Pan Seared Mahi Mahi with Basil Butter Sauce

Fresh Mahi From Key West

Mahi Mahi (Coryphaena hippurus) is one of the prized catches of the Florida Keys.

Known as dolphin, dolphinfish, or dorado, (not to be confused with dolphins like Flipper), this mild-tasting pink fish—is abundant in local waters.

To truly enjoy this fish at its peak, cook and eat mahi on the day it's caught. With minimal effort, you'll have a restaurant-quality dinner that you're going to love!

The Key to Making Delicious Fish

The secret to juicy, flavorful fish dishes starts with the freshest catch.

The Florida Keys are famous for their abundant seafood, including dorado, spiny lobsters, stone crab claws, red snapper, hogfish, and yellowtail snapper.

You can order all you favorites, including the very best stone crabs, online from my friends at Key Largo Fisheries—they'll ship it straight to your door overnight.

About Mahi Mahi

Mahi is a big blue and green fish with firm pink flesh. The fish is usually about 3 feet long and weighs 20 to 30 pounds.

Mahi has a mild sweet flavor. It does taste like fish, but not too fishy.

The fish holds up well in a skillet and on the grill and it's easy to cook. Its meat is firmer and less flaky than yellowtail or hogfish.

Defrosting Mahi

The easiest way to defrost is to leave the fish on a plate in the refrigerator overnight. 

If the Mahi is frozen in a vacuum-sealed bag, you can defrost it in a bowl of cold water in the fridge for about an hour or so.

Loose pieces of fish should be defrosted on a plate in the refrigerator.

Defrosting any fish on the countertop makes it susceptible to bacterial overgrowth and should be avoided.

Ingredients for Pan Seared Mahi

Butter Basil Sauce

• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
• 1 large garlic clove minced or pressed
• ¼ teaspoon sea salt 
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 1 ½ tablespoons fresh basil leaves stemmed and chopped + whole leaves for garnish

For The Fish

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 ½ pounds mahimahi fillets
• Sea salt and pepper
• 2 lemons, sliced into wedges for serving

How to Make Butter Basil Sauce

This sauce is simple to make, and it tastes great. You can use it on all your fish dinners.

• Combine unsalted butter with fresh lemon juice, a big clove of garlic, salt, pepper, and a few thinly sliced basil leaves in a small pot over low heat.
• Give it a whisk, cover the pot, turn the heat low, and let it warm while preparing the fish.

How To Sear Dolphinfish

Follow these directions to cook mahi in a skillet in under 10 minutes.

1. If you have fresh fish, cut away the dark bloodline running down the center. Mahi skin is tough and should be removed if present.
2. Cut the fish into four equal-sized pieces, 4 to 6 ounces each. Rinse and pat dry with paper towels.
3. Salt and pepper the fish on both sides
4. Heat a few tablespoons of oil in a heavy-bottomed or non-stick skillet over medium heat. Place fish in pan.
5. Cook for about 4 minutes on the first side without moving.
6. Depending on the thickness of the filets, cook another 2-3 minutes on the other side.
7. Remove from the pan with a spatula or tongs.

Garnish For Fish

When garnishing fish, use leaves or herbs that are already in the dish.

Since this dish has basil, select beautiful, whole, and unblemished basil leaves from your plant and scatter them over the top.

Lemon wedges should also be added to the plate for a fresh, bright finish.

For more garnish tips, go to Garnishing with Parsley.

Try this recipe with yellowtail snapper, mutton snapper, mangrove snapper, snook, tripletail, hogfish, grunts, or grouper.

Any thin white fish fillet will work. The cooking time will vary depending on the thickness of the fish.

Top Tips for Cooking Fish

Cooking mahi mahi on the stove is easy. Make sure your fish is defrosted before cooking to get a good sear on it.

The thickness of the fish will determine how long to cook the mahi.

• Plan for 6 ounces of fish per person when portioning.
• Wash the fish under cold water and pat it dry with paper towels to remove excess moisture for better browning.
• Preheat your pan and oil thoroughly before adding the fish to prevent sticking.
• Avoid moving the fish around while cooking; let it cook undisturbed for a good sear. Flip only once.
• Use an instant-read thermometer to check for doneness; the internal temperature should reach 145°F when fully cooked.

What To Do With Leftover Fish

Leftover mahi mahi makes the best breakfast the next day, at least that's how I eat it.

You can also make mahi tacos by wrapping the fish in warm tortillas with fresh slaw and crema. Or, top a big Low Carb Caesar Salad with the fish on top for a healthy meal.

Storage

To store leftovers, place the fish in an airtight container for up to two days.

You can reheat it in a small hot skillet with a little butter for a few minutes.

More Easy Fish Recipes

• Oven Roasted Mahi Mahi with Old Bay
• Crispy Pan Fried Mahi Mahi
• Mahi Mahi with Cream Sauce
• Fish Tacos with Creamy Cilantro Lime Salsa
• Roasted Yellowtail Snapper
• Blackened Tuna
• Yellowfin Tuna with Sesame Dipping Sauce
• Florida Keys Pink Shrimp Cocktail
• Blackened Swordfish

If you're in The Keys, you can enjoy some of our famous Stone Crabs with Mustard Sauce with your mahi.