This Baked Mahi Mahi has lemon tomato-caper sauce in every bite. It's light, healthy, loaded with fresh flavors, and lovely for both busy nights and casual entertaining.
In just 30-minutes, start to finish, with a handful of simple ingredients, you can be serving this beautiful oven Baked Mahi Mahi dish. The sauce, made mostly from lemons, capers and tomatoes, is baked with the fish. It'll make you want to savor every bite, and also creates the colorful presentation.
While I love sautéing certain types of fish to get a nice seared skin, baking fresh Mahi Mahi is easy and it's a fantastic method that will preserve its natural, subtly sweet flavor and firm, flaky texture.
[feast_advanced_jump_to]The Ingredients
(I often suggest brands I love and use — these are only suggestions and this is not a sponsored post.)
- Mahi Mahi fillets - Always buy the freshest fish possible. If you have a specialty fish market near you, that's probably your best bet. The flesh should be firm and pinkish-beige in color. Mahi Mahi fillets often have some darker spots, which is perfectly okay, though that part might have a slightly stronger flavor. Don't hesitate to ask the fish monger to skin and/or portion your fish for you. They will almost always be happy to do this.
- fresh tomatoes - Ripe tomatoes should be slightly firm, but have a little give when gently squeezed, and they should have a deep red color (or whatever the color is intended to be).
- extra virgin olive oil - I like this one.
- shallots - Shallots a slightly more mild and delicate than red onions. Try to choose those that are firm, heavy for their size and without bruises.
- capers - Capers are unripened, pickled green flower buds of the Caper Bush. Capers taste tart, tangy and salty, and they're delicious paired with lemon and fish.
- garlic - Look for firm heads of garlic without any soft spots or green shoots, which are an indication it's old. (Pro tip: if there are green shoots in garlic you already have, just cut the cloves in half and remove them with the tip of a paring knife. The rest of the clove should still be good.)
- lemon zest
- lemon juice - I always use Meyer lemons over regular lemons when given the option. Meyer lemons are a touch less tart and a bit sweeter. And with a thinner skin and fewer seeds, they are incredibly juicy.
- salt - I cook with Kosher salt. I prefer it because of its larger flake size, it doesn't typically contain additives, and it does a great job enhancing the flavor of foods without making them taste salty.
- black pepper - Preferably freshly ground black pepper.
(See recipe card below for quantities.)
Substitutions and Variations
- Garlic. If you want to skip the garlic, use an extra tablespoon of the shallots.
- Shallots. 3 tablespoons of red onion can substitute the shallots.
- Capers. You can use roughly chopped green olives instead of capers, or Kalamatas for a stronger flavor.
- Okay, so this is a Baked Mahi Mahi dish -- however, Black Cod, Sole, Tilapia or Sea Bass would also go well with the Lemon Tomato-Caper Sauce. (Cooking times will vary, depending of the fish.)
Recipe Tips
- The thinner you slice the tomatoes the better, so they'll lie perfectly on top of the fish fillets.
- As with most fish, it should be removed from the oven when it's almost cooked all the way through. The center of the fillets should be ever so slightly translucent -- just about opaque, but not 100%. If you're not sure, check by using a sharp knife to cut through the thickest part of one of the fillets.
How to Make it
- Preheat the oven to 425°F and adjust a rack to the center.
- To make the sauce, combine capers, finely chopped shallots, minced garlic, lemon zest lemon juice and olive oil in a small mixing bowl.
- Add a couple of tablespoons of the sauce to the bottom of a 9 x 13-inch, or slightly smaller baking dish. Season both sides of the Mahi Mahi fillets with salt and pepper. And add them to the pan, being sure some of the sauce is beneath each one.
- Place 2 to 3 tomato slices on top of each fillet.
- Then evenly distribute the remaining sauce on top of the tomatoes.
- Place the pan in the preheated 425°F oven and bake just until the fish is cooked through, 15 to 20 minutes.
- Let it cool for just a couple of minutes, spoon some of the sauce from the pan over each fillet and then serve.
Serving Suggestions
- This baked Mahi Mahi is especially lovely over rice, as it deliciously soaks up the sauce. It's fantastic served on top of Roasted Garlic Basil Brown Rice or Saffron Rice with Fresh Dill, which would make for an even more stunning presentation.
- You can see in my photos that I love it over broccolini. I love the way it adds a punch of color to the plate, just as broccoli or asparagus would. It would also be incredibly tasty with grilled green onions.
- And Italian Herb Bread would also be a lovely accompaniment.
More Delicious Fresh Fish Recipes
Mahi Mahi FAQs
Mahi Mahi is also known as Dolphin Fish.
Typically from tropical and subtropical regions of the world, Mahi Mahi is a firm, lean saltwater fish that's quite healthy -- it's high protein, low in fat, and rich in nutrients.
While baking it is my preference, Mahi Mahi can be cooked in a variety of ways, including grilling, broiling, and sautéing.
Mahi Mahi is a mild fish with a slightly sweet flavor.
There are a few methods for thawing frozen fish.
1. The day before you want to use the frozen fish, put it in the refrigerator to thaw overnight. This is the best method.
2. If you don't have time to do it that way, you can thaw it by placing it in a zip-lock bag, in a bowl under a very light stream of running tepid (not warm or hot!) water. Depending on the amount and thickness of the fish, this should only take about 30 minutes.
3. You can also place frozen Mahi Mahi in a zip-lock bag and submerge it in a bowl of cold water for about an hour. Again, timing will depend on the amount and thickness of the fish.
I hope you love this beautiful easy baked Mahi Mahi dish as much as my family and I do.
Baked Mahi Mahi Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
- ⅓ cup capers, drained
- ¼ cup finely chopped shallots
- 1½ teaspoons minced garlic
- 1 generous teaspoon lemon zest (from one medium-sized lemon)
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice (from one medium-sized lemon)
- 1½ tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- ¼ pound tomatoes, washed, dried, thinly sliced
- 4 (approximately 5-ounce) Mahi Mahi fillets (preferably wild caught)
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425°F and adjust a rack to the center.
- Make the sauce. In a small bowl, combine the capers, shallots, garlic, lemon zest lemon juice and olive oil.
- Assemble. Add a couple of tablespoons of the sauce to the bottom of a 9 x 13-inch or slightly smaller, baking dish. Season both sides of the Mahi Mahi fillets with salt and pepper. Then add them to the pan, being sure a bit of the sauce is beneath each one. Place 2 to 3 tomato slices on top of each fillet. Then evenly distribute the remaining sauce on top of the tomatoes.
- Bake and Serve. Place the pan in the preheated 425°F oven and bake just until the fish is cooked through, 15 to 20 minutes. Let it cool for just a couple of minutes, spoon some of the sauce over each fillet and then serve.
Notes
Nutrition
The post Baked Mahi Mahi in Tomato-Caper Sauce appeared first on Cooking On The Weekends.