Halibut Pesto Kabobs are easily one of my favorite healthy recipes that everyone in our family enjoys. Putting the halibut and tons of veggies on a skewer is a great way to make this recipe more fun for kids who may be hesitant to try fish!

multiple skewers with halibut, bell peppers, red onions, zucchini and yellow squash

Why I Made This Recipe

Right now, our garden is overgrown with fresh basil and cherry tomatoes, so I came up with this recipe trying to use what we have on hand. I always think one of the greatest gifts you can give your child is a garden, even if it’s a little pots of herbs on the window sill. Having the experience of planting seeds and watching them grow into an herb, fruit or vegetable is just an amazing process for kids to be a part of. It’s one way that they can truly appreciate and feel connected to the food they eat as well as learn about the world around them. And typically leads to them being more excited to try new foods!

For this recipe, the kids and I loved going out into the garden to pick our ingredients, rolling into the kitchen to whip up the homemade pesto, skewering the fish, peppers and other vegetables onto the kabobs and then heading out to the grill to cook up this delicious summertime entree. Halibut is a great mild fish that kids will love so this is a really good recipe that may encourage them to eat something that might be new to them! Plus, putting anything on a stick automatically gives it so many “fun” points for little ones making this recipe super kid-friendly!

Ingredients for Halibut Kabobs

Halibut
Cherry tomatoes
Bell peppers
Zucchini or yellow squash
Red Onion
Pesto
Kosher salt

halibut on skewers with vegetables and pesto

How to Make Halibut Pesto Kabobs

Prepare the Ingredients: Chop all the vegetables into wedges or rounds (see recipe card below) and cut the halibut into 1 inch pieces.
Add the Pesto: Place the fish, vegetables, pesto and salt in a bowl and gently toss to combine.
Make the Kabobs: Place vegetables and fish on skewers. If using wooden skewers soak in water for 30 minutes to avoid burning or wrap exposed parts of skewers with aluminum foil.
Grill or Broil: Preheat oven broiler or grill to high heat. Cook skewers under broiler or on grill for 6 minutes, turning halfway through.
Serve: Serve with your favorite sides. We pair these with white or brown rice typically.

Substitutions and Additions

No halibut, no problem: While this recipe highlights halibut, you could really use any fish or other protein you prefer or have on hand! I’ve make these skewers with cod, salmon, tofu, chicken or made pesto shrimp skewers! You just have to adjust the cooking time to the protein you’re using.
Use what veggies you on hand: If you have some vegetables in your refrigerator or even in your garden that you’re looking to use, this is a great recipe for them. The recipe card has our favorite veggies, but feel free to adjust what vegetables you use to your preferences.
Nut allergy? A lot of people with nut allergies can’t have traditional pesto because of the pine nuts, but don’t fret! You can make this delicious Hemp Seed Pesto instead and still enjoy this fantastic recipe.

More Kid-Friendly Fish Recipes

As always, leave a comment below if you have any questions about this recipe and tag me on social media if you make them!