Recipes from Italy

  • Recipes
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Subscribe
menu icon
go to homepage
  • Recipes
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Subscribe
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
  • subscribe
    search icon
    Homepage link
    • Recipes
    • About Us
    • Contact Us
    • Subscribe
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
  • ×
    Home » Italian Fish & Seafood Recipes

    Swordfish in Orange Juice | Pesce Spada all'Arancia

    Published: Mar 28, 2023 · Modified: Jun 6, 2024 by Silvana Nava · This post may contain affiliate links

    Jump to Recipe

    Swordfish in orange juice is an Italian fish recipe with a sweet-sour note given by the juice of the oranges, which makes it very appetizing in the end.

    You must first marinate the swordfish in orange juice and a little lemon.

    Then use the citrus marinade while cooking the swordfish. The result is a delicious sweet and sour sauce that perfectly matches the intense flavor of the swordfish.

    swordfish in orange juice - 4

    Pan-fried swordfish comes out soft, juicy and aromatic and it's ready to eat in no time.The recipe for Pan Fried Swordfish with Orange Juice combines the flavors of two typical ingredients of the Mediterranean tradition, in particular the Sicilian cuisine. Swordfish and oranges are indeed a delicious combination!

    swordfish in orange juice - 1

    Swordfish with orange is a simple but refined and very aromatic dish. It's perfect for a dinner with friends, but also for more formal occasions. You will make a great impression!

    Serve the swordfish with a grating of fresh orange zest and a salad of fennel and oranges, a typical Sicilian recipe.

    Now let's see together how to make Swordfish in Orange Juice recipe.

    swordfish in orange juice - 5

    Jump to:
    • Ingredients
    • Instructions
    • Storage
    • Tips and Variations
    • What to Serve
    • Recipe Card


    Ingredients

    • Prep Time: 15 Min + 30 Min marinating in orange juice
    • Cook Time: 10 Min
    • Servings: 4

    • 500 g (1.1 pound) of swordfish slices
    • ½ organic lemon
    • 2 organic oranges
    • 100 g (⅔ cup) of all purpose flour
    • 1 teaspoon of brown sugar
    • 1 tablespoon of chopped parsley
    • 6 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
    • fine salt to taste
    • freshly ground black pepper to taste

    Instructions

    swordfish in orange juice recipe step 1

    Step 1) - Start by preparing the swordfish. The slices should not be thin. They should be about 1 ½ cm (⅔ inch) high. Remove the skin and central bone.

    On a cutting board, cut the swordfish into fairly large and even pieces. Place them in a bowl.

    swordfish in orange juice recipe step 2

    Step 2) - Squeeze the citrus fruits. Add the orange and lemon juice (strained) to the swordfish.

    swordfish in orange juice recipe step 3

    Step 3) - Add a pinch of salt, ground black pepper to taste, a teaspoon of brown sugar and the chopped parsley.

    Stir and leave the swordfish to marinate for about 30 minutes.

    Then prepare a plate with flour. Take the swordfish pieces out of the marinade and dip them in the flour.

    Make sure each piece is well covered. Flour all the pieces and arrange them on a plate.

    PLEASE NOTE: Set aside the citrus marinade that you will use for cooking.

    swordfish in orange juice recipe step 4

    Step 4) - In a frying pan large enough to hold all the pieces of swordfish, heat the extra virgin olive oil.

    Add the fish and cook over high heat for a few minutes.

    swordfish in orange juice recipe step 5

    Step 5) - After about 2 minutes, turn the swordfish to the other side and brown it in the same way. Then turn again. The flour in contact with the hot oil will form a crispy crust.

    When the fish is crispy and golden brown on both sides (4-5 minutes total), pour the marinade, which is mostly orange juice, over the fish.

    swordfish in orange juice recipe step 6

    Step 6) - Cook for another 5 minutes over medium heat. Due to the presence of flour and sugars, the liquid will thicken a bit and form a delicious orange sauce.

    The orange swordfish is done! Serve with grated fresh orange zest and drizzle with the cooking juices. Decorate with an orange slice.

    swordfish in orange juice - 2

    YOU MUST ALSO TRY:

    • Breaded Fried Anchovies Italian recipe
    • Baked Monkfish with lemon, rosemary and bread crumbs
    • Sea bass baked in foil Ligurian Style
    • Sarde a Beccafico Recipe | Sicilian Stuffed Sardines
    • Baccalà alla Livornese (Salt Cod and Potatoes in Tomato Sauce)
    • Easy Italian Baked Sardines Recipe | Sarde al Forno

    Storage

    We recommend that you eat the Swordfish in Orange juice as soon as it's ready and still warm.

    However, if necessary, it can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to one day.

    Freezing is not recommended.

    Tips and Variations

    • To get a good result, it's essential that the swordfish is not too thin, 1 ½ or 2 cm (¾ or 1 inch) is the right thickness.
    • It's also very important that the oil is very hot when you place the fish in the pan. This will form a crust on the surface that will prevent the internal juices from running out. The swordfish will remain crispy on the outside and soft and juicy on the inside.
    • We decided to cut the slices into smaller pieces. This is to facilitate a short and even cooking. Also, the smaller pieces are easier to portion. Of course, if you have medium-small slices, you can leave them whole or cut them in half, depending on the cut of the fish.

    swordfish in orange juice - 4

    Some Additional Seasonings

    You can season the swordfish with various herbs and spices that go well with the orange.

    We kept the marinade very simple: salt, parsley and a little pepper.

    But if you prefer a more aromatic taste, you can add other spices. For example, we suggest turmeric and ginger.

    Instead of parsley, you can use mint leaves or fennel seeds.

    Baked Orange Swordfish

    We have shown you the recipe for swordfish cooked in a pan and previously marinated in orange juice.

    This method of cooking is very quick and, as we have seen, also allows you to get the crispy outside and soft inside effect.

    If you prefer to bake, we recommend this method which, without marinating, allows the fish to absorb all the flavor of the oranges.

    • Cut an orange into thin slices. Arrange the orange slices so that they overlap slightly and cover the entire bottom of a baking dish.
    • Season with salt and pepper and a little oil.
    • Place the slices of swordfish on top of the citrus. Drizzle with the juice of one orange and half a lemon. Season with salt and pepper. Drizzle with extra virgin olive oil.
    • Cover with aluminum foil and bake at 180°C (356°F) for about 20 minutes.

    Serve immediately.

    By baking over the citrus, the swordfish absorbs all the flavor of the orange and remains very tender.

    You can also serve sliced oranges, which will have absorbed all the flavor of the fish.

    What to Serve

    As a side dish to orange swordfish, we recommend something light and simple such as grilled vegetables or a salad of fresh vegetables.

    Try swordfish orange with the Italian Caponata or a cauliflower salad.

    swordfish in orange juice - 2

    Recipe Card

    STEP BY STEP PHOTOS ABOVE!Have a look at my step-by-step photo instructions, variations and tips. That way, you can get it perfect the first time you try it!
    swordfish in orange juice marinade

    Swordfish in Orange Juice | Pesce Spada all'Arancia

    Silvana Nava
    Swordfish in orange juice is an Italian fish recipe with a sweet-sour note given by the juice of the oranges, which makes it very appetizing in the end.
    You must first marinate the swordfish in orange juice and a little lemon.
    Then use the citrus marinade while cooking the swordfish. The result is a delicious sweet and sour sauce that perfectly matches the intense flavor of the swordfish.
    5 from 1 vote
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe Save Saved!
    Prevent your screen from going dark
    Prep Time 15 minutes mins
    Cook Time 10 minutes mins
    Marinating Time 30 minutes mins
    Total Time 55 minutes mins
    Course Fish and Seafood
    Cuisine Italian
    Servings 4
    Calories 496 kcal

    Ingredients
      

    • 500 g swordfish 1.1 pound, slices
    • ½ lemon
    • 2 oranges
    • 100 g flour ⅔ cup
    • 1 teaspoon brown sugar
    • 1 tablespoon parsley chopped
    • 6 tablespoons olive oil extra virgin
    • salt to taste
    • black pepper to taste

    Instructions
     

    • Start by preparing the swordfish. The slices should not be thin. They should be about 1 ½ cm (⅔ inch) high. Remove the skin and central bone.
    • On a cutting board, cut the swordfish into fairly large and even pieces. Place them in a bowl.
    • Squeeze the citrus fruits. Add the orange and lemon juice (strained) to the swordfish.
    • Add a pinch of salt, ground black pepper to taste, a teaspoon of brown sugar and the chopped parsley.
    • Stir and leave the swordfish to marinate for about 30 minutes.
    • Then prepare a plate with flour. Take the swordfish pieces out of the marinade and dip them in the flour.
    • Make sure each piece is well covered. Flour all the pieces and arrange them on a plate. PLEASE NOTE: Set aside the citrus marinade that you will use for cooking.
    • In a frying pan large enough to hold all the pieces of swordfish, heat the extra virgin olive oil.
    • Add the fish and cook over high heat for a few minutes.
    • After about 2 minutes, turn the swordfish to the other side and brown it in the same way. Then turn again. The flour in contact with the hot oil will form a crispy crust.
    • When the fish is crispy and golden brown on both sides (4-5 minutes total), pour the marinade, which is mostly orange juice, over the fish.
    • Cook for another 5 minutes over medium heat. Due to the presence of flour and sugars, the liquid will thicken a bit and form a delicious orange sauce.
    • The orange swordfish is done! Serve with grated fresh orange zest and drizzle with the cooking juices. Decorate with an orange slice.

    Nutrition

    Serving: 100gCalories: 496kcalCarbohydrates: 29gProtein: 28gFat: 30gSaturated Fat: 5gPolyunsaturated Fat: 4gMonounsaturated Fat: 19gTrans Fat: 0.1gCholesterol: 83mgSodium: 103mgPotassium: 694mgFiber: 3gSugar: 8gVitamin A: 385IUVitamin C: 43mgCalcium: 42mgIron: 2mg
    Keyword swordfish in orange juice, swordfish in orange marinade
    Tried this recipe?Mention @recipesfromitaly or tag #recipesfromitaly!

    More Italian Fish & Seafood Recipes

    • Italian cod fritters
      Italian Cod Fritters (Polpette di Merluzzo)
    • calamarata recipe
      Calamarata: The Classic Italian Recipe
    • Anchovies cooked in lemon
      Anchovies Cooked in Lemon
    • stuffed mussels
      Classic Italian Stuffed Mussels (Cozze Gratinate)
    48 shares
    • Share
    • Tweet
    5 from 1 vote (1 rating without comment)

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    Barbara & Silvana

    CIAO! Barbara & Silvana here! We are the authors of these amazing Italian recipes. Living in Italy, they are part of our culture, tradition and everyday life. And we want to share them with you all, straight from Italy! Learn more about us! Read our story!

    Popular Recipes

    • authentic italian tiramisu recipe
      Authentic Italian Tiramisu Recipe

    • authentic carbonara recipe
      Traditional Spaghetti Carbonara Recipe

    • authentic italian gelato recipe
      How to Make Authentic Italian Gelato at Home

    • limoncello recipe
      Limoncello Recipe – Make Authentic Italian Limoncello at Home

    See more Popular Recipes →

    Italian Spring Recipes

    • Sweet Italian Easter Bread
      Treccia di Pasqua (Sweet Italian Easter Bread)

    • meatloaf with hard boiled eggs
      Meatloaf with Hard-Boiled Eggs

    • uova alla monachina
      Uova alla Monachina (Crispy Italian Béchamel-Stuffed Eggs)

    • neapolitan casatiello recipe
      Casatiello Napoletano (Traditional Neapolitan Easter Bread)

    See more Italian Spring Recipes →

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    About

    • Privacy Policy
    • Cookie Policy
    • Disclaimer

    Newsletter

    • Sign Up! for emails and updates

    Contact

    • About us
    • Contact

    As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases.

    Copyright © 2025 recipesfromitaly.com is a website of the company CIUMBIA S.A.S. - VAT 12138380964 - Milano

    48 shares

    Rate This Recipe

    Your vote:




    Let us know what you thought of this recipe:

    This worked exactly as written, thanks!
    My family loved this!
    Thank you for sharing this recipe

    Or write in your own words:

    A rating is required
    A name is required
    An email is required

    Recipe Ratings without Comment

    Something went wrong. Please try again.