Opah, also known as moonfish or sunfish, is a rare fish to come across. It has a peculiar shape, silvery-red color, and a taste that differs across different parts of its body when cooked. Their pectoral muscles taste like beef, while the upper half of their bodies have a flavor that’s a cross between tuna and salmon — two of our all-time faves.
Whether it’s grilled, seared, or pan-fried, this versatile fish offers some excellent cooking options. From opah bolognese to opah burger, here are 14 amazing opah recipes for you to enjoy its rich, creamy taste and firm, fatty texture.
1. Grilled Opah Fish Taco
This incredible 20-minute recipe is an absolute crowd-pleaser. Season the fish with Hawaiian black lava sea salt and a lemon and peppercorn seasoning blend to infuse it with salty, smokey, peppery flavors. Add the seared filets to tortillas, and serve them with your favorite toppings like flash-pickled slaw or an avocado-chili ranch, or pair them with some grilled asparagus.
2. Grilled Opah Steaks with Herb Garlic Butter
This 3-ingredient opah recipe will be a lifesaver when you want a quick and delicious meal. To prepare this wonderful delicacy, you just season the opah steaks with salt to taste, then grill it on medium heat until the fish is cooked well on both sides. Now, for the finishing touch, slather them with a pat of herb garlic butter to enjoy.
3. Grilled Opah with Asparagus
Buttery grilled opah and fresh grilled asparagus are irresistible on their own but they make a wonderful pairing in this recipe. Take this humble recipe a few notches up by drizzling the opah and asparagus with a bright lemon sauce made with olive oil, lemon juice, and salt.
4. Grilled Opah with Baby Spinach and Quinoa Salad Topped with Fresh Pineapple Salsa
If you have a family dinner coming up and are unsure of what to serve, trust this meal to wow your guests. It calls for serving tender, luscious, and firm grilled opah with nutrient-dense baby spinach and quinoa salad. Top it with slightly sweet and spicy pineapple salsa and serve warm.
5. Opah Bolognese
Give the classic bolognese a distinctive twist with this recipe using ground opah. And since you’ll be using the abductor muscle of opah, it won’t alter the dish’s flavor profile because it has a beef-like flavor — a perfect alternative for pescatarians. It pairs well with spaghetti and lasagna, but this recipe uses wide noodles to hold this hearty, meaty sauce.
6. Grilled Opah (Moonfish) with Apricot-Lemon Glaze
In this recipe, the mild flavor of opah is wonderfully complemented by an incredibly delicious sweet glaze. To make this glaze, saute garlic in melted butter and add apricot preserve, lemon juice, salt, and pepper. Simmer until the glaze thickens. Brush your grilled opah with this sweet glaze and serve!
7. Opah Burger With Chipotle Buttermilk Aioli
Seafood burger is not up everyone’s alley, but this burger recipe will make a few converts. It uses a rich and creamy chipotle buttermilk aioli to load the burger with smoky, spicy, and garlicky flavors. You can serve the cooked opah in brioche or Hawaiian burger buns and top them with red onion, pickles, and tomato to serve.
8. Opah Fish with Sunchokes and Asparagus
This 7-ingredient dish is an absolute treat for your tastebuds. It makes for a simple yet delicious dinner using simple salt and pepper seasoning to sear the fish on high heat. Serve it with loads of crunchy and nutty sunchokes and slightly sweet and bitter asparagus spears for a scrumptious meal.
9. Opah, Two Ways (David Tanis-Inspired Crudo and Seared Fish)
Can’t settle on just one recipe for your opah? Spruce up your dinner menu by making opah Crudo and seared opah in one night! Both recipes use minimal ingredients and produce tantalizing dishes. While the crudo is perfect on its own, the seared opah is best served with a refreshing butter lettuce and blood orange salad.
10. Opah with Buttery Tomato Sauce
This recipe pairs mild, buttery opah with a creamy tomato sauce to produce a hearty, healthy meal. Make the sauce with butter, garlic, onions, pepper, salt, tomato, and white wine vinegar. Serve up the browned opah filets with quinoa, rice, or bread to sop up the mouth-watering flavors of the sauce, and enjoy!
11. Pan Seared Opah with Lemongrass Couscous
Pan-seared opah is a delicacy on its own, but serve it with lemongrass-flavored couscous and you have a winning meal on hand. Top it off with some warm mango salsa, which is prepared with garlic, ginger, honey, jalapeno, mango, orange juice, and shallot. The recipe delivers a wonderful flavor and texture contrast and is perfect to serve on special occasions.
12. Seared Fish Sandwich with Tarragon Yogurt
This sandwich recipe will have everyone craving seconds! You can prepare this simple lunch/dinner meal by searing opah in oil and butter to highlight its flavor, then pairing it with pickled shallots and tarragon yogurt sauce made with pungent, bittersweet tarragon, lemon juice, lemon zest, and garlic powder. Dig in!
13. Seared Opah over Asian Greens
Opah has a mild, buttery flavor, and this recipe uses only a few simple ingredients like salt and pepper to season it and bring the subtle flavors of the fish to the forefront. Once the fish is seared, you can serve it with a green salad made by tossing baby greens, edamame, and snow peas with a delicious sesame-scallion vinaigrette.
14. Seared Opah with Papaya-Avocado Salsa
This recipe has loads of complementary and contrasting flavors. To prepare, season opah filets with lemon juice, salt, and pepper and cook over high heat until you achieve your desired doneness. Serve it with a refreshing pineapple and avocado salsa. This recipe is also adaptable, so you can use whatever fruits you have on hand to create a winning meal.
