Blackened Mahi Mahi

Name: Blackened Mahi Mahi
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 8 min
Total time: 15 min
Ingredients: 2 Mahi Mahi fillets (~6 ounces each); 3 tbsp cooking oil ((avocado oil or olive oil)); 2 tsp smoked paprika; 2 tsp oregano; 2 tsp coconut sugar ((or brown sugar)); 1 tsp garlic powder; 1 tsp onion powder; 1 tsp salt; 1 tsp dried basil; 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper; 1/4 tsp ground black pepper

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This is the best blackened Mahi Mahi recipe. Easy to make it's full of cajun flavour and is an easy healthy meal. You can make this Mahi Mahi on the stovetop, on the grill, in the oven or in the air fryer. Have a delicious meal on the table in under 15 minutes!

Blackened Mahi Mahi on a plate with cooked asparagus

Why You Will Love This Recipe:

These blackened Mahi Mahi filets have the best flavour! A little sweet, a little spicy, and a little smoky.
The homemade blackened seasoning recipe is easy to make using pantry staple ingredients.
This fish recipe takes less than 10 minutes to cook.
It’s healthy and high in protein.
It’s naturally gluten free, dairy free, low carb, keto, and paleo.
The clean up is simple because this fish is cooked in just one pan or cast iron skillet.
If you prefer to bake your Mahi Mahi, I’ve including baking instructions, grilling instructions and air fryer instructions too!
You can use this cod recipe to make blackened fish tacos!
Don't have Mahi Mahi? Make blackened cod instead!

Key Ingredients and Substitutions

Ingredients needed for making blackened Mahi Mahi

Mahi Mahi filets – fresh Mahi Mahi is such a delicious fish that doesn’t have a strong fishy flavour. If you bought frozen Mahi Mahi filets, let them thaw before cooking them. I recommend using wild Mahi Mahi rather than farmed Mahi Mahi for the added health benefits.
Blackened seasoning – this homemade blacked seasoning is made with pantry staple ingredients including smoked paprika, dried oregano, brown sugar or coconut sugar, salt, black pepper, onion powder, garlic powder, cayenne and basil. If you want an even easier option you could buy a store bought blackened seasoning instead.

Variations and Add-Ins:

If you don’t have smoked paprika you can use paprika or sweet paprika instead.
To make the spice rub less spicy, decrease the amount of cayenne, or omit it altogether.
To make the blackened seasoning sweeter, add an extra tablespoon of brown sugar or coconut sugar.
For the cooking oil I recommend using either olive oil or avocado oil.
If you are serving a crowd feel free to double or triple this recipe.
To make this recipe Whole30 and keto or low carb: omit the sugar from the blackened seasoning.

How to Make this Recipe:

To Make the Blackened Seasoning:

Mix together the paprika, dried oregano, onion powder, garlic powder, black pepper, salt, coconut sugar (or brown sugar), cayenne, and dried basil in a bowl or jar.

To Pan Fry Mahi Mahi:

directions for making blackened Mahi Mahi

Step One:

First, wash and dry the Mahi Mahi filets with a paper towel to remove any excess moisture.

Step Two:

Then brush each side of the Mahi Mahi fillets with a little of the cooking oil.

Step Three:

Now evenly coat each side of the Mahi Mahi fillets with the blackened seasoning.

Step Four:

Next place a medium pan or cast iron skillet on the stove on medium heat and add the remaining cooking oil to the pan. Once the pan is hot, add the seasoned Mahi Mahi fillets to the pan and cook for ~3-4 minutes per side, until the fish is cooked through. Let the fish rest for 2-3 minutes, then serve and enjoy!

To grill Mahi Mahi:

Step one:

Turn on your grill or barbecue to high heat.

Step two:

Prepare the fish as you would for the stovetop instructions by coating it in the oil and blackened seasoning.

Step three:

Place the Mahi Mahi fillets on the grill or bbq and cook for ~3-4 minutes per side, until the fish is cooked through. Let the fish rest for 2-3 minutes, then serve and enjoy!

To bake blackened Mahi Mahi in the oven:

Step one:

First, preheat your oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.

Step two:

Prepare the fish as you would for the stovetop instructions by coating it in oil and coating in the blackened seasoning. Note that you will only need 1 tablespoon of cooking oil if you make it this way.

Step three:

Then line a baking sheet with parchment paper, transfer the Mahi Mahi to the parchment paper and bake it for 10-12 minutes, until cooked through.

To make Mahi Mahi in air fryer:

Step one:

Preheat your air fryer to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.

Step two:

Prepare the Mahi Mahi as you would for the other cooking methods by coating it in the oil and spices.

Step three:

If food tends to stick to your air fryer, give it a spray with cooking oil such as avocado oil before transferring the Mahi Mahi filets to your air fryer. Then cook the fish for 7-9 minutes, until cooked through. Let it rest for a couple minutes before serving.

Chef's Tips:

When buying Mahi Mahi, try to buy Mahi Mahi filets that are about an inch thick for best results. If you buy thinner pieces of fish, you will need to decrease the cooking times.
Depending on the size of the Mahi Mahi filets that you buy, you may have to adjust the cooking times.
If you can’t find Mahi Mahi, cod, haddock or pollock would be great substitutes for this recipe.
After it’s done cooking, let the Mahi Mahi rest for 2-3 minutes to become even more tender and juicy (just like you do for a steak).
You will likely have some of the blackened seasoning left over, simply store it in a jar to use at a later date.

How to serve:

Serve with cooked vegetables such as asparagus, broccoli or cauliflower.
Top it with mango habanero salsa to make blackened Mahi Mahi with mango salsa.
Make a blackened Mahi Mahi salad.
Serve it with pineapple salsa to make blackened Mahi Mahi with pineapple salsa.
Use it to make a blackened Mahi Mahi sandwich.
Make blacked Mahi Mahi tacos!
Top it with guacamole or homemade salsa.
Serve this cajun Mahi Mahi with roasted potatoes or French fries.

A piece of cooked blackened Mahi Mahi on a plate

Frequently asked questions:

What makes a fish blackened?

To make blackened fish, before being cooked the fish is coated in oil and blackened seasoning and then it is cooked in a hot pan, traditionally a cast iron skillet. This creates fish with a deep brown to black crust around the outside, giving it a blackened appearance.

Is blackening fish healthy?

Eating fish is recommend to help prevent heart disease, and fish is a healthy source of protein. Blackening fish is simply a cooking technique where the fish is coated in oil and blackened seasoning and then cooked in a skillet. Thus it is a healthy way to eat fish that adds more flavour to the fish and gives it a delicious blackened crust.

Which fish is best to blacken?

Many types of fish can be blackened including cod, Mahi Mahi, redfish, snapper, grouper or even salmon. Blackening works best for firm fleshed fish as the fish is pan fried and flipped in the pan, so if you try using a soft fleshed fish it can fall apart during the cooking process.

What temperature should Mahi Mahi be cooked to?

Mahi Mahi is fully cooked once it reaches an internal temperature of 137 degrees Fahrenheit. At this temperature it will flake easily. If you aren't sure if your Mahi mahi is cooked you can check it with a meat thermometer to ensure it's reached the right temperature.

How should you store leftover Mahi Mahi?

If you have leftover cooked Mahi Mahi, store it in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 3-4 days.

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Blackened Mahi Mahi

Why You Will Love This Recipe:

Key Ingredients and Substitutions

Variations and Add-Ins: