If you are looking for an easy air fryer recipe, look no further. Indulge in this delicious air fryer mahi mahi with a crunch, paired with a sweet and spicy yogurt dipping sauce that's simply irresistible. Better set the table soon since it's ready to serve in less than 15 minutes.
Our air fryer mahi mahi recipe features simple ingredients, making it a favorite white fish dish in our household. And here's a little secret – our kids absolutely love it! There's something about this delicious air fryer mahi mahi that makes it a hit with the little ones.
Other healthy seafood recipes we love are blackened cajun salmon, yellowtail flounder with lemon butter sauce, pollock with parmesan crust, and spicy cajun shrimp bowl (to name a few!).
But that's not all; the real star of this dish is the sweet and spicy yogurt sauce, adding an extra layer of flavor to the fish.
Mahi Mahi fish is a low calorie fish that has a mild flavor, which makes it pair well with many different seasonings.
Adding a sweet flavor with a spicy kick hits just the right spot. This dish quickly became a family favorite weeknight dinner in our house!
We like to pair this delightful mahi mahi with sprouted quinoa and sautéed asparagus, but feel free to choose your favorite side to go with it. Green beans and/or fresh salad pair well also.
The best part? This delicious fish recipe requires minimal prep time, and it's ready in just 10-12 minutes in the air fryer.
Which also makes it great for meal prep! It's a perfect example of how you can enjoy a delicious and healthy dinner on a busy weeknight while keeping things simple and natural. So, let's dive into making this easy air fryer mahi mahi and savor the goodness!
Jump to:
Setting Intentions
Setting intentions before a meal is a wonderful practice that aligns perfectly with our holistic approach to mindful living. Here's a quick session on how we like to encourage intention setting before enjoying a meal:
Before you dig into your air-fried mahi mahi or any meal, take a moment to connect with your food and set intentions. This simple practice can have a profound impact on your eating experience and overall well-being.
Gratitude: Start by expressing gratitude for the food in front of you. Think about the journey this food took to reach your plate, from the farmers who grew it to the hands that prepared it. This gratitude sets a positive tone for your meal.
Nutrient Awareness: Consider the nutrients present in your meal and how they nourish your body. You might say something like, "I intend to absorb the nutrients in this meal to support my energy and well-being."
Mindful Eating: Make a commitment to eat mindfully. Setting an intention to savor each bite, chew slowly, and pay attention to the flavors and textures can enhance your dining experience.
Connection: If you're sharing the meal with loved ones, set an intention to enjoy their company and deepen your connections through conversation and shared moments.
Moderation: If portion control is a goal, set an intention to listen to your body's signals of hunger and fullness, helping you avoid overeating.
Digestion: Consider setting an intention for good digestion. You can say, "I intend for this food to be easily digested and assimilated by my body."
Mind-Body Balance: Align your meal with your holistic wellness goals. For instance, if you're focusing on clean eating, set an intention to nourish your body with wholesome, natural ingredients.
Joy: Finally, make it a habit to infuse your mealtime with joy. Set an intention to find joy in the flavors, the company, and the act of nourishing yourself.
By setting these intentions, you're not only enhancing your meal but also nurturing a deeper connection between your mind, body, and the food you eat. It's a beautiful way to infuse mindfulness into your daily life and promote holistic well-being.
Ingredients
This healthy meal only requires a handful of ingredients. The important part is choosing the best quality ingredients, in order to nourish your body with the best, and avoid the toxic ingredients that trigger inflammation and increase our toxic load.
Mahi Mahi Fish: It is important to choose mahi that is wild-caught. If you choose a frozen product, check the ingredients label to make sure that the only ingredient is mahi.
Oftentimes, companies add toxic ingredients in order to extend the shelf life and preserve color, but this is truly unnecessary and can contribute to health issues.
Mahi is a mild fish with a moderately firm texture, similar to other white fish. Cooking mahi mahi is relatively easy, so it is a great fish to start with if you are new to cooking fish!
Ghee: Grassfed ghee or butter works well for a healthy cooking oil. It can also be subsitituted with avocado oil or coconut oil.
For the Sauce
Lemon Juice: Freshly squeezed lemon juice is the way to go. Also save some lemon wedges to serve with each plate. (For a different flavor, consider using lime juice)
Greek Yogurt: Plain greek yogurt makes for a delicious sauce.
Maple syrup: Pure maple syrup is filled with natural sweetness and antioxidants!
Cayenne Pepper: Organic is best
For the Spice Rub
It is important to use organic spices and check the labels for hidden ingredients.
Panko Breadcrumbs: Search for organic panko bread crumbs with natural ingredients. Whole Foods and Natural Grocers are the most likely to carry a good quality product.
There are other options for bread crumbs if you are looking for something low-carb or gluten-free. Although, the amount used is still relatively low in carbs! Almond flour is a good substitute!
Garlic Salt: Sprouts has my favorite Organic Garlic Salt! You may also use garlic powder
Lemon Pepper
Onion Powder
Paprika
See recipe card for quantities.
Instructions
1. Preheat air fryer to 400 degrees F. Mix breadcrumbs and spices in a small bowl. Stir well.
Be sure to thoroughly defrost fish and pat dry with a paper towel.
2. Brush both sides of the fish with ghee or melted butter.
Season mahi mahi fillets with the crumbs mixture and drizzle lemon juice on top of the fish fillets.
For best results, gently rub the spices into the fish to get it to adhere.
3. Place mahi fish fillets in a single layer in the air fryer basket and cook for 8-10 minutes.
Check the internal temperature of the thickest fish and make sure it is at least 137F.
It may need more cooking time for thicker fish.
Add an additional 2 minutes and check the temperature again.
You can also test a small portion with a fork. If the fish flakes, it should be done and ready.
4. Mix yogurt, maple syrup, lemon juice, and cayenne pepper together. Stir well.
Season with sea salt and black pepper. Serve Mahi Mahi hot on a large plate, with yogurt sauce on top or on the side for dipping. Serve with your favorite vegetable and/or ancient grain (like quinoa!). Enjoy!
Hint: Place the ghee or melted butter in a separate bowl. Use a silicone pastry brush to dip in the bowl and brush onto the basket as well as both sides of the fish.
That way, you won't contaminate your jar of ghee with a brush that touched raw fish.
The silicone brush works very well and is easily washed in the dishwasher.
Substitutions and Variations
For those on a low-carb or keto diet and want to lower carb intake, consider using almond flour in place of the bread crumbs. For the sauce, simply omit the maple syrup, or swap it out for pure monk fruit, which is a low-carb natural sweetener.
For a spicier fish, consider adding chili powder or cayenne to the crumb mixture.
You can also easily make mahi mahi tacos with this recipe. Shred fish and add to an organic tortilla. Add a simple mango salsa and top with the sweet and spicy yogurt sauce.
Air fryer fish tacos are simple, just air fry the tortilla for 3-4 minutes, then the fish per the instructions, and add your toppings! This type of fish tastes great in tacos, we love it!
For a one pan meal, toss some broccoli florets in garlic butter or some avocado oil and seasoning and add to the air fryer basket for an air fryer broccoli side! Be sure to only add the broccoli half way through, in order to not overcook!
For a less crunchy fish, simply omit the bread crumbs and rub the seasoning mixture, sans the panko, onto the buttered fish fillets. This may be a preferred method for the fish taco version, too.
Equipment
Air Fryer
Air Fryer Basket (For using in an oven with air fryer function)
Silicone Pastry Brush
Small Bowl
Fish Turner
Meat Thermometer
Fillet Knife (if removing skin)
Storage
Store cooked fish in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3-4 days.
Reheat in the air fryer at 350F for 4 minutes. Do not microwave. You can also put in a skillet with a little oil and cover for a few minutes.
If you want to freeze your cooked fish, put in a freezer safe container for up to 2-3 months.
Defrost in the refrigerator and reheat in the air fryer. Add a bit more oil to help it crisp up nicely.
Top tip
If your fish fillets came with skin on, you can either leave it on, or take it off with a fillet knife. If you leave the skin on, be sure to place the fish in the air fryer skin side down.
FAQ
Every air fryer is different, as well as every fish fillet. Depending on the thickness and air fryer, cook for 8-12 minutes at 400F. You may want to add a few minutes for thicker filets. Getting to know your air fryer is essential, also. Some may get hotter than others and may only need to be 350-375 degrees Fahrenheit.
Some people suggest flipping the fish halfway through, although this isn't always necessary for air frying.
Here are a few tips to help your fish get crispier in the air fryer.
Be sure to leave room in between fish filets to allow the hot air to circulate through the air fryer basket and heat the food.
Dry your fish thoroughly with paper towels before adding oil. The oil should only be a very thin layer.
Consider increasing the temperature by 25 degrees and/or adding more time.
You can also spray the fillets halfway through in order to help them crisp more effectively.
Mahi is considered fully cooked at 137F. Using a fork, gently check to see if the fish flakes well. It should be lightly flaky and white. Using a thermometer helps to ensure it is fully cooked. Gently slide the instant-read thermometer into the thickest part of the fish fillet and wait for it to give a full reading.
You definitely can flip the fish in the air fryer halfway through the cooking time, although it is not always necessary. The hot air circulates around and under the air fryer basket and cooks it. However, flipping the fish may help lessen the cooking time.
We do not recommend using aluminum foil while cooking. Studies have shown that aluminum is a heavy metal and leeches into food, especially when subjected to heat. This heavy metal is extremely toxic and builds up in the body causing harm. It also contributes to Alzheimer's and is carcinogenic. Each of these highlighted links shows sources and studies regarding this.
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Holistic Nutrition Tips
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Recipe
Easy Crusted Air Fryer Mahi Mahi (With Yogurt Sauce)
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 wild-caught mahi fillets thawed, rinsed and pat-dried
- ½ teaspoon Garlic salt
- ½ teaspoon Lemon pepper
- ½ teaspoon Onion powder
- ½ teaspoon Paprika
- 2 tb panko bread crumbs
- 1 Tb Grass-fed Ghee or butter
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
For the sauce:
- ½ cup Greek yogurt
- ½ Tb maple syrup
- ⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
Instructions
- Preheat the air fryer to 400 degrees F. Mix together panko bread crumbs and spices in a small bowl.
- Brush the fish on both sides with ghee or butter coat with panko seasoning mixture and squeeze a lemon over each fillet. Gently rub the crumbs and spice mixture into the top of each fillet.
- Lightly grease the air fryer basket with avocado oil or ghee. And place mahi in the basket. Cook for 8-10 minutes depending on thickness or until the fish flakes with a fork and is 137F. Test the thickest fish with a meat thermometer. If needed, cook for 2 more minutes and check again.
- While the fish is cooking, mix together yogurt, maple, lemon juice, and cayenne in a small bowl.
- Serve mahi mahi with a side of dipping sauce and your choice of vegetable or quinoa!
Notes
Nutrition
Food safety
- Cook to a minimum temperature of 137-145 °F (74 °C)
- Do not use the same utensils on cooked food, that previously touched raw meat
- Wash hands after touching raw meat
- Don't leave food sitting out at room temperature for extended periods
- Never leave cooking food unattended
- Use oils with high smoking point to avoid harmful compounds
- Always have good ventilation when using a gas stove
See more guidelines at USDA.gov.
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Be well,
Natalie
Alexandra says
What a delicious recipe for mahi mahi - I love the spices in the crust, and the yoghurt sauce is so yummy, and the perfect accompaniment. A complete meal with a lovely salad on the side.
Natalie Perry says
So glad you enjoyed it!
Andréa says
Wow, this looks delicious. Never had mahi (you can't get it around here), but I sure wish I could.
Natalie Perry says
Check the freezer section, they might have it there!