When you want the perfect light summer entree, try this delicious Grilled Mahi Mahi with Pineapple Salsa. It’s a fast and delicious meal, taking less than 10 minutes to cook. Add the Pineapple Salsa for a refreshing treat!
Are you ready to whip up this light and mouthwateringly delicious grilled mahi mahi recipe? The pineapple salsa adds so much tropical flavor to a fish that can lean towards bland, if you aren’t careful.
🍽️ Why This Works
Fast. You can grill mahi, mix up the salsa, add a couple of sides and still have this meal on the table in ten minutes.
Good for you. Fish is a highly recommended part of a nutritious and balanced diet. It is a light, white meat filled with good fats, vitamins, and minerals.
Full of flavor. With our dry rub and pineapple salsa, this grilled mahi-mahi has incredible flavor you are going to love.
🐟 Ingredients
Mahi Mahi – If you’ve never had this fish before, you are in for a real treat!
Dry Rub – We used a dry rub called Spicy Pineapple Head from DizzyPig, but you can use any dry rub marketed for fish or just use salt and pepper.
Pineapple Salsa – To make the pineapple salsa you’ll need pineapple, cilantro, sweet pepper, limes, papaya, sea salt, Roma tomato, and jalapeño.
⏲️ Equipment and Tools
Grill. Gas or charcoal grilling will both work.
GrillGrate. I highly, highly recommend you get a GrillGrate if you do not have one. They provide better sear and grill marks, reduce flare-ups, and are more non-stick than traditional grilling surfaces. It really is one of the best tools out there for grillers.
🔥 Instructions
Step One: Mix the pineapple salsa. Chop all ingredients for the salsa into small pieces and mix to combine. Squeeze limes for the juice and add salt. Stir to combine. Add additional lime juice, as you like for flavor. Making this first will allow the flavors of the salsa to meld.
Step Two: Spray the fillets with a light coating of olive oil.
Step Three: Sprinkle with a dry rub. I recommend a sweet and spicy blend.
Step Four: Here’s how to grill Mahi Mahi perfectly: Heat the grill using direct heat to 400ºF and cook the Mahi Mahi for five minutes on each side if it is between 1″ and 1.5″ thick. Adjust times if your fillet is thinner or thicker.
Note: Do not overcook the meat. It should be white and flaky when finished, even in the thickest section.
Step Five: Finish with the skin-side up.
Step Six. After removing the fish from the grill, top with the pineapple salsa before serving.
❗ Expert Tips
Spray the fish and the grill grate with olive oil to minimize sticking.
Make sure that the fish is cooked through. If the grill is lower in temperature, it may take an extra minute. The fish will be white and flake easily. If it is fleshy, it needs more time.
Make sure to remove the seeds from the jalapeño before dicing unless you want that extra heat. Wear gloves whenever you dice up hot peppers such as this and be very careful not to touch your face with your gloved hands. Trust me!
Storage
Leftover grilled Mahi Mahi can be kept for several days in the refrigerator if you use an airtight container. Serve leftovers on soft taco shells or over rice.
I love to put individual servings of these leftovers in the refrigerator so that we can grab a quick lunch ready for the microwave. Place rice on the bottom of an individual serving-size container, then place a layer of flaked fish in bite-sized pieces, and make small containers of the pineapple salsa that can be dumped on the fish after it is reheated in the microwave at work. Perfection.
Meal Prep
The pineapple salsa can be made ahead of time and will keep for several days in the refrigerator. Making it ahead of time gives the flavors time to come together.
If you want to serve this meal over rice, make Jasmine rice ahead of time and place it in your refrigerator. Reheat it in a skillet with a small amount of olive oil for flavoring. It will be delicious this way!
Substitutions
If you can’t find Mahi Mahi, salmon, cod, or halibut are all reasonable substitutions. A nice Red Snapper fillet would work great here as well.
We used a sweet and spicy dry rub called Pineapple Head. The pineapple flavor in a dry rub really plays well with the homemade salsa. You could change up both the dry rub and the salsa and try coordinating flavors.
If you don’t want to use a dry rub, a simple salt-and-pepper mix works wonders.
Serving Suggestions
Grilled Mahi Mahi with pineapple salsa will go beautifully with white rice and roasted vegetables. It could also be served in soft taco shells. Honestly, this fish and salsa make a wonderful meal all by themselves.
Roasted Root Vegetables on the grill {25 Minutes}
Grilled Broccolini {15 Minutes}
Grilled Peach and Arugula Salad {10 Minutes} (substitute pineapple)
Recipe FAQ
It really depends on the thickness of the fish. Thin mahi-mahi fillets like the ones from the bag in the frozen department will cook faster and may only take 3-4 minutes on each side. If the fish is between 1″ and 1.5″ it will need about five minutes on each side.
This mild tropical fish known as dolphinfish is most often found in the waters surrounding the Gulf of Mexico, Costa Rica, Hawaii, and the Indian Ocean.
This fish is very, very mild and is often recommended as an introduction to seafood for someone who doesn’t want fish that tastes “fishy.” Because it is so mild, you can pile on the flavor with dry rubs and salsa or sauce and create amazing dishes without competing flavors. You will love cooking with it.
Preheat your grill. Make sure to use a GrillGrate and spray the fillets with olive oil to prevent sticking.
More Great Fish Recipes
Whole Grilled Spanish Mackerel
Grilled Steelhead Trout with Herb Butter
Grilled Stuffed Copper River Salmon
Grilled Wild Pacific Rockfish with brown butter sauce.
Related Recipes
Tried this recipe? Please leave a star ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating in the recipe card below and/or a review in the comments section further down the page. You can also stay in touch with me through social media by following me on Instagram, Pinterest, and Facebook!
Equipment
- GrillGrate
- Grill
Ingredients
Pineapple Salsa
- 1 medium Pineapple diced
- ¾ cup Papaya diced
- 1 cup Peppers red, orange or yellow, chopped
- 1 cup Roma Tomatoes diced, removing seeds
- ¼ cup Cilantro fresh, chopped
- 1 Jalapeño seeds and ribs removed, finely chopped
- 2 Limes juiced
- ¼ tsp Sea Salt
- ½ cup Red Onion optional, diced
Instructions
Grilled Mahi Mahi
- Spray the fillets with a light coating of olive oil. Sprinkle with dry rub.
- Heat grill to direct heat 400 degrees and cook 1 -1.5 inch mahi for 5 minutes each side. Thin mahi like the ones from the bag in the frozen department cook 3-4 minutes each side. All depends on the thickness of the fish.
Pineapple Salsa (3-3.5 cups depending on size of pineapple)
- Chop all ingredients for the salsa into small pieces and mix to combine. Add lime juice from limes and salt and stir to combine. Add additional lime juice, as you like for flavor.
- After removing the fish from the grill, top with the pineapple salsa.
Notes
