Blackened Mahi Mahi Tacos with Pineapple Salsa
Ask me what I want to eat and 9 times out of 10 I’ll tell you fish tacos. These blackened mahi mahi tacos are light, fresh, perfectly seasoned and an easy weeknight dinner. You’ll whip up a quick blackening seasoning mix, slather that on mahi mahi fillets and then pile the flaky fish in warmed corn tortillas with purple cabbage, pineapple corn salsa and an amazing chipotle lime sauce. I know y’all are out there trying to figure out what to make for dinner on busy weeknights, so put this one down for taco night this week!
- 1 Why I love this recipe so much:
- 2 For these blackened mahi mahi tacos you will need these fresh ingredients:
- 3 How to make:
- 4 Variation ideas:
- 5 FAQs
- 6 If you love this fish taco recipe you’ll love these other Taco Tuesday faves:
- 7 Watch How to Make:
- 8 Blackened Mahi Mahi Tacos with Pineapple Salsa
Why I love this recipe so much:
- These mahi mahi fish tacos are super quick to make: I have another version of fish tacos that require the whole flour-egg-panko breading scenario and don’t get me wrong, I LOVE those fish tacos. But those feel more like a weekend, have company over, type of special dinner. These blackened fish tacos are seasoned and placed under the broiler for just a few minutes and come together very quickly.
- This recipe is a balanced meal in handheld form: you’ve got whole grain carbs via the corn torilla, lean protein from mahi mahi, and lots of veggies thanks to cabbage and pineapple corn salsa.
- As with most of my recipes, this healthy meal is endlessly versatile! You can switch up the sauce, the salsa, the type of cabbage, the seasoning mix, the type of fish or the type of tortilla. Keep reading for variation ideas!
For these blackened mahi mahi tacos you will need these fresh ingredients:
Mahi Mahi: I buy the individually wrapped wild-caught mahi mahi fillets from Costco. You can also use another flaky white fish like halibut or cod.
Corn tortillas: I usually buy the street taco or fajita-sized tortilla and both corn or flour tortillas will work, depending on your preference.
Purple cabbage: thinly shredded cabbage makes a crunchy slaw and is the perfect counterpart to creamy sauce and seasoned fish. Feel free to use whatever type of cabbage you enjoy- Napa cabbage, green cabbage or purple cabbage.
Blackening spices: for this easy recipe we’re whipping together our own spice mix with a handful of spices that you likely already have in your cabinet. You could also use a premade blackened seasoning mix or even cajun seasoning. Both of these can be found in the spice aisle of the grocery store.
Lime wedges: lime wedges provide a lovely finishing touch of brightness and acidity.
Cilantro: what are tacos without cilantro amirite or amirite!?
Creamy sauce: chipotle lime sauce is one of my favorite taco toppings- it is a simple combo of sour cream (or Greek yogurt), mayo, chipotle peppers in adobo sauce and lime. You could also make creamy jalapeño sauce or spicy cashew dressing. Both are uh.may.zing.
Pineapple corn salsa: this simple pico de gallo combines sweet corn, juicy pineapple, spicy jalapeño and pungent red onion to make an irresistible salsa to pile high on these fish tacos!
How to make:
In a small bowl stir together the blackening spices.
Pat fish fillets dry with a paper towel. Drizzle with avocado oil (or olive oil) and then divide the seasoning mix evenly between all the pieces of fish, using your hands to coat each well. If you have time, you can let it marinate for 20-60 minutes.
Preheat the oven to broil and arrange the oven rack to two notches from the top. You want it to be in the upper third of the oven but not too close to the broiler or it will burn the spices.
Place fish fillets on a lined baking tray or broiler pan. Broil fish for 8 minutes.
Because mahi mahi is a delicate white fish, it will cook quickly and you do not want to overcook it or it will be dry. It should be just cooked through and flake easily with a fork. Cooking at a high heat for a short time is the best (hence broiling for 8 minutes!)
While the fish is cooking toss together the corn pineapple salsa and chipotle lime sauce. Warm the tortillas. I like to warm mine directly over the gas flame of my stovetop but you can warm them in the oven or microwave.
Shred the cabbage (I like to use the slicing attachment of my food processor) and toss with a pinch of salt and squeeze of lime juice in a large bowl.
Assemble your tacos: spread a generous dollop of creamy sauce on the tortilla followed by crunchy slaw, flaked blackened mahi mahi, a big pile of pineapple salsa, fresh cilantro and a squeeze of lime.
Grab a marg it’s TIME TO EAT!
Variation ideas:
- Try this strawberry jalapeño salsa or mango salsa instead of pineapple salsa
- Make jalapeño lime vinaigrette or avocado crema as your sauce
- Use shrimp or salmon instead of mahi mahi
- Serve the fish and salsa in a rice bowl instead of tortilla
- Use green cabbage or butter lettuce instead of purple cabbage for the slaw
FAQs
Yes. Although I haven’t tested it myself I’m confident this recipe would be delicious with cod, halibut, salmon, shrimp or honestly, most types of fish/seafood.
Blackening refers to a technique in cooking where food is coated with a blend of spices and then cooked at high heat in a skillet or on a grill. We’re using the broiler of an oven for this recipe to keep things super easy, mess-free and lower in fat!
You can find mahi mahi at the fish counter of most grocery stores and I like to get the individually wrapped wild-caught fillets in the freezer section of Costco.
This spice rub has a mild flavor but if you’re sensitive I would recommend omitting the cayenne pepper and halving the smoked paprika.
Store the components separately in airtight containers. When ready to serve assemble the tacos with each of the components!
Yes, heat several tablespoons of oil in a cast iron pan over medium-high heat. Sear each piece of fish in the hot skillet for 3-4 minutes per side until just cooked through.
If you love this fish taco recipe you’ll love these other Taco Tuesday faves:
Watch How to Make:
If you make this recipe please don’t forget to leave a comment and star rating and tag me on social media (Instagram or TikTok)! I love to see your creations!
Print
Blackened Mahi Mahi Tacos with Pineapple Salsa
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 8 minutes
- Total Time: 28-35 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Broil
- Cuisine: Mexican
- Diet: Gluten Free
Description
These blackened mahi mahi tacos are sure to become your new favorite fish tacos! Perfectly seasoned tender fish, juicy salsa, creamy sauce and a big squeeze of lime- perfection!
Ingredients
Blackening seasoning mix:
- 1/2 tablespoon smoked paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon fresh cracked black pepper
- Pinch of cayenne
Fish:
- 1lb mahi mahi, 4 fillets
- 2 tablespoons avocado oil
Assembly:
- Pineapple corn salsa
- Chipotle lime sauce
- Warm corn tortillas (or your favorite tortillas)
- Purple cabbage, finely shredded
- Cilantro
- Lime wedges
Instructions
In a small bowl stir together the blackening spices.
Pat mahi mahi dry with a paper towel. Drizzle the fish with avocado oil and then divide the seasoning mix evenly between all the pieces of fish, using your hands to coat each well. If you have time, you can let it marinate for 20-60 minutes.
Preheat the oven to broil and arrange oven rack to two notches from the top. You want it to be in the upper third of the oven but not too close to the broiler or it will burn the spices.
Place fish fillets on a lined baking tray or broiler pan. Broil fish for 8 minutes.
It should be just cooked through and flake easily with a fork. Cooking at high heat for a short time is the key to perfect white fish. Cooking time may vary slightly depending on your oven, if the fish is not cooked through, return to the oven for 1-2 minutes.
While the fish is cooking toss together the corn pineapple salsa and chipotle lime sauce. Warm the tortillas.
Shred the cabbage and toss with a pinch of salt and squeeze of lime juice.
Assemble your tacos: spread a generous dollop of creamy sauce on the tortilla followed by crunchy slaw, flaked fish, a big pile of pineapple salsa, fresh cilantro and a squeeze of lime.
ENJOY!
Notes
Refer to above blog post for ingredient substitution suggestions, variation ideas and answers to frequently asked questions!
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 2 tacos (2 tortillas + 1/4lb fish + 1/2 cup salsa + 2 tablespoons sauce)
- Calories: 369
- Sugar: 10.5 g
- Sodium: 536.2 mg
- Fat: 8.6 g
- Carbohydrates: 47.3 g
- Fiber: 7.3 g
- Protein: 28.9 g
- Cholesterol: 92.8 mg
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This has become my husband’s favorite thing I make!
This is my husband’s favorite thing I make now. So good!
Yay Alyssa, thank you for trying the recipe! SO happy to hear you and your hubby love it!
XO
Erica
Made this for my family and they loved it! Pineapple salsa was sooo good!
Yaaaay! So happy to hear this Chris! Glad you loved it and thanks so much for your review 🙂
Hi, I’m making this tonight and can’t wait! It doesn’t call for cumin, which I use in my other fish taco spice mix, but in the video it looks like you added cumin. Is it a typo?
Yes I think it is, go ahead and add cumin!