Name: Grilled Mahi-Mahi Tacos
Cook time: 15 minutes
Total time: 15 minutes
Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients: ¼ cup heavy cream; 2 Tbsp. sour cream; 1 tsp. Diamond Crystal or ½ tsp. Morton kosher salt, plus more; ½ tsp. freshly ground black pepper, plus more; Hot sauce; 1 Tbsp. paprika; 1 tsp. dried oregano; 1 tsp. dried thyme; 1 tsp. garlic powder; 1 tsp. onion powder; ¼ tsp. cayenne pepper; 1 1-lb. mahi-mahi fillet; Vegetable oil (for grill); 8 warmed corn tortillas; 1 cup thinly sliced cabbage; Pico de gallo and lime wedges (for serving)

Two tacos made with grilled mahi mahi pico de gallo and crema on a plate.

Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Rebecca Jurkevich

Active Time
15 minutes
Total Time
15 minutes

This Baja-style fish taco recipe features spice-rubbed, char-kissed mahi-mahi topped with fresh salsa, shredded cabbage, and plenty of bright, puckery lime juice for a summer bite that can’t be beat. It’s the perfect laid-back main for your next cookout. Can’t find mahi-mahi? Any firm white fish fillets (sea bass, snapper, halibut, tilapia) will hold up just as well on the grill, so feel free to pick up the catch of the day.

You can consider the toppings optional as well. We’ve chosen pico de gallo with fresh cilantro and peak season tomatoes. Not tomato season? Whip up a mango salsa or salsa verde—or skip the salsa and trade the plain cabbage for creamy coleslaw. We’ve also got directions for a homemade crema, but you can pick up a pint of store-bought if you’d rather. Want to add guacamole? Your favorite hot sauce? You do you.

The best part of our best mahi-mahi tacos? They come together in just 15 minutes. That means you can fire up the grill on any old weeknight and have dinner ready in the blink of an eye—or the flap of a fin, whichever comes first.

Head this way for more of our best fish recipes →

Ingredients

4 servings

¼ cup heavy cream

2 Tbsp. sour cream

1 tsp. Diamond Crystal or ½ tsp. Morton kosher salt, plus more

½ tsp. freshly ground black pepper, plus more

Hot sauce

1 Tbsp. paprika

1 tsp. dried oregano

1 tsp. dried thyme

1 tsp. garlic powder

1 tsp. onion powder

¼ tsp. cayenne pepper

1 1-lb. mahi-mahi fillet

Vegetable oil (for grill)

8 warmed corn tortillas

1 cup thinly sliced cabbage

Pico de gallo and lime wedges (for serving)

Preparation

Step 1
Prepare a grill for medium-high heat. Whisk ¼ cup heavy cream and 2 Tbsp. sour cream in a small bowl. Season with kosher salt, freshly ground pepper and add hot sauce to taste. Set crema aside.
Step 2
Whisk 1 Tbsp. paprika, 1 tsp. Diamond Crystal or ½ tsp. Morton kosher salt, 1 tsp. dried oregano, 1 tsp. dried thyme, 1 tsp. garlic powder, 1 tsp. onion powder, ½ tsp. freshly ground pepper, and ¼ tsp. cayenne pepper in a small bowl to blend. Sprinkle spice mixture over one 1-lb. mahi-mahi fillet and press to adhere.
Step 3
Brush grate with vegetable oil. Grill fish until opaque throughout, about 5 minutes per side. Let cool slightly, then flake with a fork.
Step 4
Top 8 warmed corn tortillas with fish, followed by 1 cup thinly sliced cabbage, dividing evenly. Top with pico de gallo and drizzle with reserved crema. Serve tacos with lime wedges for squeezing over.

Leave a Review

Reviews (33)

So God!! I loved the meal. We caught the Mahi-mahi on the coast of North Carolina
- jujucooking
- North Carolinia
- 11/17/2020
We loved this. I followed the recipe with the following modifications: -I cooked the fish in a cast iron skillet. -For the cream I just used sour cream and added some Frank Hot Sauce for heat. -I fried Trader Joe's corn and wheat tortillas. Delicious!
- mlwilson7090
- California
- 7/29/2020
Wow, Mahi is definitely the way to go on this recipe. My family loved it, and I used a grill pan for the Mahi. My Mahi came with the skin on, and this kept it insanely moist. I removed the skin after searing it on a hot grill pan with grapeseed oil, and the fish was charred and flavorful. I added it to a bowl so we could serve it up family style. I used organic napa cabbage from the farmers market, as well as chopped tomato, cilantro and red onion. I made the crema a few hours before, and it was amazing. It really stiffened up, even using half-n-half (more watery). I offered both flour and corn tortillas, and warmed them in a pan with a little oil for some texture. And instead of making the pico, I had some fresh guac to offer instead. It was all incredible!
- dhakanson
- Brigantine, NJ
- 6/18/2018
Delicious recipe. Even my children loved it.
- Anonymous
- 2/20/2018
Excellent and delicious! Instead of soft tortillas, we used blue corn hard shells from 365 at WholeFoods. Also, we only used the mahi mahi recipe (not Pico de gallo nor crema parts) and instead paired the fish with the tomato & avocado salsa recipe from the NYT: http://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1012522-tomato-and-avocado-salsa
- Anonymous
- Orlando, FL
- 4/22/2016
This was really easy and delicious. I substituted the pico with basic toppings (cabbage, jalapeno, cilantro) then made the crema with greek yogurt minus the heavy cream. The seasoning for the fish was outstanding. I used a mahi filet with the skin on. A meatier fish holds up better.
- jarmy
- San Francisco, CA
- 12/15/2015
I just made these again and they ROCK! No mahi-mahi available so I used cod. The best thing about this recipe is that there are no weird ingredients. I usually have almost every ingredient in my house and the ones I may not have - the fresh herbs, for example - are at the regular old grocery store. There is a lot of chopping, but it's a really healthy dish that everyone in my family LOVES. Mmmmmmmm!!!
- ckuster
- Westchester, NY
- 8/15/2015
This tasty recipe has become a staple in my dinner rotation. Even my young kids who claim they hate eating fish will eat these tacos. I add lime zest to the crema per other's suggestions. Delicious!
- delgasld
- Brookfield, WI
- 6/1/2015
Really liked the mahi. Did not care for the pico. All i tasted was cilantro. Didn't like the crema. Would use the mahi recipe again but would make a slaw and sauce from somewhere else.
- xmatch
- Charleston,WV
- 8/11/2014
Made this during a deep freeze so couldn't grill the fish. Instead cut the fish into chunks and sauteed in a hot pan. I didn't have a jalapeno so added more hot sauce to the creme and took another reviewer's suggestion to add lime zest to the creme as well. Otherwise followed the recipe--perfect fish tacos!
- midwestcook
- 3/27/2014
I loved this recipe - The spices for the Mahi-Mahi were easy and delicious. I skipped the pico - but agree with the others - the crème is amazing - I added lime zest and some tiny diced raw jalapeno because it wasn't spicy enough with my hot sauce. Rave reviews - Viva Fish Taco Night!!
- korilla
- Washington DC
- 3/4/2014
Quite good and easy as promised, but nothing special. I made exactly as suggested, but with swordfish because that was what was fresh at the local market.
- lizterese
- Long Island, NY
- 9/19/2013
Great, easy. The rub can be made in bulk ahead of time. I was limited on some ingredients so I only served Greek yogurt instead of the crema. I also served black beans, salsa, and lettuce on the taco bar since that's what I had. Outstanding-could be served to a large group easily!!
- amhmc
- North Potomac, MD
- 6/7/2013
Excellent. No Mahi Mahi available so used swordfish. It was a hit!
- stevekotvis
- Minneapolis, MN
- 9/16/2012
Excellent! Tasty!
- Anonymous
- Monterey Hills, CA
- 7/22/2012