Description
These mahi mahi tacos are fresh, flavorful, and easy to make with smoky spiced fish, grilled pineapple, crunchy cabbage slaw, and a creamy chipotle sauce. (See notes for baking rather than grilling)
Ingredients
Mahi Mahi Marinade
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 2 fat garlic cloves, minced or grated
- 1 1/4 teaspoons salt
- 2 teaspoons cumin
- 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon coriander
- 1 teaspoon oregano
- 1/2-1 teaspoon ground chipotle (or use chipotle adobo sauce-see notes)
- 1 /2 teaspoon sugar, honey, or maple syrup
Taco Ingredients
- 1 1/4 lbs mahi mahi (skinless, boneless)
- 1/2 a pineapple, peeled, thinly sliced (1/4 inch thick) into half moons (I left the core in) - one slice per taco.
- 3 cups cabbage, shredded
- 1/4-1/2 cup cilantro, chopped
- 1/4 cup red onion, thinly sliced
- optional: 1 tablespoon finely chopped jalapeno
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- zest and juice of one small lime (2-3 tablespoons), more to taste
- 1/4 teaspoon salt, more to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon cumin
- 1/2 batch of Chipotle Mayo
- 8 x 6-inch tortillas (corn, flour, or a blend)
- 2 limes
Instructions
- Make the marinade. Place marinade ingredients in a small bowl and whisk.
- Marinate the fish. Pat the fish dry and place in a medium bowl. Toss with the marinade. You can do this up to 2 days ahead and refrigerate.
- Preheat the grill to medium-high. (See notes for oven)
- Make the slaw. Toss slaw ingredients together (cabbage, cilantro, red onion, jalapeno, olive oil, lime zest and juice, salt, and cumin) in a medium bowl. This can be made up to a day ahead.
- Make the Chipotle mayo. Whisk ingredeints together in a small bowl or jar. This can be made up to 3 days ahead.
- Grill. Place the mahi-mahi and pineapple slices on the hot grill, letting any excess marinade drip off. Brush extra marinade on the pineapple. Cover. Grill each side roughly 4 minutes (depending on thickness) or until internal temp reaches 135-140F. Grill the tortillas and stack them in a towel.
- Season. Flake the fish apart with a fork, squeeze with a generous amount of lime juice, and taste for salt. You want them slightly salty. Sometimes I’ll bump up the chipotle powder, too.
- Assemble. Divide the mahi mahi among the tortillas, along with a slice of grilled pineapple. Top with a mound of slaw and drizzle with chipotle mayo. Serve with lime wedges and enjoy!
Notes
Choose a thicker cut of mahi mahi when possible — Mahi mahi is a firm, lean fish, so thicker fillets stay juicier and are less likely to dry out during cooking.
Use a marinade instead of a dry rub — Because mahi mahi is naturally lean, it can become tough or dry if overcooked. I prefer an oil-based marinade (like the one in this recipe) rather than a dry spice rub ( like in our fish taco recipe) which helps keep the fish moist and tender while adding plenty of flavor.
Don’t overcook it — Mahi mahi cooks quickly and is best when it’s just opaque and flakes easily with a fork. A little carryover cooking will happen after it comes off the grill.
Chipotle. Feel free to use canned chipotle “adobo sauce” instead of ground. I’d use 2-3 tablespoons, and more to taste.
Baked Option. The mahi mahi and pineapple can both be roasted in a 375°F oven on a sheet pan until the internal temperature reaches 140°F, roughly 18-20 minutes.
Making Ahead. The slaw, marinade, and chipotle mayo can be prepared ahead. Marinate up to 48 hours. Cook the fish just before serving for the best texture.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 2 tacos
- Calories: 491
- Sugar: 11.1 g
- Sodium: 687.8 mg
- Fat: 27 g
- Saturated Fat: 4.1 g
- Carbohydrates: 35.6 g
- Fiber: 5.7 g
- Protein: 30.5 g
- Cholesterol: 109.2 mg
