This deliciously easy Blackened Mahi Mahi Recipe comes together in just a few minutes and cooks up so tasty and moist with tons of flavor from homemade blackened seasoning. This lean white fish is healthy with a slightly sweet flavor. Serve this dish with fresh green beans and mushrooms, over rice, or with a simple salad for a well-balanced meal that you can feel good about feeding your family.
Ingredients to Make Blackened Mahi Mahi
To make this mahi mahi you will need mahi mahi filets, olive oil, butter, paprika, cayenne pepper, dried thyme, onion powder, garlic powder, black pepper, oregano, and salt.
How to make Blackened Mahi Mahi
In a small bowl, mix the smoked paprika, cayenne pepper, dried thyme, garlic powder, onion powder, ground black pepper, dried oregano, and salt together. Then dry the mahi-mahi fillets and rub a little olive oil over them. Dredge the filets in the blackening seasoning mix.
Now melt butter and heat olive oil in a large pan or cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Once the skillet is good and hot, add the fillets and cook for 2-3 minutes or until golden brown. Then flip and cook the other side until it is golden brown and the fish is cooked through and flakes easily. Spritz with a little fresh lemon juice and serve.
Helpful tips
- Pat the mahi-mahi dry with paper towels before rubbing it with olive oil.
- After dredging the fish in the blackened spices, discard any leftover seasoning. It should not be repurposed.
- Get the butter and oil fairly hot, so the fish sears creating a delicious blacked crust.
- Fish cooks quite quickly, so stay with the skillet and cook just until the fish is cooked through. It is done when it is opaque and flakes easily with a fork at its thickest part.
- Most fish is frozen and vacuum sealed. Thaw the fish overnight in the refrigerator in the vacuum-sealed packaging. Do not refreeze fish that was previously frozen and thawed. Use the thawed fish within 1–2 days.
- This recipe works well with snapper, cod, grouper, and sea bass.
- Flavor-packed blackened fish is spicy. If your taste buds are sensitive, cut back on the cayenne pepper in the spice blend.
- This fish is delicious with mango salsa or pineapple salsa.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. See below for tips on reheating.
How to reheat mahi-mahi
- Do not reheat mahi-mahi in the microwave. It may be tempting, but it will dry it out, leaving you with an overcooked, rubbery, flavorless piece of pricey fish.
- To reheat, first, spritz or brush the mahi-mahi with a little olive oil. Then place it in a foil tent on a baking sheet. Reheat in a preheated 275-degree oven for about 10 minutes or until heated through.
- Consider flaking the mahi-mahi filet and using it in a salad or at room temperature in tacos.
More seafood recipes to try!
Blackened Mahi Mahi
Ingredients
- 4 Mahi Mahi filets thawed 4 ounces each
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
Seasoning Blend
- ½ tablespoon smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper this is the hot one so you may want to cut it back
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon dried oregano
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt.
Instructions
- Mix the smoked paprika, cayenne pepper, dried thyme, garlic powder, onion powder, ground black pepper, dried oregano, and salt in a small shallow bowl or plate.
- Dry the mahi-mahi filets with paper towels. Rub 1 - 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil over the filets. Dredge the filets in the blackened seasoning. Discard any leftover seasoning.
- Melt the butter and heat the remaining olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Once the skillet is good and hot, add the fillets and cook for 2-3 minutes or until golden brown. Flip and cook the other side until it is golden brown and the fish is cooked through and flakes easily.
Notes
- Pat the mahi-mahi dry with paper towels before rubbing it with olive oil.
- After dredging the fish in the blackened spices, discard any leftover seasoning. It should not be repurposed.
- Get the butter and oil fairly hot, so the fish sears creating a delicious blacked crust.
- Fish cooks quite quickly, so stay with the skillet and cook just until the fish is cooked through. It is done when it is opaque and flakes easily with a fork at its thickest part.
- Most fish is frozen and vacuum sealed. Thaw the fish overnight in the refrigerator in the vacuum-sealed packaging. Do not refreeze fish that was previously frozen and thawed. Use the thawed fish within 1–2 days.
- This recipe works well with snapper, cod, grouper, and sea bass.
- Flavor-packed blackened fish is spicy. If your taste buds are sensitive, cut back on the cayenne pepper in the spice blend.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. See below for tips on reheating.
Nutrition
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Melanie
This is a very clear and easy recipe. My mum just loved it! Thanks for the great recipe!
briannemanzb
This a quick dish you can easily pull together on a busy weeknight and it’s so tasty. We really enjoyed it!
Lavanda Michelle
That looks delicious and is a great meal that suits multiple various occasions. Thanks for sharing!
Beth Pierce
My pleasure Lavanda! Enjoy!
Talya Stone
This looks super yummy I am a big fan of blackened fish recipes but not yet tried making it at home – but will definitely have to give this a whirl.
Lisa
I tried mahi mahi in the Caribbean and it was delicious. I’m interested by the ‘blackened’ taste and would like to try making this at home.
Stephanie
The blackened seasoning is delicious! Just the perfect amount of flavor without being too much.
Beth Pierce
Thanks, Stephanie! So glad that you enjoyed it!
Paula Richie
It’s been a while since I’ve cooked mahi mahi. I’ll definitely use the seasonings mentioned here next time (smoked paprika, cayenne pepper, dried thyme, garlic powder, onion powder, ground black pepper, dried oregano).
Catalina
I love mahi mahi and this is what I made for dinner tonight! so delicious!
Nancy
Blackened fish is one of my
Favourite recipes. Everyone loved This one with mahi mahi !!
Cam
Talk about FLAVOR!! I made this recipe for my dad because he loves mahi mahi and we both loved it! So easy to make and the blackened seasoning was to die for!
Beth Pierce
So glad to hear that you and your Dad liked the mahi mahi. I love blackened seasoning too!
Carrie
This recipe tastes just like the fish I had on vacation in Maui. So good, thanks for the recipe!!!
Beth Pierce
My pleasure Carrie!
Dana
Mahi mahi is such a great fillet of fish, and adding blackening seasoning to it adds such a punch. This is such a great recipe. Will definitely be making it again!
Beth Pierce
Thanks Dana! I am glad that you enjoy it!
Juliane
Oh gosh! So much flavor I can SEEEE it!!
Erin | Dinners, Dishes and Dessert
Looks incredible! Can’t wait to try this one!
Sandra
Wow! This dish was really good with rice! So impressed how it turned out!
Beth Pierce
Thanks Sandra! So happy that you liked it!
Erik
Such an easy, healthy recipe. Sharing with some seafood lovers I know!
Beth Pierce
Thanks Erik!