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Oven-Baked Mahi Mahi with Blueberry Glaze

Are you looking for a quick, healthy, and flavorful seafood recipe? Baked Mahi Mahi with Blueberry Sauce offers a bright, elegant alternative to the more common mango or pineapple salsas. This light, colorful dish makes an impressive weeknight dinner or a guest-worthy entrée, and it can be on the table in under 30 minutes.

Three pieces of baked mahi mahi sits atop a bed of brown rice with blueberry sauce and lemon wedges.

The beauty of this recipe is its balance of simple technique and layered flavors. Mahi mahi itself is a mild, flaky white fish that holds up well to robust accents like lemon, garlic, and herbs. Paired with a slightly sweet and tangy blueberry sauce, the result is a refined but easy meal. If you enjoy straightforward seafood recipes, you’ll appreciate how quickly the blueberry sauce comes together and how well it complements the baked fish.

Mahi mahi is a lean source of protein and fits nicely into a health-conscious meal plan. Despite the Hawaiian name meaning “very strong,” the fish has a delicate flavor without any greasy or overpowering taste. The recipe below outlines everything you need to make the sauce and bake the fillets so the fish stays moist and flaky.

How to Make Baked Mahi Mahi with Blueberry Sauce

The Main Ingredients Needed

For the Blueberry Sauce:

  • Butter
  • Shallots and garlic — shallots add a subtle sweetness and a delicate onion flavor; garlic provides depth
  • Dry white wine — a dry chardonnay or similar dry white wine works well (avoid sweet table wines)
  • Freshly squeezed lemon juice
  • Granulated sugar
  • Frozen blueberries — frozen berries are preferred when cooking; fresh berries are better in uncooked preparations
  • Slurry of cornstarch and water — to thicken the sauce

For the Baked Mahi Mahi:

  • 5–6 ounce mahi mahi fillets (or another mild, firm fish such as halibut, cod, sea bass, or trout)
  • Melted butter and a little olive oil
  • Fresh lemon juice and thin lemon slices
  • Thinly sliced or minced garlic
  • Sprigs of fresh thyme
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper

A saucepan cooking shallots in butter. Bowls of lemon halves and minced garlic sit beside the pan.

How to Make the Blueberry Sauce

The blueberry sauce is quick to prepare and transforms the fish into something special. It’s versatile too — try it with roasted chicken, pork chops, or other fish like salmon.

Start by heating a medium saucepan over medium heat and melting a tablespoon of butter. Add the thinly sliced shallots and cook until tender and lightly browned, about two minutes. Add minced garlic and sauté briefly, no more than one minute, so the garlic doesn’t burn.

Pour in half a cup of dry white wine and cook the liquid down until it is reduced by at least half. Reducing the wine concentrates the flavors and removes most of the alcohol, which can otherwise leave a sharp note.

Stir in the juice of half a lemon and a quarter cup of granulated sugar, stirring until the sugar dissolves. Add two cups of frozen blueberries and bring the mixture to a gentle boil, then reduce to a simmer. Whisk together two teaspoons of cornstarch with two teaspoons of water to form a slurry, then stir it into the sauce and cook until the sauce thickens to your liking. Finish with the remaining tablespoon of butter and a pinch of salt, then remove the pan from the heat.

A sauce pan of sauteed shallots with a lemon being squeezed into it.

How To Prepare the Mahi Mahi

Rinse thawed fillets briefly under cold water and pat dry with paper towels. If your fillets are frozen, you can either thaw them safely in the refrigerator overnight or in a sealed bag submerged in cold water. Avoid thawing in the microwave or at room temperature.

Place the fillets on parchment paper in a shallow baking dish. Brush both sides lightly with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Prepare a lemon-butter mixture by combining melted butter, lemon juice, and sliced or minced garlic, then brush it on both sides of the fillets. Lay thin lemon slices on top and tuck several sprigs of thyme over the fish to infuse flavor as it bakes.

A casserole dish with uncooked mahi mahi and slices of lemon and fresh sprigs of thyme sit on the fish.

How to Oven Bake Mahi Mahi

Baking lets the lemon, garlic, butter, and thyme slowly flavor the fish while keeping it tender. Preheat your oven to 425°F (220°C). Place the baking dish in the oven and bake for about 15–20 minutes for fully thawed fillets, or 20–25 minutes if cooking from frozen. The most reliable way to know the fish is done is to use an instant-read thermometer: remove the fillets when the internal temperature reaches about 137°F (58°C). Proper timing yields a moist, flaky texture; overcooking will make the fish dry and tough.

A roasting pan of baked mahi mahi. Lemon slices and thyme sprigs sit on top of the fish.

A bowl of brown rice with a piece of baked mahi mahi and blueberry sauce.

Serving the Mahi Mahi with Blueberry Sauce

This mahi mahi is lovely served over a bed of brown rice, but it also pairs well with quinoa, couscous, or roasted vegetables—especially asparagus. A simple side salad works equally well for a lighter meal. Spoon the blueberry sauce over each fillet and garnish with chopped fresh parsley and a small lemon wedge for a bright finish. The contrast of the glossy blueberry sauce, the lemon, and fresh herbs creates an attractive plate that looks as great as it tastes.

Three pieces of baked mahi mahi sitting on a bed of brown rice topped with blueberry sauce and lemon wedges and sprinkled with chopped parsley.

Ingredients (Summary)

  • 2 tablespoons butter, divided
  • ½ cup thinly sliced shallots
  • 4 garlic cloves, minced for sauce (plus additional for fish)
  • ½ cup dry white wine
  • Juice of ½ lemon for sauce; ½–1 lemon for fish
  • ¼ cup granulated sugar
  • 2 cups frozen blueberries
  • 2 teaspoons cornstarch mixed with 2 teaspoons water for slurry
  • 4 mahi mahi fillets (5–6 ounces each)
  • 2–3 tablespoons melted butter for fish
  • Salt, pepper, fresh thyme sprigs, and chopped parsley to garnish

Instructions (Quick Overview)

  • Make the blueberry sauce: sauté shallots and garlic in butter, reduce wine, add lemon juice and sugar, stir in blueberries, thicken with cornstarch slurry, finish with butter and salt.
  • Prepare the fish: pat fillets dry, season, brush with lemon-butter and garlic, top with lemon slices and thyme.
  • Bake at 425°F until an instant-read thermometer registers about 137°F, 15–25 minutes depending on whether fish is thawed.
  • Serve fillets over rice or grains, spoon blueberry sauce on top, and garnish with parsley and a lemon wedge.

Notes

  • Use dry white wine to add depth; avoid sweet table wines.
  • Frozen berries are preferred when cooking; fresh berries are best for uncooked uses.
  • Substitute other firm, mild fish if mahi mahi isn’t available.
  • Thaw fish safely in the refrigerator or in a sealed bag in cold water; do not thaw at room temperature or in the microwave.
  • Remove fish from the oven when it reaches an internal temperature of about 137°F for optimal texture.

Enjoy this easy yet elegant baked mahi mahi with blueberry sauce for a weeknight dinner or an impressive meal for guests. The combination of bright lemon, aromatic herbs, and the slightly sweet blueberry reduction creates a memorable seafood dish that’s simple to prepare.