Simple Baked Mahi Mahi Recipe

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Mahi is Hawaiian for "strong." This delicious fish boasts a mild flavor with a pleasant, meaty texture that is undeniably delicious when baked. Whether you've prepared it before or have yet to give it a try in your own kitchen, recipe developer Kit Hondrum of Kit's Kitchen is here to guide you through the steps to preparing the ultimate mahi mahi dish you'll want to make time and time again. And the best part about it is it's so simple to prepare even when you're having a busy week! 

The food blogger opts to pair fillets of the Hawaiian fish with an aromatic herbed garlic butter in this recipe, which seasons the fish beautifully as it cooks. "Mahi mahi is a delicate and flavorful fish, perfect for this simple recipe," says Hondrum. "This recipe's simple flavors allow the fish to shine." We are all about that.

To make this simple baked mahi mahi, your ingredients list won't be too long. As a matter of fact, besides the fish, you probably already have all of the ingredients in your pantry, fridge, and fresh herb garden — and cutting back on grocery shopping time is always welcomed.

As far as the ingredients go, you will need is mahi mahi fillets — about 5 ounces apiece — which you'll season with salted butter that's infused with minced garlic, parsley and chives (which should be chopped), salt, and pepper. A lemon sliced into two slices and four wedges will serve as both an aesthetically pleasing garnish and extra seasoning for the fish.

If for whatever reason you can't find mahi mahi, do not fret, because Hondrum has a suggestion. "Any white fish of similar thickness, like cod for example, will work in this recipe," she explains.

Once you have all of your ingredients gathered on the kitchen counter, it's time to get started.

To make this simple baked mahi mahi dish, begin by preheating the oven to 400 F. While the oven heats up, you'll tend to your fish. Pat the mahi mahi fillets dry, and then grab a pair of fish bone tweezers, because it's time to debone. (Keep in mind that if you purchase boneless mahi mahi, you can save some time and skip this step.)

This might seem a bit technical, but never fear. "It's not as hard as it sounds, really," Hondrum assures. "You can see and feel them sticking out of the flesh."

When you think you've removed all of the little bones, double check by running a fingertip over the flesh. You should feel any remaining bones protruding, and it will be easy to locate and remove them. "You can also leave them in and just eat around them," says Hondrum. "But be careful doing that if serving to guests!"

Once the mahi mai is deboned, move on to the next step. It's time to make the luscious herbed butter you'll bake the fish in.

Now that the mahi mahi is all prepped, it's time to make the herbed butter. And lucky for you, nothing could be simpler.

Start by melting the butter in a microwave-safe bowl. Once it's melted, add the minced garlic, chopped parsley, chopped chives, salt, and pepper to it. Stir well to ensure the salt dissolves into the mixture and that all of the seasonings are well incorporated. This will ensure that you get even seasoning when you add the butter to the fish.

Now that the fish and butter mixture are prepared, it's time to bake your mahi mahi — and the prep work didn't take long at all! First, grease a baking dish, and then lay the mahi mahi fillets in it. Spoon half of the butter mixture over the top, reserving the rest for serving. Lay a fresh lemon slice on each fillet, then slip the dish into the oven, and bake the fish for 12 to 16 minutes, depending on the thickness of the fillets. 

"Mine were about ¾-inch thick and took 12 minutes," says Hondrum. When they're nice and flaky, they're done!

Whether you're preparing this meal for your family, significant other, or guests, you'll want to place the fish on a pretty serving platter for the best kind of presentation. Even though we know this dish was so easy to pull together, your guests won't know that — and we won't spill the beans. (As a matter of fact, they'll think you spent a ton of time in the kitchen!) Be sure to drizzle the fish with the remaining herb butter and accompany the slices with lemon wedges so each guest can squeeze a bit more on if they desire.

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When cooking with fish (mahi mahi included), it's important to know when you should remove the fish from the heat. If you do so too early, the inside will be uncooked. If you remove it too late, you're left with a tough, dry texture. There's a very fine middle ground we're after.

So how can you tell when mahi mahi is fully cooked? The easiest method is to simply take a meat thermometer and stick it into the center of the fish. If the fish filet has reached 145 F, you are good to go. Just make sure you're getting an accurate reading before you take it off the heat.

Another visual clue you can use is if the fish meat has turned opaque and the meat has become flaky. Opacity can be difficult as a metric because the outside may have turned opaque while the inside still remains undercooked. To check for flakiness, simply take a fork and pull at the fish against the grain. It should be obvious if the meat is flaking with little resistance or not.

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