Mahi recipe with lemon and garlic sauce. A simple and delicious way to prepare and serve this tender, flaky and popular white fish.
Perfect
Mahi Mahi recipe
Every two weeks I have a big craving for fish. This craving usually becomes one of the few different recipes that include fish sticks, baked fish with tomatoes, artichokes, and feta cheese, or some version of pan-fried fish that is usually served with a large spoonful of tartar sauce.
This week, however, I was inspired by my favorite chicken piccata recipe and this (readers’ favorite) garlic butter sauce. Choosing mahi-mahi fish instead of my usual cod fillets, the result was this easy 30-minute dinner of pan-fried mahi-mahi-mahi. Delicious, tasty and made with only 7 ingredients, that’s it!
One of my favorite parts of this recipe (aside from fish, of course) is that it blends nicely with just about everything. From rice to couscous, from pasta to potatoes (yes, you really want buttery mashed potatoes here), to every vegetable you can imagine.
Who’s ready to start cooking
? What is Mahi
Mahi?
The mahi-mahi, also known as the common dolphinfish (Coryphaena hippurus) or dorado, is a surface-dwelling radiate-finned fish commonly found offshore in the waters around the Gulf of Mexico, Costa Rica, Hawaii and the Indian Ocean. The name “mahi-mahi” is derived from the Hawaiian word for “very strong.”
Sustainability is determined by a number of factors, the most important being where and how mahi-mahi is caught.
According to the Monterey Bay Aquarium Seafood Watch
, Best – mahi-mahi
- (also known as dolphinfish, dorado) caught in the Atlantic United States with manual lines and manually operated rod or trolling lines. Second best – mahi-mahi caught in the Eastern Central Pacific
- in the non-associated purse seine fishery or by US, Ecuadorian and Panamanian fleets. Understand that there are some problems with at-risk or overexploited species in these areas.
- Avoid – All other mahi-mahi imported from the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian Oceans.
Note: Most dolphinfish sold in the United States
are imported, which means that most mahi-mahi sold in the United States is on the avoidance list.
Ingredients & FAQs
- Mahi Mahi Fillets
- Salt + Pepper
- Olive oil
- Butter Whole garlic cloves
- Fresh whole lemons (for squeezing and slicing)
- parsley
Fresh
Can I use any other white fish to make this recipe? If you
can’t find mahi-mahi, replace it with another type of flake white fish. My top picks include cod, halibut and tilapia. Total cooking times may vary slightly depending on the size and overall thickness of your fillets.
Can I roast my mahi-mahi instead?
Instead of burning your mahi-mahi, why not try grilling? As fast as cooking on the stove, here’s how you’ll do it:
- Preheat your gas grill over medium-high heat (or 450 degrees F).
- Season your fish with salt and pepper, or another desired seasoning (try adding a pinch of onion powder or garlic powder or do your best with your favorite Cajun seasoning, blackened seasoning, etc.) and brush both sides with olive oil.
- Place each steak directly on the grill. Grill for about 4-5 minutes per side. It is fully cooked when it reaches an internal temperature of 137 degrees F.
- Remove from the grill and smother your homemade garlic butter sauce.
What are the
leftovers like?
First of all, do not try to freeze leftovers and reheat later. Yes, it will be edible, but no, it won’t even come close in taste or texture to the original. Your best bet? Store leftovers in a sealed container and in the refrigerator for up to 2-3 days. I usually reheat my fish in the microwave at 30-second intervals until it heats up. You’ll probably notice that your fish isn’t as tender or flaky, that’s normal.
How to cook Mahi Mahi
1. Season the steaks.
But first, dry each mahi-mahi steak with paper towels. This guarantees that tasty and golden seal we are looking for. Then, season both sides of your fish fillets with salt and lemon pepper or your own combination of seasonings. Options include salt and black pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, and paprika.
2. Prepare the ingredients for the garlic butter sauce.
Once you start
cooking, things move pretty fast, so I like to have everything ready and ready to start before you start.
Wash your lemons. Then, finely cut one lemon and squeeze the other lemon into a small bowl so that it has about 4 tablespoons of fresh lemon juice. Chop the fresh garlic cloves and set aside.
3. Pan seal the mahi-mahi.
Add olive oil to a large stainless steel skillet
or cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. Once the olive oil is nice and hot, carefully add each steak. Sit, without discomfort, until well browned and the sides cook just after half of the fillets. This will take about 4 minutes depending on the thickness of your fish (fish cooks when it no longer has a dull appearance).
Turn over and continue cooking on the other side until well cooked, about 2-4 minutes more (mahi-mahi should reach an internal temperature of 137 ° F). Remove from heat and transfer fillets to a serving plate.
4. Prepare the lemon and garlic sauce.
Immediately start the sauce. In the same pan (or a new one), heat the butter, lemon juice and lemon slices over medium heat. Heat until the butter melts and starts bubbling. Add the garlic, reduce the heat to low and continue cooking for 1 minute, or until the garlic is lightly browned. Add chopped fresh parsley and drained capers (optional).
5. Combine and serve.
Pour the garlic butter sauce over the mahi-mahi and serve immediately with all your favorite side dishes.
What to serve with Mahi
Mahi?
There are so many great things to serve with this mahi-mahi recipe. Some healthy favorites include brown rice, wild rice, or even cauliflower rice. Dry something a little creamier like buttered mashed potatoes or (my favorite) low-carb cauliflower puree. Of course, when in doubt, large pieces of hot bread are always fantastic dipped in extra butter sauce.
Add some vegetables with a light salad, roasted beets, or steamed veggies of any kind.
More Fish Recipes
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Mediterranean Fish Baking with Artichokes and Olives
Jerk Jamaican Cod with Mango
Norwegian Sauce
Sauce Cod stew If
you’re trying to make this easy Mahi Mahi recipe, leave me a comment and let me know! I always love to hear your thoughts.
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