Wrapped in warm corn tortillas, these crunchy Mahi Mahi fish tacos are perfectly tender, flaky, and crispy all at the same time. Served with creamy and spicy toppings, they’re an explosion of flavors and textures.
These mahi mahi tacos are just what you need to get into a tropical, coastal mood. Packed with your favorite toppings, this recipe is an exciting seafood fiesta in your belly! Dipped into a seasoned homemade batter and deep-fried until golden, the fish is juicy and tender despite the crispy exterior. Served in corn tortillas like authentic fish tacos, these are way better than anything you can find at restaurants—and super quick to make. Drizzled with chipotle mayo and topped with shredded cabbage, the fish tacos are a pop of color on your plate that’ll have you biting into them non-stop.
Why You’ll Love this Recipe
- Make ahead-friendly. You can prepare the fish, chipotle mayo, and toppings in advance so that all you need to do is assemble the tacos when it’s time for lunch or dinner.
- Crowd-pleaser. With a variety of crunchy, creamy, and spicy toppings, this recipe will be a make-it-your-own meal that everyone will love.
- Easy. There are no fancy ingredients or complicated techniques for these tacos. It’s an easy meal.
What is Mahi Mahi?
Mahi Mahi is the Hawaiian name for dolphinfish or dorado. It’s a saltwater species that prefers warm waters. For this reason, it’s commonly found in the Caribbean, Mediterranean, and South Pacific. It’s also a lean, firm, and white meat fish that doesn’t have a strong fishy flavor. Mahi-mahi is perfect for marinating, grilling, and frying because it doesn’t fall apart easily.
Ingredients You’ll Need
For your mahi mahi tacos, here’s a list of ingredients you’ll need, ranging from the basics for a light, crispy batter to the fresh additions that assemble into an easy and delicious meal.
For the Fish
- All-Purpose Flour
- Cornstarch: Keeps the batter light.
- Baking powder & Baking soda
- Salt, Garlic powder, Dried oregano, Red pepper flakes
- Water
- Mahi Mahi fish fillets
- Salt and pepper
- Vegetable oil: Corn and canola oil will also work.
To Assemble the Tacos
- Corn tortillas: Don’t use flour tortillas for this.
- Chipotle Mayo: You’ll mix your favorite mayonnaise with a tablespoon or two of chipotle in adobo.
- Green cabbage: Purple cabbage is a great substitute and adds a nice pop of color. Feel free to use a combination of them.
- Carrots
- Hot sauce: You can also use your favorite salsa.
- Fresh limes: No taco is complete without a fresh squeeze of tangy lime juice.
How to Make Mahi Mahi Tacos
To Cook the Fish
- Make the batter. Whisk the flour, cornstarch, baking powder, baking soda, salt, garlic powder, dried oregano, and red pepper flakes in a bowl until well combined. Add half of the water and mix well. Add more water as needed to adjust the consistency. It should be slightly thicker than pancake batter. Set it aside.
- Season the fish. Season the mahi mahi fillets with salt and pepper to taste on all sides.
- Prepare the oil. Pour vegetable oil into a pot set over medium-high heat and let it heat for about 4 minutes. Meanwhile, lower the mahi mahi pieces into the batter and stir them around until they’re entirely coated.
- Fry them. Take one battered fish and dip the tip into the oil. If it sizzles right away, it’s ready. Gently lower a couple of battered mahi mahi pieces into the oil. Let them fry for 30 seconds on each side or up to 1 minute until golden brown. Remove them and set them on a paper towel-lined plate or cooling rack. Slice it in half and check for doneness. It should flake and be completely opaque on the inside. The thicker the fish, the longer the cooking time. Adjust the frying time as needed by increasing or decreasing it. You can also lower the heat as needed. Let the oil reheat for 30 seconds before frying the next batch.
To Make the Tacos
- Make the Chipotle mayo. Whisk the mayonnaise and chipotle in a small bowl until smooth. Adjust the flavor to taste. Add more mayonnaise for a milder sauce and more chipotle for a spicier one.
- Heat the tortillas. Place the tortillas on a griddle or comal over medium-low heat. Let them heat on each side for 1-2 minutes or until warm. Remove them from the heat.
- Serve. Place the tortillas on a serving plate. Additionally, place the fried fish, shredded cabbage, and shredded carrots on separate plates too. Let everyone assemble their own tacos with a tortilla, fish, and their favorite toppings. Add chipotle mayo and hot sauce to taste.
Recipe Tips & Variations
These tips and variations will help you make the best possible mahi mahi taco recipe.
- Fish Selection. Tilapia and halibut are excellent substitutes if you’re out of mahi-mahi.
- Use baking powder and soda. Although adding one or the other might be tempting, you must add both if you want the batter to fizz up. It’s the only way it’ll be nice and airy when frying.
- Make a chipotle coleslaw. Mixing the chipotle mayo with the cabbage and carrots can give you a 2-in-1 chipotle coleslaw topping.
- Add more toppings. Pickled red onions, cilantro, and even diced mango are great toppings for more flavor.
- Use breaded fish. You can use regular breaded fish when you don’t have enough time to make the batter and fry the fish.
How to Store Extras
Don’t store fully assembled mahi mahi tacos because they’ll soften too much. The tortilla will also break when you try to pick up the tacos after reheating. You want to store the taco elements separately if there are any extras.
- Refrigerate the chipotle mayo in an airtight container for up to 7 days.
- The shredded cabbage and carrots can be refrigerated for up to 5 days.
- The fried fish can be refrigerated for up to 3 days.
- None of the toppings need to be reheated, only the fish. You can microwave it for up to a minute or until warm. You can also heat it in a pan over medium heat for 2 to 3 minutes on each side. Assemble the tacos as usual.
Side Dishes
For the perfect accompaniments to mahi mahi tacos, consider a selection of sides that may include these baked beans to add a hearty element to the meal. Rich and comforting Chicken tortilla soup is always welcome. Then there is this Classic coleslaw, with its crisp and tangy taste, which provides a refreshing crunch alongside the soft tacos. Lastly, elote, a popular Mexican street corn, pairs beautifully with the fish.
More Healthy Fish Recipes to Try
- Fish Tacos with Creamy Lime Mustard Sauce
- Oven Baked Salmon and Asparagus with Garlic Lemon Butter Sauce
- Roasted Mahi Mahi with Veggies
- Grilled Mahi Mahi with Balsamic Tomato Salad
Mahi Mahi Fish Tacos
Ingredients
- 1½ cups all-purpose flour
- 4 tablespoons cornstarch
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- ¾ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1½ cups water
- ½ pound mahi mahi boneless skinless fish fillets, cut vertically into 1-inch thick slices
- salt and fresh ground black pepper, to taste
- 3 to 4 cups vegetable oil, for frying
- ¼ cup mayonnaise
- 2 to 3 tablespoons chipotle in adobo
- 16 corn tortillas
- 3 cups shredded green cabbage
- 1 cup shredded carrots
- hot sauce, to taste, optional
- chopped fresh cilantro, for garnish, optional
Instructions
- Whisk the flour, cornstarch, baking powder, baking soda, salt, garlic powder, dried oregano, and red pepper flakes in a medium-sized bowl until well combined. Add half of the water and mix well. Add more water as needed to adjust the consistency. Set it aside.
- Season the fish with salt and pepper on all sides.
- Pour the vegetable oil into a medium-sized pot and set it over medium-high heat. Let it heat for 3 to 4 minutes. If it begins to smoke, reduce the heat slightly.
- Meanwhile, add the mahi mahi pieces to the batter. Stir them around until they're entirely coated.
- Take one battered fish and dip the tip into the oil; if it sizzles, the oil is ready to fry the fish. Gently lower a few battered mahi-mahi pieces into the hot oil. Do not crowd the pan. Fry the fish for 30 seconds on each side or up to 1 minute until golden brown.
- Remove fish from the oil and set them on a paper towel-lined plate or cooling rack. Let the oil reheat for 30 seconds before frying the next batch.
- In the meantime, whisk together the mayonnaise and chipotle until you get a smooth mixture. Set aside.
- Place the tortillas on a griddle or comal set over medium-low heat. Let them heat for 1 to 2 minutes on each side or until warm. Remove them from the heat.
- Place the tortillas on a serving plate. Also, place the fried fish, shredded cabbage, and carrots on separate plates.
- Let everyone assemble their tacos with a tortilla, fish, and favorite toppings.
- Top with chipotle mayo and hot sauce to taste.
- Garnish with chopped cilantro and serve.
Equipment
Notes
- Fish: Mahi-Mahi is an excellent fish for tacos, but you can also use any lean and flaky white fish fillets like tilapia, halibut, snapper, etc… If you are pressed for time, you can use store-bought battered fish.
- Coleslaw: Light and tangy coleslaw is a perfect partner to fish tacos, but you can also use pickled onions, jalapeno slices, mango, and whatever else you enjoy.
- Tortillas: Corn tortillas are the most authentic choice for fish tacos, but if you prefer flour tortillas, feel free to use those instead.
- You can prepare the fish, the chipotle mayo, and the toppings in advance so that all you need to do is assemble the tacos when it’s time to eat.
- Air Fryer Method: Line the air fryer basket with parchment paper (for easier cleanup) and cook the fish at 390˚F for 15 minutes, turning them halfway through cooking.
- The fried fish can be refrigerated for up to 3 days.
Nutrition
Nutritional info is an estimate and provided as courtesy. Values may vary according to the ingredients and tools used. Please use your preferred nutritional calculator for more detailed info.
