Mahi Mahi is delicious and is one of our favorite weeknight meals because of how easy it is to cook. The simplest and cleanest way to cook Mahi Mahi is to bake it. We’ll show you how to do that, along with grill it, and pan cook it in this ultimate guide to cooking Mahi Mahi!
First things first- What is Mahi Mahi? Where can I buy it?
Mahi is a surface dwelling saltwater fish found in tropical climates. It has a mild taste, similar to swordfish but a little sweeter, and a firm texture that flakes easily when properly cooked. Mahi Mahi is a lean fish, rich with vitamin B12. It is often regarded as one of the healthiest fishes to eat. We purchase ours from Costco- a bag of frozen filets can be found in the freezer section. With all fish, wild caught is best.
Thaw fish by placing it in a sealed ziplock bag then place in cool water and allow to sit for 10-15 minutes.
For this post, we will focus on baking Mahi Mahi, but scroll down if you want to learn to grill it or cook it in a pan from our other recipes. To start, place thawed Mahi Mahi filets on a paper towel and blot them dry to remove excess moisture.
Next, place the thawed Mahi Mahi on a foil sheet pan, or make a foil packet (but I still recommend placing the packet on a sheet pan, so fish juice doesn’t leak all over your oven!) and drizzle about a teaspoon of olive oil on each filet. Using your hands, rub the olive oil all over the fish.
Sprinkle the Mahi Mahi with coarse salt and pepper (fresh herbs like rosemary, tarragon, or dill would also be delicious!) along with a couple lemon slices and bake for 10-12 minutes at 400 degrees farenheit.
Mahi Mahi is fully cooked once it reaches 137 degrees farenheit.
It will flake easily at this temperature- we recommend a meat thermometer to ensure it isn’t overcooked (or undercooked for that matter!). We like this healthy Mahi Mahi served with Quinoa Pilaf or Greek Rice.
If you are looking for other ways to cook and serve Mahi Mahi- check out these recipes!
- Sheet Pan Mahi Fajitas
- 30 Minute Mediterranean Fish Skillet
- Easy Grilled Mahi Mahi with Corn and Avocado Salsa
- 30 Minute Brazilian Fish Stew
Cheers to healthy and easy recipes! – Kathi and Rachel
How to Cook Mahi Mahi
Ingredients
- mahi mahi filets (1 per person, each 4-6 ounces)
- 1 tsp olive oil (per filet)
- coarse salt and pepper
- lemon slices (2 per filet if desired)
- fresh herbs for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Prepare a sheet pan with foil, and foil packets if desired (see post).
- Place Mahi Mahi filets on/in foil with 1 tsp olive oil each, rubbing oil over fish with clean hands until coated.
- Sprinkle with coarse salt and pepper as desired. Top with 2 lemon slices, and herbs if desired.
- Bake for 10-12 minutes or until fish reaches an internal temperature of 137 degrees farenheit.
Mandy says
I used lime slices and added thick onion slivers in my foil boats with the fish. It was delicious!
Peter plescia says
Do you close up the foil or leave it open?
Kathi & Rachel says
Chef’s choice but I like mine closed up. 🙂
Frank says
You guys nailed this one for sure and the reason is because you know when the fish is cooked versus just blogging the standard 145° that so many others do. 137° is perfect!
Btw, I saved your Skinny Caesar recipe too. Nice work there.
Maryjane Hadaway says
I just used the olive oil, packaged lemon pepper, and salt because that’s all I had on hand. The mahi-mahi was delicious though! Thanks for the recipe