This simple, healthy Baked Mahi Mahi Recipe is loaded with Mediterranean flavor. Tomatoes, olives and capers create a rustic sauce for this mild, flaky fish, making it perfect to serve over pasta or rice. Take this easy dinner from oven to table in less than 40 minutes!
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Ready to break out of your dinner rut? This easy Baked Mahi Mahi recipe is literally smothered in flavor. Make a quick stovetop sauce, pour it over the fish and bake until just flaky. Serve it over rice and you have a healthy dinner that is ready in less time than it takes for pizza delivery!
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Why this recipe is unique
➤ Mahi Mahi is the perfect fish to add to your diet if you don't eat much seafood. It has a firm texture and a sweet, mild flavor that doesn't taste overly fishy. It's also readily available in the frozen section of many grocery stores and is a fantastic source of lean protein.
➤ The robustly flavored Mediterranean-inspired sauce with tomatoes, olives, capers and parsley keeps the fish from drying out in the oven, making it an ideal recipe if you're new to cooking fish.
➤ Shelf stable ingredients help this oven baked mahi mahi recipe come together quickly. This whole meal can be made in just about 40 minutes - fancy enough for company but fast enough for a healthy weeknight dinner.
Ingredients
This mahi mahi recipe uses both pantry staples and a handful of fresh ingredients that you can easily grab in one trip to the grocery store.
A few ingredient notes:
- Mahi Mahi: Fresh or frozen fillets can be used here. I usually buy frozen mahi mahi from Costco. If you are using frozen fish, defrost overnight in the refrigerator before baking.
- Tomatoes: Canned cherry tomatoes look stunning in this dish but canned diced tomatoes will also work.
- White wine: A dry white wine like a Sauvignon Blanc works well here but you can also substitute chicken or vegetable broth if you don't have wine or avoid alcohol.
- Parsley: This recipe calls for an ample amount of parsley so use the fresh stuff rather than the dried herb.
Instructions
It only takes 10 minutes on the stove to make the gorgeous and flavorful sauce for this baked mahi mahi.
Place your fish in a glass or ceramic casserole dish. Pour lemon juice over top of fillets and season with salt and pepper. Set aside for 10 minutes while you make the sauce.
Saute the onions in a pan until translucent. Add garlic and wine and cook until wine is reduced by about half.
Add remaining ingredients to pan (tomatoes, olives, capers, parsley and spices) and stir to combine. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Pour tomato sauce over top of fish making sure tops of fillets are covered.
Bake for 15-25 minutes until internal temperature reaches 137°F or until fish is opaque and flakes easily with fork. Exact baking time will depend on thickness of fish fillets.
FAQs
The best way to tell if your fish is done is by using an instant read thermometer. Mahi mahi is cooked through when it reaches 137°F. Your fish will be opaque all the way through and flake easily. Be careful not to overbake your fish or it will be rubbery.
Any firm, white fish works well with this recipe, including cod and halibut. Be sure to choose similarly sized fillets so cooking times are similar. You can also use tilapia but they are typically thinner fillets so you'll need to adjust the cooking time accordingly.
We think that plain rice, orzo or any small shaped pasta goes really well for this recipe to help soak up the delicious sauce. Quinoa or couscous is another nice choice.
Expert tips for making mahi mahi
✔︎ Frozen fish should always be defrosted overnight in the refrigerator. Pat fish dry before using in recipe. Aim for fillets that are about 1" thick and approximately 6 ounces in weight.
✔︎ Feel free to use green or black olives in the tomato sauce (or both!).
✔︎ Short on time? The tomato sauce can be made in advance. Store sauce for up to 2 days in the refrigerator. Warm gently before spooning over top of fish. Bake as directed.
✔︎ An instant read thermometer is the fastest and most reliable way to tell if your fish is cooked through. Fully cooked mahi mahi should reach an internal temperature of 137°F. Consider it cheap insurance against overbaked fish.
✔︎ The Mediterranean inspired tomato sauce is super flavorful. Ladle extras from your baking dish over rice or orzo to take advantage of every last drop. Look for shelf-stable packets of ready to heat rice at the grocery store to make this meal come together even faster.
More fish recipes
You'll find more delicious main dish recipes in our archives.
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Recipe
Baked Mahi Mahi Recipe with Tomatoes & Olives
Ingredients
- 1.5 pounds mahi mahi, skinned and cut into 4 fillets
- 1 lemon, juiced
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 medium onion, peeled and chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- ½ cup dry white wine (or vegetable broth)
- 1 (14 oz) can cherry tomatoes
- ½ cup coarsely chopped Kalamata olives
- ¼ cup chopped fresh parsley
- 2 tablespoons drained capers
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- ¼-1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper, depending on your spice tolerance
- kosher salt and pepper
- Cooked rice or orzo
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Instructions
- Place mahi mahi fillets in a glass or ceramic casserole dish (no metal). Season with salt and pepper. Pour lemon juice over fillets and let stand for 10 minutes.1.5 pounds mahi mahi,, 1 lemon,, kosher salt and pepper
- Meanwhile preheat oven to 375° F.
- Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Saute onions until almost translucent. Add garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Add wine to pan and cook until liquid is reduced by half (about 3-4 minutes).1 tablespoon olive oil, 1 medium onion,, 2 cloves garlic,, ½ cup dry white wine
- Add tomatoes, olives, parsley, capers, oregano and crushed red pepper to skillet and stir to combine. Season to taste with salt and pepper.1 (14 oz) can cherry tomatoes, ½ cup coarsely chopped Kalamata olives, 2 tablespoons drained capers, ¼ cup chopped fresh parsley, ½ teaspoon dried oregano, ¼-1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper,
- Ladle tomato mixture over fish in casserole dish making sure each fillet has sauce on top of it. Bake for 15-25 minutes or until fish reaches 137°F.
- Serve immediately over rice or orzo, ladling extra sauce on top.Cooked rice or orzo
Notes
- You can use fresh or frozen fish in this recipe. If using frozen, defrost overnight in the refrigerator. Pat fish dry before using.
- Look for fish fillets that are about 1" thick and about 6 ounces each.
- Can't find mahi mahi? Substitute cod or halibut instead.
- Canned cherry tomatoes look beautiful in the rustic sauce, but if you can't find them, substitute canned diced tomatoes. The sauce will be slightly thinner with diced tomatoes.
- Avoiding alcohol or don't have any wine in the house? You can use vegetable or chicken broth instead.
- Check the fish after 15 minutes of cooking time and add time if needed. Doneness will vary depending on the size of your fillet. Mahi Mahi is cooked through at 137°F. It will be opaque and flake easily with a fork. The sauce somewhat insulates the fish from overcooking but I recommend using an inexpensive instant read thermometer to pull the dish from the oven the moment it's cooked through.
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Nutrition
Nutrition info not guaranteed to be accurate.
Mary says
Have made this several times now. Always use cod. Serve over brown rice. Easy and delicious!!
JZ says
I love this dish-itis simple and flavorful. I really like how the recipe is chef friendly by relisting the ingredients under each step-genious!
Mary S says
Love, love, love the sauce flavors! Served over thin spaghetti because it was what was in my pantry. This recipe is a keeper!
So glad you enjoyed it, Mary! Thanks for stopping back to let us and other GWL fans know.
Jody says
This was amazing! It was easy to prepare and very flavorful. I didn’t have any tomatoes so I used sun dried tomatoes. This is definitely a keeper.