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Fire up that grill and let's cook a perfectly seasoned filet of Mahi Mahi over high heat until those moist flakes separate easily with a fork. A little oil and great tasting seasonings make this mahi mahi one of the best pieces of fish you can grill.
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Ingredients
This seafood recipe is fantastic for grilled mahi mahi. I also enjoy blackened mahi mahi as well. So if you don't have these ingredients, throw some blackening season on the fish and call it good!
- 3-4 Mahi Mahi fillets (6-8oz)
- Olive oil
- Sea salt
- Black pepper
- Garlic powder
- Onion powder
- Smoked paprika
Video - How to Cook Mahi Mahi
Preparing the fish
I'll walk you through everything you need to do in getting prepared to make this fantastic tasting grilled mahi mahi recipe. So let's get started.
Buying Mahi
Unless you live on the coast with an offshore capable boat, you will probably be purchasing this cut of fish. Mahi Mahi, also known as Dorado & Dolphinfish, can be found at your local grocery store, fish market, or purchased online.
These filets were purchased from Wild Fork Foods. I loved the quality and ease of shipping. It's a good alternative if you live far from a well stocked grocery store.
It's a common filet of fish that is sold pretty much everywhere. It will be a wild caught fish that is very lean with a moderately firm texture and moist flakes. A mild sweet flavored white fish is what makes it so popular!
Cleaning & Fileting
If using a fish you caught yourself, go ahead and filet it and remove the skin. Cut each filet in 6-8" pieces.
If purchased from a fish market, this is exactly how it will come. Skinless fillets weighing 6-8 ounces each.
Rinsing & Seasoning
Rinse the filets under cold water and leave on the counter to warm to room temperature before grilling. If you don't let the mahi mahi filet warm up, the outside will cook faster than the inside resulting in a uneven cooked fish.
Once the filet is rinsed and at room temperature, lightly coat both sides of the filet with olive oil. This will help the seasonings adhere to the meat and prevent the filet from sticking to the grill.
Liberally season both sides of the filet with the grilled mahi mahi recipe spices listed below. The smoked paprika should give it a nice red color.
How to cook Mahi Mahi
Time for the fun part! Let's get those grills fired up and cook some of the best fish that will ever grace your grill.
The Grill
Fire up your grill on high and bring the temperature up to 400°F. I'm using my Weber Genesis grill (affiliate link) to cook this mahi mahi recipe. This weber is fueled by propane and heats up REALLY fast.
If using a charcoal grill, light the briskets and allow them to burn until the flame goes out. Once the coals are finished burning, it should be just about the right temperature.
Spread the briskets apart along the bottom of the grill and clean the grill rack with a grill brush.
Cooking the Fish
Once the grill is preheated, lay the filets directly on the grill grates skin side down and close the lid to the grill. The filets will be about 1" thick and will require 4-5 minutes a side of cooking.
After the first 4-5 minutes, flip the filet and continue to grill another 4-5 minutes. When flipping, no meat should stick to the grill. If it does, cook another 1-2 minutes before trying to flip again.
Testing when it's Finished
After the fish has been on the grill for a total of 8-10 minutes, test if the mahi mahi filets are finished with a fork.
Using a fork, pull a little piece of the meat separating it from the rest of the filet. The fish should separate easily and no translucent meat should be seen.
The meat should be white and if tested with a meat thermometer (affiliate link), should be 140-145°F internal temperature.
Once the fish is finished cooking, remove from the grill to a serving platter and serve with your favorite side dishes. I made a great tasting mango salsa which paired nicely with the grilled mahi mahi.
Squeeze of lemon juice on top and lay atop a bed of white rice is my favorite way to serve fish. This grilled mahi mahi would also taste great in fish tacos.
FAQ
Mahi mahi has a sweet mild flavor with a moderately firm texture.
Yes! Mahi mahi is considered a good choice in fish which is low calorie and has low mercury levels. Also a wild caught fish makes it a better choice than other farm raised fish.
Use a fork to separate a piece of meat from the thickest part of the filet. It should flake off easily and appear white in color. No translucent meat or raw meat should be seen.
Perfect Side Dishes
- Mango salsa - two peas & their pod
- Cilantro lime rice - Lil' Luna
- Smoked Bacon wrapped asparagus - Jerkyholic
- Old-Fashioned Coleslaw - My Homemade Roots
Ingredients
- 4 each mahi mahi
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
Instructions
- Rinse filets under cold water and allow to rest at room temperature for 30 minutes.
- Lightly coat both sides of the filet with olive oil and liberally coat with equal parts of seasoning.
- Pre-heat grill to 400°F and place directly on grill grates. Cook 4-5 minutes a side until fully cooked.
- The fish is fully cooked when it flakes easily with a fork or when the internal temperature reaches 140-145°F when tested with a meat thermometer.
- Remove from grill and place on serving platter. Serve with your favorite side dishes.
- Let me know how you liked the fish and leave me a review! Thanks!
Video
Pro Tips
- Fish should release clean without sticking from grill grates when ready for flipping. If it's sticking, cook another 1 minute then flip.
- Make sure the grill is heated to above 400°F before putting on the fish. Cook hot and fast for tender and juicy fish.
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