Simple Seared Mahi-Mahi Recipe

In a world where salmon dominates the casual weeknight dinner scene, it's nice to switch things up from time to time. Enter this simple, seared mahi-mahi recipe from developer Christina Musgrave, which offers a refined main course without being overly expensive or hard to prepare. This mahi-mahi is great for a simple Tuesday night meal, or you could dress it up with some elegant side dishes for a more elevated date night meal.

Whichever way you choose to serve this mahi-mahi, you can count on the cooking to be simple and straightforward. "My favorite thing about this dish is that it's super easy to make, and super delicious," Musgrave says. Not to mention this is a quick dish to make; thanks to the searing method of cooking, you'll only need 10 minutes to cook the fish fillets through. You'll top the fish off with a simple, lemony sauce, and voila — a healthy, tasty, easy-to-make seafood dish that isn't salmon!

This recipe yields 4 servings, so you'll need 4 mahi-mahi fillets to get started. You'll also need salt, pepper, and garlic powder for seasoning, and a bit of olive oil to get a nice sear on the fish. To make the lemony sauce, you'll simply add fish or chicken stock, and lemon juice to the pan that you cooked the fish in.

Start by making sure that your mahi-mahi fillets are nice and dry — a simple pat down with paper towels should do the trick. Then, season both sides of each fillet with salt, pepper, and garlic powder.

Place a large pan over medium heat, and add in the olive oil. Once that has had a chance to heat up, add in the mahi-mahi fillets, skin-side down, if applicable, and allow them to cook for 5 minutes on each side. Resist the urge to disturb the fillets as they cook — this gives them the best chance of getting that beautiful golden-brown sear. 

As a final step for the fish, squeeze the lemon juice onto the fish, then remove the fillets from the pan, but be sure to leave any little fish scraps that are left over from cooking. Then, add the stock to the pan, and raise the heat so it comes to a simmer. "Mahi-mahi is a pretty mild fish," Musgrave explains. "The lemon sauce is delicious, and gives it even more flavor."

Drizzle that pan sauce right onto the mahi-mahi fillets, then that's it — you're ready to serve as desired. "This is great with rice and vegetables, served in tacos, or with a Southwest salad," Musgrave suggests. You could elevate the fish by pairing it with an elegant side dish like risotto, a crisp glass of white wine, or some good company for an optimal dining experience.