If you love Mahi Mahi Tacos, you’ll be glad to know how easy it is to make a version at home that rivals any taco stand. The standout flavor comes down to a simple finishing step and an outstanding, tropical fruit forward salsa.
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I remember ordering Mahi Mahi Tacos at a taco stand on vacation in Maui and thinking I’d never be able to make them as well at home. But I got to thinking about how to make a really juicy steak: butter basting.
The first time I basted the seared fish in sizzling butter in its final minute of cooking, I knew I had the secret. The combination of buttery fish with fresh pineapple-mango salsa and a drizzle of spicy crema, make tacos so good that everyone at the table goes silent.
Table of Contents
Recipe at a Glance
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Yield: 8 tacos
- Skill Level: Easy
Ingredients for Mahi Mahi Tacos
For the Mahi Mahi
- Mahi Mahi Fillets: Look for firm, fresh Mahi Mahi fillets with a fresh ocean-y scent. You can use frozen fillets, just thaw in the refrigerator the night before you plan to cook them.
- Olive Oil: Use a good quality extra-virgin olive oil for searing fish at medium-high heat (not smoking). Or use a neutral, high heat oil like Avocado oil.
- Butter: Use whatever butter you have in your fridge, salted or unsalted. I love to use European-style butter because it splatters less (more fat, less water).
- Ground Cumin: You should be able to smell the cumin right away when you open the jar. If you don’t, it’s time for a fresh jar.
- Chili Powder: Use your favorite chili powder blend.
- Kosher Salt: I use Diamond Crystal salt (if you’re using Morton brand, start with half as much).
- Black Pepper: As always, freshly ground black pepper is best.
For the Pineapple Mango Salsa
- Fresh Pineapple: Look for a pineapple that’s fragrant with some visible golden-yellow color and fresh looking leaves. Pineapple is a fruit that doesn’t continue to ripen once it’s picked, so be sure to get a ripe one.
- Mango: You want a ripe mango for this salsa, so choose one that has a little give when gently pressed.
- Red Cabbage: Buy a head of red cabbage that feels compact and heavy for its size.
- Red Bell Pepper: Look for red peppers with deep color and smooth, firm skin.
- Green Onion: Look for green onions with crisp stalks and bright green, perky tops.
- Jalapeño: Wear gloves when chopping these. I start with half of a seeded jalapeño and taste before adding more.
- Fresh Cilantro: Look for a bright green bunch of cilantro with perky leaves. Store it in the refrigerator in a glass jar with the stems (not the leaves) in water, loosely covered with a plastic bag. This simple storage method will keep it fresh for up to a week!
- Fresh Lime: Choose limes that feel heavy for their size. You’ll need the juice for both salsa and sauce.
For the Fish Taco Sauce
- Sour Cream: Full-fat sour cream makes the best sauce, or use Mexican crema for a thinner sauce that’s still rich.
- Lime Juice: Fresh limes are a must; bottled lime juice won’t give you the same bright flavor.
- Hot Sauce: I buy Cholula brand, but any Mexican-style hot sauce works well.
- Kosher Salt: Just a touch to balance the sauce.
For the Tacos
- Corn Tortillas: Be sure to buy fresh, pliable corn tortillas. I like to buy them from the refrigerated section where they don’t have preservatives, but look for a bag with no or very little condensation.
- Lime Wedges: You’ll want at least one extra lime to cut into wedges for serving.
How to Make Mahi Mahi Fish Tacos
Start by making the pineapple mango salsa by tossing the diced fruit, vegetables, and jalapeño with lime juice and cilantro. Let it stand while you work on the rest.
Whisk the sauce ingredients together in a small bowl and set aside.
Warm the tortillas one at a time in a dry skillet until they’re softened with a slight char. Wrap in an aluminum foil packet as you go to keep warm.
Dab the fish dry with a paper towel, then season all over with salt, pepper, cumin, and chili powder. Get your skillet hot enough that the oil shimmers. Sear the fish without disturbing, then flip once and cook until just golden. Add butter (which will melt and sizzle right away); spoon the sizzling butter over the top for the last minute. Assemble your tacos with the hot fish in the bottom, topped with salsa, a drizzle of sauce, and a squeeze of lime.
4 Recipe Tips
- Pat the Fillets Dry Before You Season: Don’t try to sear wet fish, it will just steam and you won’t get that golden color. Be sure to blot it dry with paper towels before seasoning and searing the fish.
- Don’t Under or Overheat Your Skillet: You want your skillet to be hot and the oil shimmering but not smoking.
- Don’t Flip Too Soon: Make sure you let the fish get a good sear on one side before you try to flip it. If you start to flip it and it wants to stick to the pan, it isn’t ready.
- Char the Tortillas: Warming the tortillas in a hot, dry skillet adds a little flavor and softens them so they won’t crack when you fold them. I stack them and wrap them in foil as I go to stay warm while I cook the fish.
Recipe Variations
- Try a Different Firm White Fish: If you can’t find appealing mahi mahi at your fish counter, buy cod, halibut, or snapper instead.
- Grill the Fish and Tortillas: You can make these tacos completely on the grill, including warming the tortillas. Heat the grill to medium-high and oil the grates well. Lightly char the tortillas on both sides, directly on the grill until they’re softened, and wrap in a foil packet to keep warm. Add the seasoned fish and grill about three minutes per side until the fish flakes easily. You’ll lose the butter baste on the fish, but can add a dab of butter at the end to mimic the flavor. Transfer to a platter and top each fillet with a dab of butter to melt into the fish while it’s hot.
- Change Up the Salsa: Instead of mangoes and/or pineapple, swap in stone fruit like peaches or nectarines.
- Add More Crunch: Thinly sliced radishes or a little extra shredded cabbage give each bite more texture.
- Change Up the Sauce: Use chipotle sauce instead of hot sauce for a smokier flavor, or stir in a little honey to balance the heat. Or layer on slices of avocado for a creamy element.
- Use Flour Tortillas: I prefer corn tortillas for fish tacos, but flour tortillas work well too.
Storage and Reheating
Once the tacos are assembled they don’t store well. Store leftover cooked fish, salsa, and sauce separately in airtight containers in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.
To reheat the fish, warm it gently in a skillet over medium-low heat with a knob of butter or swirl of oil until just heated through. Warm fresh tortillas to make the tacos. The salsa and sauce are best served cold or at room temperature.
More Delicious Fish Recipes
Mahi Mahi Fish Tacos
Video
Ingredients
For Pineapple Mango Salsa
- 1 cup diced fresh pineapple
- 1 cup diced mango ~1 small mango
- 1/4 cup finely chopped red cabbage
- 1/2 small red bell pepper finely chopped
- 1 small green onion finely chopped
- 1 small jalapeño seeded and minced, (recipe note #1)
- 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh cilantro plus more for garnish
- 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice about 1/2 lime
- kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
For the Sauce
- 1/2 cup sour cream or Mexican crema
- 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice from about 1/2 lime
- 1 tablespoon hot sauce or more to taste (such as Cholula brand)
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
Mahi Mahi Tacos
- 8 corn tortillas
- 1 1/2 pounds Mahi Mahi filets patted dry
- kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon chili powder or more for spicier fish
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoon butter
- lime wedges optional
Instructions
To Make the Pineapple Mango Salsa
- To a medium bowl add first 7 ingredients (pineapple through cilantro). Drizzle with lime juice and gently toss to combine. Season to taste with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper. Set aside or cover and refrigerate if making well in advance.
To Make the Sauce
- In a small bowl, whisk together sour cream, lime juice, hot sauce and salt until smooth. Cover and refrigerate.
To Warm Tortillas
- Place a large piece of aluminum foil near cooktop. Heat a dry, heavy skillet over medium high heat until hot. Add one corn tortilla; cook 30 seconds on each side until softened and lightly charred. Transfer to aluminum foil and fold around tortilla to keep warm. Repeat with remaining tortillas.
For the Mahi Mahi
- Meanwhile, season fish filets on all sides with salt, pepper, cumin and chili powder.
- Heat olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering; swirl to coat the pan evenly. Place Mahi Mahi filets in skillet in a single layer and cook for 3 minutes. Carefully flip and cook 2 minutes more. Add butter; once melted and sizzling, tip pan to one side and spoon sizzling butter over filets, for about 1 minute more, or until fish is opaque and flakes easily. Remove from heat.
To Assemble Tacos
- Top one warm corn tortilla with 1/8 of the Mahi Mahi and spoon on desired amount of pineapple mango salsa. Drizzle with sauce as desired. Repeat with remaining tortillas, arranging on a serving platter as you go. Garnish with fresh cilantro and serve with lime wedges if desired.
Notes
- I recommend wearing gloves when cutting raw jalapeños as the juice can be very irritating to skin.
- If you want lime wedges, you’ll need an additional lime.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
