Paleo Blackened Cajun Mahi Mahi
Pan seared Paleo Blackened Cajun Mahi Mahi – crispy fish that is coated with mildly spicy cajun seasonings and served topped with avocado and lime wedges. Full of flavor, yet still light in calories, paleo, Whole30, low carb and gluten free.
The fact that I love this recipes so much shows you that your taste buds really do evolve as you grow up. Because when I was a little girl, there is no way I would eat anything even remotely spicy.
I used to be a total wimp when it came to spicy food. At Mexican restaurants, I wouldn’t even eat pico de gallo (<- first recipe I ever posted!). The mildest salsa of them all was too spicy for me. Rather than scooping up the salsa with my chip, I would dip the teeniest, tiniest corner of my chip into the salsa so just a little bit of the juice would touch it.
That was the most heat I could handle.
But look at me now! Flash forward about 20 years, and I am really starting to enjoy some spice in my cooking.
When I was first perfecting this blackened cajun spice rub, I started off with just 1/4 teaspoon of cayenne pepper, thinking even that would be too spicy for me. But after eating it, I decided I could handle the extra 1/4 teaspoon. A 1/2 teaspoon is just the right amount of spice for me. But if you like it extra spicy, feel free to add more.
This is such a great weeknight recipe. I can have this paleo blackened cajun mahi mahi cooked and on the table in 15 minutes. However, if you have the time and it works with your diet, I must insist you make my coconut lime rice to go along with this. All of the flavors together is just too good! But this is great served with cauliflower rice too.
Paleo Blackened Cajun Mahi Mahi
Ingredients
Blacked Cajun Spice Rub
- 1 teaspoon dried parsley
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper*
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
Blackened Cajun Mahi Mahi
- 2 6-oz wild caught Mahi Mahi** filets, thawed and patted dry
- 1 tablespoon coconut oil
- 1 avocado, sliced
- lime wedges for serving
Instructions
- Make the spice rub by combining all the dried spices on a plate and stirring with a fork to combine.
- Heat a medium size skillet over medium high heat. While it is heating up, dredge the fish filets in the spice rub and coat evenly. When the pan is warm, add the coconut oil, and cook the spice rubbed fish until cooked thru. Cooking time will depending on the thickness of your fish. Typically about 3 to 4 minutes per side.
- Serve warm. Top with sliced avocado and wedges of lime. I love serving mine on top of my coconut lime rice.
Notes
**This recipe will work for any firm fish filet. I've also done this with halibut, salmon, sole. Use any wild caught fish of your choice!
More Paleo Fish Recipes:
Pan Seared Salmon with Dill Butter
Pan Seared Mahi Mahi with Mango Papaya Salsa
More Blackened / Cajun Recipes from my Blogging Friends:
Blacked Salmon with Pineapple Salsa by Flavor the Moments
Cajun Shrimp Tostados by Maebells
45 Comments on “Paleo Blackened Cajun Mahi Mahi”
I made this tonight for dinner and my wife absolutely loved it! I went the extra mile and made the coconut lime rice and it was so good. It does not take a tone of time to make. I made a side of spicy sweet-potato fries with a little bit of local honey drizzled on them and it was perfect. Thank you for this recipe! I will be sure to make try others as well.
So I tried this tonight after finding the recipe last week looking for fish/paleo recipes since I need to do more of both and Whoa! So much better than I expected. I have been let down by recipes before, especially fish recipes. I ate it with the lime and avocado and just cut up a tomato and squeezed some more lime over them. It was so good. I loved the blackening seasoning. I will make a batch of that and just keep it for other stuff, the ones I try at the store always have way too much salt or celery seed. This was perfect. Thank you!!!!
My family loved this! So much flavor. I did cut the cayenne and pepper by half. My kids are 6,7,8,12 yr. old. So easy to make. Thank you.
I am so happy to hear that Bonnie! And your kids sound like great eaters! No way I would have eaten fish when I was a kid. You must be a great mom to get them eating so healthy. And smart cutting the cayenne pepper in half, the less spicy the better for little kids. Thanks for taking the time to let me know you liked my recipe! Means a lot : )
I have made this mahi mahi several times and it never fails me! Love how easy, healthy and juicy it is! Thanks for the great recipe!
Yea! So glad you like it Chelsea! I love the spicy mixed with the cool and creamy avocado. Thanks for letting me know you liked my recipe! Made my day!
Wow! I made this last & it was a huge hit, even with the kids. I was amazed that such a simple recipe packed so much flavor. I didn’t make the rice but will definitely add it next time. Avocado & lime were the perfect compliments to the spicy fish. Excellent!
I am so happy to hear that Alisa! And I love that your kids liked it too! I was such a baby when it came to anything even barely spicy. Your kids sound like great eaters! Thank you for taking the time to tell me you liked my recipe. You made my day!
HOLY YUMMY!! This looks insanely delicious! I bet it would be fab with some oven-roasted veg, too!! Adding this to my list for my first week of the Whole30! I cannot wait to try it! Have you ever used this rub on any other proteins?
I never liked any spice growing up either! But I’m starting to come around and I enjoy some spice every now and then. Love how much flavor you loaded onto that salmon!
I LOVEEEE spicy! And we always have Mahi in the freezer! SO trying this recipe this weekend! And of course your photos are just gorgeous as usual! Pinned!
Natalie, I’ve loved spice for so long and my spice meter is so off the charts, chefs have come out from the kitchen to meet me because I can handle such high heat. However, I can totally relate to where you are coming from, because my husband was the same as you. He had to grow into spicy foods right after he married me. :-) It was eat spicy or go hungry! Haha. Not exactly the way to learn. However, I will tell you – I absolutely love this recipe – and it’s so pinned! And btw, thank you for the blog love! xoxo
This dish looks so incredible, Natalie! I love that you added the avocado on top too. I bet this is so perfect with your coconut lime rice, I love that recipe ;)
This looks amazing! SO perfectly blackened! I have always loved spicy foods and I know I’d love this!! :)
Yum – that mahi mahi looks SO delicious!! And I LOVE the blackened spices, it’s one of my favorites! :)
I love anything that’s spicy. We are trying to teach Briana and get her used to it as well. This is my perfect dinner right here. Light, spicy and deliciously healthy.
I was like you when I was younger, and I’m not sure if my taste buds have just dulled with age or what, but I love spicy food now! This looks delicious, and the avocado topper sounds perfect. And you can bet I’d be serving it up with your coconut lime rice! Thanks for linking up my blackened salmon recipe. :)
I couldn’t eat spicy foods when I was younger either while my brothers were the spice champions. Now I can’t get enough so I absolutely love this Cajun mahi mahi! It looks incredible and so full of flavor! It sounds perfect with your coconut lime rice!
I love spicy food and I especially love Cajun spices! So yum :)
Mahi mahi is so good! I haven’t had it in awhile, and I have never tried it blackened! This sounds like a perfect summer meal!
I love mahi mahi, I love spicy, I love avocado – this looks so so good! I can’t wait to try it. That rice also looks fantastic!
Oh, I was the same way about anything spicy when I was little too! Wouldn’t touch the spicy stuff with a ten-foot pole. I think I drove my macho-tastebud big brothers insane with that certain pickyness. LOL.
But now? BRING ON all the spice-covered stuff! Including this gorgeous fish. Holy moly, girl I’m drooling! It looks so packed with flavor and I love that you served it on cauli rice! Adding this one to the dinner menu!
I can handle a little bit of spice, but nothing too out of control! This mahi mahi looks fantastic, Natalie! I love the rub on here. Sounds so delicious! You are reminding me that I need to cook with this fish more, as it’s one of my favorites!