Easy Air Fryer Halibut with Fresh Mango Salsa & Fluffy Coconut Rice: Your Perfect Healthy Meal
Inspired by an unforgettable meal at the Cliffside Restaurant in St. George, this recipe brings a gourmet experience right into your kitchen. We’re talking about a mouthwatering **Air Fryer Halibut with Fresh Mango Salsa**, beautifully complemented by a bed of creamy **Coconut Rice**. This dish isn’t just delicious; it’s a symphony of fresh, vibrant flavors and textures that will transport your taste buds to a tropical paradise. Each component is designed for maximum flavor and surprising ease, making it a perfect healthy meal for any day of the week. Get ready to create a meal that truly feels special without spending hours in the kitchen!
Perfectly Cooked Air Fryer Halibut: Fast, Flaky & Flavorful
If you’re looking for an incredibly simple yet effective way to cook fish, the air fryer is your secret weapon. Cooking white fish like halibut in an air fryer results in a beautifully flaky texture with a slightly crispy exterior, all while keeping the inside moist and tender. It’s truly one of the easiest proteins to prepare in this versatile appliance, making it ideal for a quick and healthy dinner.
During the warmer months, avoiding the oven is a priority for many home cooks. The air fryer saves the day by delivering perfectly cooked halibut without heating up your entire kitchen. This makes it an excellent choice for a light and refreshing summer meal. For this particular **air fryer halibut recipe**, we’ll be using two halibut fillets, which are known for their mild flavor and firm, meaty texture, making them a premium choice for seafood dishes.
Tips for Air Frying Halibut to Perfection
- Preheat is Key: Always preheat your air fryer for a few minutes. This ensures even cooking and helps achieve that desirable slight crispness on the outside.
- Season Generously: While halibut has a great natural flavor, a simple seasoning blend of garlic powder, onion powder, sea salt, and fresh cracked black pepper enhances it beautifully. Don’t be shy!
- Light Oil Spray: A quick spray of olive oil on the fish and the air fryer basket prevents sticking and helps in browning.
- Cooking Time Varies: Typically, white fish cooks in about 6-12 minutes at 380°F (195°C). The exact time will depend on the thickness of your fillets and whether they are thawed or frozen. Thicker fillets will naturally take longer.
- Check for Doneness: Fish is cooked when it flakes easily with a fork. An internal temperature of 145°F (63°C) is ideal. Be careful not to overcook, as it can dry out quickly.
While halibut is excellent for this dish, you can also substitute it with other white fish like cod or tilapia. These fish varieties generally follow similar cooking times and will absorb the delicious seasonings and complement the salsa and rice wonderfully. Whether fresh or frozen, your air fryer will transform these fillets into a culinary delight.
Vibrant & Zesty Homemade Mango Salsa: The Crown Jewel
This homemade **Mango Salsa** is more than just a topping; it’s the vibrant heart of this entire dish. Bursting with fresh, sweet, and tangy flavors, it provides the perfect counterpoint to the savory halibut and rich coconut rice. The chilled salsa offers a refreshing contrast, making every bite an absolute explosion of tropical goodness.
Our delightful salsa is crafted from an array of fresh ingredients: ripe mangos for their sweet, juicy essence, white peaches for an added layer of delicate fruitiness, finely diced jalapeño for a subtle kick, crisp green onions for a mild onion flavor, bright lime juice and zest for essential acidity, and a touch of salt to bring all the flavors into harmony. Each ingredient plays a crucial role in creating a balanced and incredibly flavorful salsa.
Crafting Your Fresh Mango Salsa
Making this salsa couldn’t be simpler. Start by dicing all your fresh produce – mango, peach, jalapeño, and green onions – into small, even pieces. The consistent size ensures that you get a medley of flavors in every spoonful. Then, combine them in a bowl with fresh cilantro, the zest and juice of a lime, and a pinch of salt. Gently toss everything together until well mixed. Once assembled, store it in the fridge to allow the flavors to meld and chill, enhancing its refreshing qualities.
While this mango salsa is undeniably divine with Air Fried Halibut, its versatility extends far beyond! It’s fantastic served as an appetizer with crispy tortilla chips, or as a topping for grilled chicken, pork, or even fish tacos. If you enjoy quick and easy salsa recipes, you might also like my blender salsa, another super easy option to add fresh flavor to your meals.
Fluffy & Aromatic Instant Pot Coconut Rice
While this dish boasts many incredible elements, the homemade **Instant Pot Coconut Rice** is the foundation that truly elevates it to a gourmet level. You don’t *have* to make it from scratch, but I highly recommend it! It adds a wonderfully creamy texture, a subtle sweetness, and an aromatic depth that perfectly complements the savory halibut and zesty mango salsa. Best of all, it’s incredibly simple to prepare, requiring minimal effort for maximum impact.
Effortless Coconut Rice in Your Instant Pot
Making coconut rice in the Instant Pot is a game-changer. It’s a hands-off process that yields consistently fluffy and fragrant results every time. All you need are a few basic ingredients: jasmine rice, a can of full-fat coconut milk, water (or broth for extra flavor), and a touch of coconut extract to intensify that tropical aroma. Jasmine rice is particularly well-suited for this recipe due to its natural fragrance and soft texture when cooked.
The process is incredibly straightforward: simply add the rinsed jasmine rice, pre-shaken canned coconut milk (shaking ensures the cream and liquid are well combined), water or broth, and coconut extract to the inner pot of your Instant Pot. Lock the lid, set the valve to seal, and cook on manual for just 10 minutes. Once the timer signals, a quick release of pressure, and then a gentle fluff with a fork, is all it takes to achieve perfectly cooked, aromatic coconut rice. This component is quick to make and perfectly balances the bold flavors of the Air Fryer Halibut and Fresh Mango Salsa, creating a cohesive and unforgettable dining experience.
Why This Air Fryer Halibut with Mango Salsa is Your Next Favorite Meal
This delightful dish is more than just a meal; it’s an experience. The combination of succulent, flaky **Air Fryer Halibut**, vibrant and refreshing **Fresh Mango Salsa**, and aromatic **Instant Pot Coconut Rice** creates a harmonious blend of flavors and textures that will tantalize your senses. It’s a testament to how simple, fresh ingredients can come together to form a truly extraordinary plate.
Imagine the perfectly cooked halibut, seasoned just right, providing a lean and tender protein base. Then, layer on the bright, sweet, and tangy notes of the mango salsa, with its subtle hint of spice and refreshing fruitiness. Finally, the creamy, subtly sweet coconut rice ties everything together, offering a comforting and fragrant bed for the star components. Each element is quick to prepare, proving that healthy, gourmet-inspired meals don’t have to be complicated or time-consuming.
Whether you’re looking for a quick weeknight dinner, a healthy option that doesn’t compromise on flavor, or a dish that will impress your guests, this recipe is a winner. It’s a fantastic way to enjoy seafood, packed with nutrients and bursting with a truly unforgettable taste profile. Give it a try, and prepare to add this **Air Fryer Halibut with Fresh Mango Salsa and Coconut Rice** to your regular meal rotation!
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Air Fryer Halibut with Fresh Mango Salsa
Air Fryer Halibut with Fresh Mango Salsa is the best, flavorful meal! Served over a bed of coconut rice… yum!
10 minutes
12 minutes
10 minutes
32 minutes
Ingredients
- 12 ounces (340 g) Halibut fillets , or other white fish (2 fillets-6 ounces each)
- Olive Oil spray
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon sea salt & fresh cracked black pepper
Mango Peach Salsa
- 1 medium mango, peeled and cubed
- 1 medium peach, white or orange, cubed
- 1 Jalapeño, seeded and diced
- 2 green onion stalks, diced
- 1/4 cup fresh cilantro (2 tablespoons dried)
- 1 lime, zested and juiced
- 1 teaspoon salt
Coconut Rice
- 1 cup white jasmine rice
- 1 can coconut milk, shaken first
- 1/3 cup water or broth
- 1 teaspoon coconut extract
Instructions
For the Air Fryer Halibut
- Pre-heat Air Fryer to 380°F (195°C) for 3 minutes.
- Rinse and pat dry the fish fillets thoroughly. Spray or coat them lightly with olive oil spray and season both sides generously with garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper.
- Spray enough olive oil on the base of the air fryer basket to prevent the fish from sticking. Carefully lay the seasoned fish fillets in a single layer on the air fryer basket.
- Air Fry at 380°F (195°C) for about 6-12 minutes, or until the fish can be easily flaked with a fork. Cooking time will vary depending on the thickness and initial temperature of the fillets. (Frozen fillets will typically require closer to 12 minutes).
- Remove the perfectly cooked halibut from the Air Fryer and serve immediately over a bed of the prepared coconut rice. Top generously with the homemade Mango Salsa and enjoy this flavorful meal!
For the Mango Salsa
- Begin by carefully dicing the mango, peach, jalapeño (remove seeds for less heat), and green onion into small, uniform pieces. Transfer all diced ingredients to a small mixing bowl.
- Add the fresh cilantro, lime zest, freshly squeezed lime juice, and salt to the bowl. Toss gently to combine all ingredients thoroughly, ensuring the flavors are well distributed.
- Store the freshly made salsa in an airtight container in the fridge until you are ready to serve. Chilling the salsa allows the flavors to meld beautifully and provides a refreshing contrast to the warm fish.
For the Coconut Rice
- Add the rinsed white jasmine rice, a well-shaken can of coconut milk, water or broth, and coconut extract to the inner liner of your Instant Pot.
- Lock the lid securely, set the steam release valve to the sealing position, and manually set the timer to 10 minutes. The Instant Pot will display “ON” as it builds pressure, then it will count down from 10.
- Once the cooking timer sounds, perform a quick release of the pressure by carefully turning the valve from sealing to venting. Be cautious of the hot steam.
- Remove the lid and gently fluff the perfectly cooked coconut rice with a fork. Serve warm and enjoy its creamy, aromatic goodness!
Notes
*For the mango salsa, you can easily substitute a red or white onion for the green onions if that’s what you have on hand or prefer. Both options will provide a delicious, aromatic base.
*Shaking the can of coconut milk vigorously before adding it to the rice is crucial. This ensures that the thick coconut cream and liquid are well incorporated, leading to a consistently creamy and clumpy-free coconut rice.
*When cooking fish in the air fryer, if you’re using frozen fillets, increase the cooking time by a few minutes. Always aim for an internal temperature of 145°F (63°C) for safety and optimal texture.
*Feel free to adjust the amount of jalapeño in the salsa to your spice preference. For more heat, leave some seeds in; for less, remove all seeds and membranes.