Blackened Fish with Key Lime Tartar Sauce is ridiculously delicious, inspired by my vacation to the Florida Keys. Bake the fish in the oven or air fryer!
Blackened Fish with Key Lime Tartar
Move over fish florentine, meet my new fish obsession!! I ate my weight in blackened fish while in the Florida Keys, always ordering the catch of the day. Most days, I had fish fish tacos, but I really enjoyed a blackened fish dish with key lime tartar sauce and wild rice that I had one night for dinner. Since I got home, I’ve been thinking about that meal, so I knew I had to recreate it ASAP! The tartar sauce came out perfect!! Some more healthy blackened fish recipes are Blackened Fish Tacos with Cabbage Mango Slaw and Blackened Salmon with Mango Salsa.
What is blackened fish?
Blackened fish is white fish coated in dried herbs, and spices and pan fried until charred and “blackened.” I spray my fish with olive oil and cook it in the air fryer ore broiler it to make it lighter, both ways are great.
Here are the ingredients I use in my blackened seasoning. It’s pretty mild, you can reduce or omit the cayenne if you prefer it milder or increase it if you like it spicier.
- Paprika
- Dried cayenne pepper
- Garlic powder
- Dried thyme
- Dried oregano
- Salt
- Black pepper
What fish is best for blackening?
Most white fish is good for blackening, use whatever is local or freshest. Mahi mahi, grouper, red snapper, and tilapia are all great options. It’s also great with salmon or chicken.
Key Lime Tartar Sauce Ingredients
Key lime tartar sauce is common in the Florida Keys, and we had it pretty much everywhere we went. The one that stood out to me the most had chopped dill pickles, so I added them to my sauce. Key limes are common in Florida, but use regular limes if you can’t find them. You can also use Greek yogurt instead of mayo if you prefer.
- Reduced-fat sour cream
- Light mayonnaise
- Finely chopped dill pickles, plus some of the pickle juice
- Fresh chopped dill
- Fresh key lime or regular lime juice
How to Serve
The restaurant in Key West served their fish with wild rice, which I enjoyed, but here are some other ideas:
- On a potato roll as a sandwich with slaw
- As a salad over mixed greens or romaine with avocado, cucumber, and cherry tomatoes
- On tortillas as tacos with cabbage slaw
More Fish Recipes You’ll Love:
- Skillet Cajun Spiced Fish with Tomatoes
- Foil Packet Spiced Rubbed Fish with Watermelon Salsa
- Cilantro Fish Tacos
- Healthy Baked Fish Sticks with Lemon Caper Sauce
- Spice Rubbed Grilled Salmon with Black Beans and Corn
Blackened Fish with Key Lime Tartar
Equipment
Ingredients
Blackened Fish
- 1 tablespoon paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon dried cayenne pepper
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/8 teaspoon black pepper
- olive oil spray
- 4 pieces fresh skinned white fish fillets, 6 ounces each (mahi mahi, grouper, red snapper, tilapia)
- 3 cups cooked wild rice or brown rice
- lime wedges, for serving
Key Lime Tartar Sauce:
- 1/4 cup reduced fat sour cream
- 3 tablespoons light mayonnaise
- 1/3 cup finely chopped dill pickles plus 1 tablespoon pickle juice
- 1 tablespoon fresh chopped dill
- 1 teaspoon fresh key lime juice
- 1/8 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/8 teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Combine the ingredients for the tartar sauce and refrigerate until ready to serve.
- In a small bowl, combine the paprika, cayenne, garlic powder, thyme, oregano, salt, black pepper and mix to blend.
- Spritz the fish with oil on both sides and rub all over.
- Coat the fish on both sides with the spice mix.
Air Fryer Method:
- Spray the air fryer basket with oil. Working in batches, place the fish in the basket in a single layer and cook 400F until the fish flakes easily with a fork, about 5 to 7 minutes, turning halfway depending on the thickness of the fish.
Oven Method:
- Broil fish 6" from heating element high, 4-5 minutes, no need to turn
To serve:
- Place 3/4 cup rice on each plate, 1 piece of fish, and divide sauce in 4 tiny bowls. Serve with lime wedges.
