Blackened Cod with Mango Salsa

Our household loves eating fish so I am not sure why we don’t eat more of it! It may be that I am a little intimidated by it.

This Blackened Cod with Mango Salsa is SO easy to make though and SO delicious!

A fork slicing through a blackened cod filet topped with colorful mango salsa.
Chicken, that’s easy. Ground beef, simple. But fish for some reason typically throws me for a loop unless my husband is home and can put it in the smoker.

So I was pleasantly surprised when this Blackened Cod with Mango Salsa came together faster than I had anticipated.

Who else loves easy weeknight meals?

Labeled ingredients for blackened cod with mango salsa on a white marble countertop.

I feel like I need to brag about my handsome husband for a minute. Let me just say, he is the man when it comes to grilling or smoking meat.

The guy takes “smoking” very seriously!

He carefully prepares his meats the day or days ahead of time and sits out there with his smoker (click HERE to see the one he uses) and keeps watch until that protein is cooked to perfection.

Pouring a homemade seasoning rub on two cod filets.

My favorite part of his love for smoking meat…I don’t have to help or do anything! I happily pretend to be the silly housewife who can’t possibly understand such complex matters and watch my favorite show on Netflix while he slaves away. Ha!

Okay, back to the recipe!

If you are wondering what “blackened” means in regard to grilled meat it is simply a blend of several spices such as chili powder, paprika, and typically a sugar, along with salt.

A numbered gallery of two fresh cod filets, them seasoned with a rub, and grilled.

The spice blend adds a delicious spicy and smoky flavor to fish, chicken, and beef. There are tons of different “rubs” that you can use to “blacken” your proteins. I think this seasoning rub would pair well with other varieties of fish as well.

The amazingly simply mango salsa came about because I had a ripe mango and red onion sitting on the counter along with some cilantro in the fridge.

A spoon in a glass bowl of colorful mango salsa with red pepper and red onion.

Naturally, I knew some sort of a salsa had to be made!

I resisted adding more ingredients to the salsa even though I wanted to. However, I knew the simpler the better, right? When you are making this at home, try adding some cumin or dare I say, diced pineapple to your salsa! Yum!

PS…If you are a foodie like me be sure to check out my amazing Pinterest food boards HERE. Until next time…

A blackened cod filet on a white plate topped with mango salsa.

A blackened cod filet topped with a mango and red pepper salsa.

Blackened Cod with Mango Salsa Recipe

Sammi Ricke
This healthy grilled cod with colorful mango salsa comes together SO quickly! Aren't easy weeknight meals the best? The smoky spiciness of the fish paired with the sweet yet tangy salsa is a flavor explosion! This simple, gluten-free, dairy free, and clean eating recipe is sure to impress. Who says healthy food is boring?! Not me!
5 from 2 votes
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Course Lunch, Main Dish
Cuisine American
Servings 2 servings
Calories 266 kcal

Equipment

  • outdoor grill (or air fryer and oven options in notes)
  • 1 plate

Ingredients
  

Mango Salsa

  • 1 mango, peeled and diced (about 1/2-3/4 cup)
  • 1/2 small red bell pepper, diced
  • 1/4 cup diced red onion
  • 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
  • 1 small jalapeno, finely chopped (about 2 Tablespoons)
  • 2 teaspoons lime juice
  • 1/8 teaspoon salt

Dry Rub

Fish

  • 2 boneless and skinless cod filets (about 1 pound)

Instructions
 

  • Preheat an outdoor grill to medium-high heat or roughly 400F.
  • Add all the salsa ingredients to a small-medium mixing bowl. Gently stir to combine and let the mixture rest while preparing the fish.
    1 mango, peeled and diced, 1/2 small red bell pepper, diced, 1/4 cup diced red onion, 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro, 1 small jalapeno, finely chopped, 2 teaspoons lime juice, 1/8 teaspoon salt
  • Mix all the rub ingredients together in a small boil. Set aside.
    2 Tablespoons golden monk fruit sweetener, 1 teaspoon chili powder, 3/4 teaspoon garlic salt, 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander, 1/2 teaspoon ground mustard, 1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
  • (See notes for alternative cooking methods.) Place two pieces of aluminum foil on top of each other and fold the sides together as if to form one piece of foil. Do this for each piece of fish you are preparing. Lightly spray the foil with nonstick cooking spray. Gently pat the pieces of fish dry with a paper towel and place on the oiled foil.
    2 boneless and skinless cod filets (about 1 pound)
  • Sprinkle the rub over each fish filet and gently pat the rub into the fish with your fingers (top, sides and bottom if there is enough rub mix left).
  • Place the foil of fish on the grill. The fish will take 12-15 minutes to cook. Do not turn the fish while grilling. It is finished when you can easily flake the fish apart with a fork or the internal temperature of each filet reaches 145F.
  • Gently remove the fish from the foil with a large spatula and place each portion on a plate. Top with mango salsa.
  • Store leftovers separately (fish and salsa) in airtight containers in the fridge for up to 3 days.

Notes

Alternative Cooking Methods -  If cooking the fish in the air fryer, preheat to 400F. Spray the basket generously with non-stick cooking spray and place the seasoned fish filets in the air fryer. Do not overcrowd the air fryer basket, the fish filets should not be touching. Air fry for 8-10 minutes or until the internal temperature of each fish filet reaches 145F. If cooking in the oven, preheat to 400F. Line a sheet pan with aluminum foil and spray with non-stick cooking spray. Place the seasoned fish on the prepared sheet pan and bake for 12-15 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 145F.
Grilling Tips - If you prefer not using the foil packet, oil the grill VERY well so the fish doesn’t stick. Cook the fish on the first side without disturbing it for 6 minutes, then carefully flip. The fish should release easily, if it doesn’t, cook 1-2 minutes longer before trying to flip again.
Cooking Tips - The amount of time the fish filets take to cook greatly depends on their thickness. Always check at 8 minutes when cooking on the grill or air fryer and 12 minutes when baking in the oven. 
Leftover Tips - If you have extra mango salsa, use it as a dip for tortilla chips, add to burrito bowls, salads or tacos. 

Nutrition

Serving: 1servingCalories: 266kcalCarbohydrates: 33.6gProtein: 51.1gFat: 1.5gSaturated Fat: 0.1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0gMonounsaturated Fat: 0.1gTrans Fat: 0gCholesterol: 80mgSodium: 302.8mgPotassium: 125.7mgFiber: 5.4gSugar: 16.1gVitamin A: 23.5IUVitamin C: 18.6mgCalcium: 10.8mgIron: 0.1mg
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

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5 from 2 votes

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22 Comments

    1. Hi Barb! Yes, serve with rice, cauliflower rice, vegetables, salad, homemade French fries, etc. The possibilities are endless. Enjoy this delicious recipe!

  1. This looks so yummy my mouth is watering! I am the same way, I find it easy to work with chicken and beef, fish seems daunting. I am totally going to try this! Thanks for linking up at Favorite things Friday! Next time add a link back or button, I’d love to feature you on my blog and social media 🙂 Hope to see you again this week!

    1. Hi Rebecca! It is comforting to know there are others that are just a little intimated by fish too. My next protein to conquer is shrimp. It is probably so simple I will wonder why it took me so long 😉 We’ll chat soon!!

  2. I am trying too incorporate more fish in my diet. Thanks for this recipes. Thank you for linking up at #HomeMattersParty this week.. Looking forward to seeing what you link up next week.

  3. We love fish too! Your Blackened Cod with Mango Salsa sounds lovely – I really like the salsa! Pinning and will tweet. Thank you for sharing with us at the Hearth and Soul hop.

  4. This sounds delicious! I haven’t had mango in a long time, now I know the perfect way to add it to a meal! Thank you so much for sharing your recipe at the Talented Tuesday Link Party!

  5. …’I happily pretend to be the silly housewife who can’t possibly understand such complex matters and watch my favorite show on Netflix while he slaves away.” HA!!! Love it! Soooo something I would do! This looks amazing ladies! (And the pics are beautiful, too!)
    Thanks for linking up to ‘Favorite Things Friday’ with Hip Homeschooling and Simply Rachel!

  6. Hello beautiful ladies! This looks so amazing. Pinned and tweeted. I hope to see you on tonight at 7 pm because we love to party with you! Happy Memorial Day! Lou Lou Girls

  7. Oh, Sarah, when you started talking about Sammi, I thought you were talking about yourself, and I thought “A bit full of herself, isn’t she?” LOL
    This is my first time here, so I didn’t know! 😉
    Here from #HomeMattersPArty.
    Thanks so much for a GF recipe. This looks so good, I want to lick the screen.