Cajun Barramundi and Mango Salsa Rice
with Garlicky Lime Crema
- Milk
- Fish
Cue the brass band, because your taste buds are about to take a trip to the Big Easy! We’re talking seared Cajun-seasoned barramundi set atop fluffy, buttery rice combined with a sweet and bright mango–bell pepper salsa. It’s all finished with a drizzle of garlicky crema and a squeeze of lime that perfectly complement the savory spices.
Ingredients
4 ounce
Mango
1 unit
Bell Pepper
1 unit
Onion
1 unit
Lime
1 teaspoon
Garlic Powder
3 tablespoon
Sour Cream
(Contains: Milk)
10 ounce
Barramundi
(Contains: Fish)
1 tablespoon
Cajun Spice Blend
¾ cup
Jasmine Rice
Not included in your delivery
Salt
Pepper
Sugar
Cooking Oil
Butter
(Contains: Milk)
Nutrition Values
Utensils
Cooking Steps
• Wash and dry produce. • In a small pot, combine rice, 1 1⁄4 cups water(2 1⁄4 cups for 4 servings), and a pinch of salt. Bring to a boil, then cover and reduce to a low simmer. Cook until rice is tender, 15-18 minutes. • Keep covered off heat until ready to use in Step 4. • While rice cooks, drain mango over a small bowl, reserving juice. Core, deseed, and dice bell pepper into 1⁄4-inch pieces. Halve, peel, and dice onion into 1⁄4-inch pieces until you have 3 TBSP (6 TBSP for 4 servings). (Save remaining onion for another use!) Zest and quarter lime.
• In a medium bowl, combine mango, bell pepper, diced onion, half the garlic powder, 2 TBSP reserved mango juice (4 TBSP for 4 servings), juice from half the lime, a pinch of sugar, salt, and pepper. Refrigerate until ready to use in Step 4. • In a second small bowl, combine sour cream, remaining garlic powder, and a squeeze of lime juice. Add water 1 tsp at a time until mixture reaches a drizzling consistency. Season with salt and pepper.
• Pat barramundi dry with paper towels. Season all over with Cajun Spice Blend, salt, and pepper. • Heat a large drizzle of oil in a large, preferably nonstick, pan over medium-high heat. Add barramundi, skin sides down, and cook until skin is crispy, 4-5 minutes. Flip and cook until fish is opaque and cooked through, 2-3 minutes more.
• Add lime zest and 1 TBSP butter (2 TBSP for 4 servings) to pot with rice; fluff with a fork. Add mango salsa (draining first); stir to combine. • Divide mango salsa rice between plates. Top with barramundi and drizzle with garlicky lime crema. Squeeze juice from any remaining lime wedges over top and serve.
Fish is fully cooked when internal temperature reaches 145°.
Customer reviews
Review summary
Updated on Dec 2025- Flavor: Many enjoyed the Cajun-spiced fish, but some found the dish overall lacking in flavor or spice.
- Ease of prep: Simple and quick to prepare, though some found the multiple components time-consuming.
- Suggestions: Consider sautéing the peppers and onions; add jalapeño or extra seasoning for more kick 🌶️.
- Portions: Several mentioned too much rice; some wanted more fish or an additional vegetable side.
- Texture: Some disliked the raw vegetables in warm rice; try serving salsa separately or cooking veggies first.
Reviews from our home cooks
The barramundi with Cajun spices and garlic sauce were delicious! Unfortunately, the mango salsa rice didn't work for me-in flavor, texture or temperature. Adding the salsa to the rice at the end cooled it down too much, the raw peppers and onions were a little strange with the sweet and soft mango. I might have preferred sautéing the veggies with the butter first and then cooking them with the rice. The mango didn't add anything for me, I would leave it out next time. The lime juice and zest brought some nice brightness. I added some hot sauce at the end for some added heat.
I'd never had this fish before. Love the mild taste with the mango salsa. I added more lime zest to the Jasmine rice and it was super. I like these HelloFresh meals because they are easy to prepare and the ingredients come in the bag, but you can add more of your own.
Very intriguing dish - followed the directions and mixed the salsa in with the rice, but in retrospect I think the lime zested rice topped with the fish and then covered in salsa and cream on top would have been a better way to serve it. Interesting mix of tastes though.
The mango salsa (and rice) could benefit from a little zip from a fresh jalapeño. The picture shows cilantro, which would be a nice addition. The fish is very well-seasoned and tasty!
The rice was amazing. The mango in the salsa really gave the rice a neat zip. Cajun is a mild word for the seasoning however. I didn't feel it was Cajun enough.
Perfect combination of Cajun spices on the fish with the sweetness of the mango in the rice
LOVED this new recipe! We felt like we were on vacation! Very flavorful. Liked the garlic and spices mixed with the sweet mango. Perfection.
The flavors!!!! Everything went so well together. Love how fast everything came together! The Barramundi was delicious! Definitely ordering again!
The fish was really good and it went really well with the rice and crema.
Dish was great. I would not recommend mixing the salsa into the rice. Serve it on the fish.
