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How to Make Hawaiian Fish Tacos

Two Hawaiian Fish tacos with lime wedges, mahi-mahi fish, creame sauce, and fresca sauce.

This is the best fish taco I’ve ever made and had. Oh and also, my new go-to fish taco dish from now on. Very tasty and mouth-watering grilled mahi-mahi. The most creamy garlic dressing that was paired with the refreshing salsa Fresca. Thank you Chef Nalani Kaneakua for sharing your amazing creation. So folks, how about you join me in learning how to make Hawaiian Fish Tacos!

How to Make Hawaiian Fish Tacos

Ingredients

  • 1-2 lb Mahi Mahi fillets a.k.a dorado or dolphin fish
  • 8-10 flour tortillas (fajita size or 6-inch tortilla)
  • 1 large romaine lettuce

Mahi Mahi Marinade

Salsa Fresca

  • ¼ large round onion, cubed (I used sweet onion)
  • ½ large green bell pepper, cubed
  • 2 small (or 1 large) tomatoes, finely diced (I used Roma tomatoes)
  • 1 tbsp cilantro, minced
  • 2 small (or 1 large) garlic clove, crushed
  • 1 medium-sized lemon, juice freshly squeezed
  • Dash of salt and pepper (adjust to taste)
  • 1-2 dashes of chili flakes (adjust to taste)

Creamy Garlic Dressing

  • ½ medium-sized round onion, diced (I used sweet onion)
  • 5 whole garlic cloves (peeled)
  • 2 tbsp Italian parsley, minced (add more if desired)
  • ½ cup real mayonnaise (you may use 1 whole cup of mayo and leave out the yogurt below)
  • ½ cup plain Greek yogurt (optional as you may use a total of 1 cup of mayonnaise)
  • 1 cup buttermilk
  • ½ – 1 tbsp Dijon mustard (regular mustard works just fine)
  • Dash of salt and pepper (adjust to taste)

Item’s you’ll need

  • Mixing bowls
  • Measuring containers, cups, and spoons
  • Medium-sized serving bowls
  • Cutting board and knives
  • Blender
  • Plates
  • Thong
  • Chopsticks
  • Spoons and forks

Instructions

Marinate the Fish

mahi mahi fish in a bowl with ingredients for fish marinade

Place the fish fillets in the mixing bowl and pat them dry. Season with dashes of salt and pepper (adjust to taste). Coat all sides well (you may add olive oil if desired). Add minced garlic and massage fillets until well coated. Mix in the minced cilantro and Italian parsley. Make sure to coat the fish well. Refrigerate and marinate for 1 hour.

Make the Salsa Fresca

onions in a bowl with green pepper being cut on a cutting board.

In a medium-sized bowl, combine diced or cubed onion, green bell pepper, and tomatoes. Mix in the minced cilantro (add more if desired), and crushed garlic (peeled). Squeeze some fresh lemon and season with a dash of salt and pepper. Add some pinches of chili flakes (go ahead and add more for some extra kick). Mix them well until well incorporated. You may also blend them if preferred. Cover and pop them into the fridge until ready to use.

Make the Garlic Creamy Dressing

mayonnaise being added to a blender for creany garlic dressing

In a blender, combine the diced onion, whole garlic cloves (peeled), and minced Italian parsley (add extra if desired). Puree them until creamy and smooth. Transfer into a medium-sized bowl. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.

Grill the Fish Fillets

mahi mahi on a grill for hawaiian fish taco recipe

Remove the marinated fish from the fridge. Cut them into 2 oz strips. Toss them again in the mixing bowl until well coated. Grill the fish for 1-2 minutes on each side at 400°F – 204°C. The fish is done and is ready to be flipped over when it no longer sticks on the grill. Transfer the cooked fish to a plate and allow it to cool down for about 3-5 minutes.

Warm up the Flour Tortillas

two tortillas on a skillet being warmed up

In a griddle, grill, or frying pan, warm a couple of tortillas (fajitas size). Warm both sides for about 3-5 minutes or may also brown them if you want it crunchy. Now let’s assemble our fish tacos. Place the warmed tortillas on a plate. Put a handful of lettuce (you may also combine some cabbage) on each taco. Put a strip of the grilled fish. Smothered with some salsa Fresca and generously drizzle some creamy garlic dressing! Serve immediately warm and enjoy!


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Jacob Petrosky
Jacob Petrosky
2021-07-13
Jacob Petrosky

I'm not normally a big fish taco guy. But these are truly amazing!