could use creamy dijon in a pinch but I would look for the mustard in a jar with the seeds if you can! It’s so amazing in so many dishes! 

kosher salt

freshly ground black pepper

olive oil

2  Sunkist Blood Oranges

2 Sunkist Minneola Tangelos

2 Sunkist Cara Cara Oranges

jalapeño pepper — Omit the seeds for less spicy or leave them in if you like it hot!

red onion — Green onions would also work. 

cilantro — You could swap for parsley or chives!

How to Make

Using a food processor or a plastic bag and rolling pin, crush the pistachios into a medium crumb. 

Preheat oven to 375ºF. Rim a baking sheet with foil and arrange the rack to the middle position in the oven. 

Use paper towels to make sure there is no excess moisture on the fish. Place halibut fillets on the baking sheet. 

In a bowl, combine lemon juice, honey, mustard, salt, and pepper. Mix well. Brush mixture evenly on top of halibut. 

Combine olive oil with crusted pistachios, mixing well to coat. Press mixture and firmly and evenly on top of halibut fillets. 

Bake 12-15 minutes, depending on the thickness of the filets.

While the fish is cooking, make the salsa by tossing the Blood Oranges, Minneola Tangelos, and Cara Cara Oranges together with the jalapeño, red onion, cilantro, and salt.

Serve the citrus salsa on top of the cooked Pistachio-Crusted Halibut. 

fish topped with oranges, pistachios and herbs on a plate with green beans and orange slices

fish topped with oranges, pistachios and herbs on a plate with green beans and orange slices

How to Supreme/Segment citrus

One of the very first things we learned in culinary school! First, begin by cutting off each end so that you can stand the citrus up. Then, using a sharp paring knife, slice down around the orange to remove the peel and any pith.

You want to remove all of the white fleshy parts but leave as much of the segments as possible. When the peel and pith are cleared away, carefully cut between the membrane of each segment to release it. Congratulations, you are now a chef!

What side dishes should I serve?

Garlic-Parmesan Potato Stacks

No-Knead Artisan Rolls

Air Fryer Salt and Vinegar Brussels Sprouts

Cucumber, Radish, and Fennel Salad with Mandarin Vinaigrette 

Slow Cooker Garlic Parmesan Spaghetti Squash

fish topped with oranges, pistachios and herbs on a plate with green beans and orange slices

fish topped with oranges, pistachios and herbs on a plate with green beans and orange slices

What is the season for citrus fruits?

Blood Oranges – December through June.

Minneola Tangelos – mid-December through April.

Cara Cara Oranges – December through May

fish topped with oranges, pistachios and herbs on a plate with green beans and orange slices

I hope you enjoy this recipe! Take a browse around the site and please let me know if you make anything by leaving a comment and rating the recipe below. Don’t hesitate to reach out if you have any questions, concerns, or requests! Also, make sure you check out SunkistShopperHub.com for coupons, recipes and to shop for ingredients!

fish topped with oranges, pistachios and herbs on a plate with green beans and orange slices
Yield: 4 servings

Pistachio-Crusted Halibut with Citrus Salsa

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes

This Pistachio-Crusted Halibut with Citrus Salsa is the perfect 30-minute impressive meal that's perfect for date night and beyond!

Ingredients

  • 1/3 cups roasted shelled pistachios
  • 4 4 ounce Halibut filets
  • 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
  • 2 tablespoons honey
  • 3 tablespoons whole-grain mustard 
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil

For the Citrus Salsa

  • 2 Sunkist®Blood Oranges, supremed 
  • 2 Sunkist Minneola Tangelos, supremed
  • 2 Sunkist Cara Cara Oranges, supremed
  • 1 jalapeño pepper, finely diced (remove seeds for less heat)
  • 1/4 cup red onion, finely diced
  • 2 tablespoons cilantro, chopped
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

Instructions

  1. Using a food processor or a plastic bag and rolling pin, crush the pistachios into a medium crumb. 
  2. Preheat oven to 375ºF. Rim a baking sheet with foil and arrange the rack to the middle position in the oven. 
    Use paper towels to make sure there is no excess moisture on the fish. Place halibut filets on a baking sheet. 
  3. In a bowl, combine lemon juice, honey, mustard, salt, and pepper. Mix well. Brush mixture evenly on top of halibut. 
    Combine olive oil with crusted pistachios, mixing well to coat. Press mixture and firmly and evenly on top of halibut fillets. 
  4. Bake 12-15 minutes, depending on the thickness of the filets.
  5. While the fish is cooking, make the salsa by tossing the Blood Oranges, Minneola Tangelos, and Cara Cara Oranges together with the jalapeño, red onion, cilantro, and salt.
  6. Serve the citrus salsa on top of the cooked Pistachio-Crusted Halibut. 

Notes

See the blog post notes above.

Did you make this recipe?

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