This mahi mahi recipe creates the most tender and flaky white fish with a flavorful pan sauce in about 20 minutes! Mahi Mahi with lemon butter sauce is restaurant quality and surprisingly easy and quick to prepare.
If you like Mahi Mahi, you should also try my Blackened Mahi Mahi – a reader favorite for years!
Easy mahi mahi recipe
When I say easy, I really mean it! This mahi mahi recipe requires super minimal preparation. Chop some garlic and parsley and you are ready to go.
Simply seasoned mahi mahi is quickly cooked in a hot cast iron pan and a super tasty lemon butter pan sauce is quickly whipped together in the same pan with all the good flavors left over from the seared fish.
We’re big mahi mahi fans in this house and this mahi mahi with lemon butter sauce is one of our favorites.
Ingredient notes
- Fillet Mahi Mahi– Skinless fillets are my preference for this recipe. However, you can use any type of mahi mahi fillet you can find. Fresh or frozen fillet with skin will also work. If using frozen fillets, thaw them safely in the refrigerator overnight.
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- butter
- Olive oil
- White wine – A dry white wine like Pinot Gris or Sauvignon Blanc is the best choice. It’s also a great choice to serve alongside this meal.
- minced garlic
- lemon – If you can get your hands on a Meyer lemon, do it! They are slightly sweeter and so good in sauces. A regular lemon will work just fine too. Maybe you should pick up a second lemon and slice it for a nice garnish.
- parsley – An inexpensive way to add a fresh and bright element to this recipe.
How to make mahi mahi with lemon butter sauce
This is a quick overview of how to make this recipe. You will find detailed instructions on the recipe card at the end of this post.
Prepare the mahi mahi fillet by patting it dry with absorbent paper. Season both sides with salt and a little pepper, to taste.
- Cook the mahi mahi – Heat 1 tablespoon each of butter and olive oil in a heavy skillet (cast iron works great!) over medium heat. When the butter melts, add the seasoned mahi and sear until it browns nicely on the bottom. Flip and cook until the internal temperature reaches 135 degrees F. Remove the pan from the heat and transfer the mahi mahi to a plate and set aside.
- Cover the pan – Return the pan to the heat and add the wine. Cook, stirring, to deglaze the pan and scrape up browned bits, until the wine is reduced by about a third.
- Prepare the lemon butter sauce – Add the garlic and the rest of the butter. Cook for a minute or two until the garlic is fragrant and the butter has melted. Add the lemon juice and fresh parsley and mix to combine.
- Finish the Mahi Mahi – Lower the heat to low and add the mahi mahi back to the pan, spooning the sauce on top. Let it cook for a minute or two and then remove the pan from the heat.
submission suggestions
Spoon the lemon butter sauce over the mahi mahi. Increase it by garnishing with lemon wedges and a little extra parsley, if desired.
This mahi is so good served with light parmesan noodles pictured in this post. For a super comforting meal, serve it with mashed potatoes to soak up the lemon butter sauce. Any type of rice, but especially my almond rice pilaf, is perfect with this delicious fish.
Add extra vegetables like Sauteed spinach with garlic and lemonGreen beans pesto, or a simple Italian salad to complete the meal.
Valerie’s FAQs and tips
Mahi Mahi is a white fish with a dense and firm texture similar to halibut. It comes from the dolphin fish and despite the name, is not at all related to the marine mammals dolphins.
The taste of mahi mahi is mild with a slightly sweet undertone that is not “fishy”. It’s delicious simply seasoned and cooked in a pan, served with a variety of sauces, blackened or grilled for fish tacos.
For some recipes, such as fish tacos, it is better to use skinless mahi mahi fillets. When preparing mahi mahi on the stovetop or grill to serve whole as a starter, it’s fine to use fillets with skin on. I prefer skinless fillet, but you can use either for this recipe.
Great mahi mahi with a lemon butter sauce, like in this recipe. It’s also one of the best types of fish to prepare blackened in Cajun seasoning like my blackened mahi mahi recipe.
Cook mahi mahi to an internal temperature of 145 degrees when measured with an instant-read thermometer. To test doneness without a meat thermometer, insert the tip of the fork into the thickest part of the fish at an angle and gently rotate. If the fish peels easily, without resistance, it is ready to serve.
Storage and reheating tips
Transfer the leftovers to an airtight container and refrigerate immediately. Leftover mahi mahi should be used within 3 to 4 days.
Drizzle the leftover mahi mahi with a little of the lemon butter sauce, cover and put in the microwave gently just until warm. Cooked fish can also be reheated in a conventional oven, covered, at 275 degrees for about 15 minutes. Avoid heating the fish for too long or it will continue to cook and the texture can become tough.
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Mahi Mahi with lemon butter sauce
This mahi mahi recipe creates the most tender and flaky white fish with a flavorful pan sauce in about 20 minutes! Mahi Mahi with lemon butter sauce is restaurant quality and surprisingly easy and quick to prepare.
Component
- 4 Fillet Mahi Mahi, About 6 ounces each (thaw completely if frozen)
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt, or according to taste
- Freshly ground black pepper, taste
- 4 spoons butter, Cut into 4 patties, divided
- 2 spoons Olive oil
- ½ Goblet dry white wine, Like Pinot Gris or Sauvignon Blanc
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
- 1 A large lemon, juice
- 1 to 2 spoons Chopped fresh parsley
Instructions
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Dry the mahi mahi fillet with absorbent paper. Season both sides with salt and a little pepper, to taste.
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Add a tablespoon of butter and olive oil to a large, heavy pan (cast iron or cast iron with enamel works great) and place on medium heat. When the butter melts, add the seasoned mahi and cook for about 5 to 6 minutes, or until it is charred and nicely browned on the bottom. Flip and cook for another 3 or 4 minutes or until the internal temperature has reached 135 degrees F. Remove the pan from the heat and transfer the mahi mahi to a plate and set aside.
-
Return the pan to medium heat and add the wine. Cook, stirring to deglaze the pan and scrape up any browned bits, until the wine is reduced by about a third (this can take a few minutes). Add the garlic and the rest of the butter and cook for a minute or two until the garlic is fragrant and the butter has melted. Add the lemon juice and fresh parsley and mix to combine. Lower the heat to LOW and add the mahi mahi back to the pan, spoon the sauce on top. Let it cook for a minute or two until the internal temperature of the mahi mahi has reached 145 degrees F. Remove the pan from the heat and garnish with additional parsley, if desired.
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Serve the mahi mahi with a drizzle of lemon butter sauce on top.
diet
Calories: 341 KKL · Carbohydrates: 4 G · protein: 32 G · Fat: 20 G · Saturated fat: 8 G · Polyunsaturated fat: 1 G · Unsaturated fat: 8 G · trans fat: 0.5 G · Cholesterol: 154 mg · sodium: 533 mg · potassium: 778 mg · fiber: 1 G · Sugar: 1 G · vitamin: 746 IU · Vitamin C: 16 mg · calcium: 42 mg · iron: 2 mg
Nutritional information is automatically calculated using generic ingredients, and is an estimate not a guarantee. For more accurate results, please refer to your ingredient labels at home.
