This juicy and flaky air fryer mahi mahi for a quick and easy seafood dinner ready in just 10 minutes! Seasoned with an easy homemade spice mix and garlic herb butter, it’s a restaurant-quality seafood dinner turns out perfect every time!
Why I Make This Air Fryer Mahi Mahi Weekly!
Living in Florida, it’s basically seafood season all year round! Mahi mahi is one of my favorite cuts of fish to eat and cooking it in the air fryer is the easiest way to prepare it. The best part? It always turns out so flaky and tender! I’ve been to countless restaurants up and down the Florida coasts and I must say… this is still the very best mahi mahi I’ve ever had. It’s perfect for serving at dinner parties when you really feel like impressing your guests. It can be our little secret that it’s actually SO easy to toss together!
- Perfect Texture: The air fryer does an incredible job of circulating heat so that the mahi mahi cooks quickly, evenly and stays juicy. You won’t believe how light and flaky this fish is!
- Quick: Dinner can be on the table in just about 10 minutes with this air fryer mahi mahi recipe. (Looking for another easy 10 minute seafood recipe? Try this air fryer shrimp!)
- Flavorful: Seasoned with an easy spice mix and topped with our homemade herb garlic butter and a squeeze of fresh lemon, it’s just as good (if not better) than if you got it at a restaurant!
- Easy Clean-up: There is minimal clean-up when you cook with the air fryer. No pans and no grease splattered all over the stovetop!
Looking for more easy fish dinners? Try our pan seared mahi mahi, easy blackened mahi mahi, or our favorite 20-minute fish tacos!
Featured Reader Review
We are fish snobs after 35 years of fishing in the Florida Keys. Usually we grill our dolphin but I decided to try air frying. I marinated the fish in olive oil and our favorite Paul Prudhomme’s Blackened Redfish Magic, then cooked as directed. The fish was flaky and delicious.
Key Ingredients
Besides the actual fish, I almost always have everything I need to make this recipe already in my kitchen. Below you will find helpful notes for key ingredients used to make mahi mahi in air fryer. Scroll down to the recipe card for full ingredient list and exact amounts!
- Mahi Mahi: We prefer to buy wild-caught when we can. Also, make sure the filets are about the same size so that they require the same amount of cooking time. You can also use this recipe for any other flaky, white fish.
- Paprika: The paprika provides a little earthy sweetness to the spice rub. You can use smoked paprika for a smokier flavor.
- Lemon Juice: Freshly squeezed lemon juice is going to add a whole lot more fresh, tangy flavor than the bottled alternative.
- Herb Garlic Butter: Regular butter will also work, we just like a little extra flavor!
How to Make Mahi Mahi in Air Fryer
This might just be the easiest mahi mahi dinner you ever make! Below is a quick recipe overview, but please scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of this post for full instructions.
- First, always preheat the air fryer. This helps the fish to cook evenly and not dry out.
- Then prepare the fish. You’ll want to make sure the fish is rinsed and patted dry before you begin to season the filets.
- Coat the filets with olive oil. And then season the fillets with the seasonings on both sides.
- Next, place them in the air fryer. Let them cook for 8 to 10 minutes. It’s best to flip the filets halfway through the cooking process for even cooking.
- Serve and enjoy! Don’t forget to add some herb butter and fresh lemon juice on top!
Cook’s Tips and Variations
- Cooking time will depend on the size of the fish. Our fish was cooked in 8 minutes. So depending on the thickness of the fish, it is best to check at 8 minutes for doneness. Or use an instant-read thermometer to make sure the internal temp is 137°F.
- Swap the seasonings. If you have blackened seasoning or Cajun seasoning, you can substitute it for the paprika, garlic, salt, and pepper for a different flavor!
- Make sure the fish filets are not touching in the air fryer. There should be space between them in the air fryer basket to ensure all sides are cooked evenly.
What To Serve With Air Fryer Mahi Mahi
- Sauce: We suggest trying our tartar sauce as it’s perfect for this dish! You also can’t go wrong with a little fish taco sauce or remoulade sauce.
- Potatoes: We love pairing fish with cheesy and creamy potatoes like our twice baked potato casserole or roasted sweet potatoes.
- Green Vegetables: Try our crispy brussels sprouts, our easy parmesan roasted broccoli, or these tender green beans with bacon.
- Rice: We recommend our cilantro lime rice for a fresh tasting side, but you also can’t go wrong with our coconut rice or garlic parmesan rice!
Yield: 2 servings
Air Fryer Mahi Mahi
The flaky and juicy Air Fryer Mahi Mahi recipe is perfectly seasoned and cooked until tender with garlic herb butter in just 10 minutes! Serve it with your favorite sides or over a big green salad and watch how quickly it disappears.
Ingredients
- 2 mahi mahi fillets, about 1 pound
- 1 teaspoon olive oil or avocado oil
- 1 teaspoon paprika, or smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon granulated garlic
- 1 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons garlic herb butter, divided
Instructions
- Preheat air fryer to 375°F. While air fryer is preheating, rinse and pat dry fish.
- Coat filets with olive oil. Then cover the filets (front and back) with seasonings and place in the air fryer basket.
- Cook for 8 to 10 minutes, flipping halfway through, until cooked through and an internal temperature reaches 137°F.
- Remove cooked fish from the air fryer basket and place on a plate. Drizzle fresh lemon juice over the fish and top each piece with a tablespoon of butter. Serve immediately!
Notes
Storage: For the best results, keep any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Reheat: Use the air fryer again, preheated to 375°F, and cook for a few minutes until heated through.
Cooking time: Our fish was cooked in about 9 minutes. Depending on the thickness of the fish, it is best to check at 8 minutes for doneness. Or use an instant-read thermometer to make sure the internal temp is 137°F.
Swap the seasonings: If you have blackened seasoning or Cajun seasoning, you can substitute it for the paprika, garlic, salt, and pepper for a different flavor!
Nutrition
Serving: 1 filet, Calories: 322kcal, Carbohydrates: 3g, Protein: 43g, Fat: 15g, Saturated Fat: 8g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 5g, Trans Fat: 0.5g, Cholesterol: 196mg, Sodium: 873mg, Potassium: 1006mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 0.3g, Vitamin A: 1256IU, Vitamin C: 2mg, Calcium: 46mg, Iron: 3mg
Never used my air fryer for fish before! It was so good! Added cilantro lime rice and a blueberry mango salsa…so good!
Delicious! So glad I tried it. We used it for tacos/bowls. Flaky and perfect!
Super yummy and easy
How is it cooking in a rack air fryer? Same temp and time?
Hi Athena! Yes, you will use same settings!
Growing up on the coast, I was raised on fried fish. As an adult, I wanted a healthier choice but ordinary baked fish did not cut it. Then, while traveling I discovered I liked Maui-Mahi. So, I found & made your recipe last week & loved it! Thanks so much for sharing! It was delicious!
i topped mahi mahi with the compound butter and paired with a cesar sales. out of this world delicious! will definitely make this recipe again.
Hi Do you cook the fish thawed? Thanks
Hi Pam, we used thawed mahi mahi. If you use frozen mahi you’ll need to cook it a little longer.
We are fish snobs after 35 years of fishing in the Florida Keys. Usually we grill our dolphin but I decided to try air frying. I marinated the fish in olive oil and our favorite Paul Prudhomme’s Blackened Redfish Magic, then cooked as directed. The fish was flaky and delicious.
So simple, easy, and delicious!
It was great. Will definitely be making this again.