These Fish Tacos are so easy to make, and are restaurant quality good. The amazing flavors of the fish, slaw, and sauce come together in the most perfect way.
The other day when I shared my Fish Taco Sauce with you, I promised you a great Fish Taco recipe to go with it, and here it is! This recipe comes together in just about 20 minutes, and it is absolutely delicious. It will feel like eating at a great taqueria right in your own kitchen.
How to Make Fish Tacos
This is a brief overview of how easy it is to make Fish Tacos. For the full recipe with all of the measurements see the recipe card at the bottom of the post.
- Make the slaw. We want the slaw to sit for a little bit, so it is important to start it before you do anything else. Just combine some shredded cabbage, vinegar, and sugar in a bowl.
- Make the fish taco sauce. Whisk together the sour cream, yogurt, Sriracha (or hot sauce), lime juice, sugar and salt. Set it aside.
- Cook the fish. Whisk together the spices, pat the fish dry, then rub the spices into the fish. Cook them in a skillet with a little oil for 2 minutes on each side.
- Put together the tacos. Let everyone add a little bit of everything to their tacos and enjoy!
Best Fish for Fish Tacos
For these fish tacos we are going with a white fish. I suggest either cod or halibut. Both cook very quickly – a major plus of this recipe – and neither has an overwhelming fish taste. That is fantastic because it means it can pick up the easy seasoning we are throwing on the fish before sautéing it.
Cooking Cod
In this recipe we are cooking the seasoned cod in a skillet with a little bit of oil. One of the things I love most about this recipe is how quickly the fish cooks. It literally only takes about 2 minutes per side when you put it in a hot skillet. Watch it closely because you don’t want it to over cook.
The fish has finished cooking when you can push down on it and it easily flakes apart. You can also tell it is done because it will be opaque in the center. Cod should be cooked to an internal temperature of 140 degrees Fahrenheit. Using an instant read thermometer is always helpful for recipes like this when you don’t want to overcook the meat.
Instant Read Thermometer
Slaw for Fish Tacos
We are making the simplest slaw for these fish tacos. Normally when we pickle things, we let them sit for a while before enjoying them. In this recipe we are only letting the slaw sit for about 15 minutes before we use it.
This short amount of time is just enough to soften the cabbage a little and give it a delightful bite from the vinegar. If you are curious about the sugar we are adding here, it is to balance that bite from the vinegar.
If you want to take this slaw up a notch, and you happen to have it on hand, you can use Rice Wine Vinegar in this recipe. It gives the slaw a delightful flavor!
Fish Taco Sauce
Our Fish Taco Sauce is the simple combination of six ingredients. It is light and compliments the fish perfectly. I encourage you to read the whole post on this recipe, especially the section on how to adjust the flavor. It is helpful for all types of recipes!
Fish Taco Sauce
FAQ
Any white fish will work well for fish tacos. We prefer cod or tilapia, but halibut or snapper would work as well. These fish are easy to work with, cook up quickly, and take on the flavors in this recipe well.
Cod will be opaque when it is fully cooked, when you press down on it lightly with a fork it will easily flake apart. I love using an instant read thermometer when cooking fish. The cod is done when it reaches an internal temperature of 140 degrees.
Yes! Fish, in general, is quite healthy. Additionally, we are cooking the fish in minimal oil and then serving it up with low fat dairy and veggies.
If you serve these in corn tortillas as the recipe is written, these are gluten free. As always, check all of your ingredients when cooking for someone with a gluten intolerance.
What to Serve with Fish Tacos
These tacos stand great alone on their own, but if you are looking for side dishes, consider some of the following:
- Chips and guacamole will always win over my heart.
- This Spanish Rice recipe is super easy, and is always a great side dish.
- My Corn Salsa would be great in these tacos, but it also works as a side dish like a salad.
- Can you even have taco night without margaritas? I think not.
If you try this fish tacos recipe or any of my other recipes, leave me a comment and let me know what you think!
Fish Taco Recipe
Ingredients
For the Fish Tacos
- 1 pound white fish (like tilapia or cod) thaw according to package instructions
- 2 teaspoons chili powder
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 12 corn tortillas (6 inches)
Fish Taco Slaw
- 1 cup shredded red cabbage
- 1 cup shredded green cabbage
- 1/3 cup vinegar
- 1 teaspoon sugar
Fish Taco Sauce
- 1/2 cup low fat sour cream
- 1/2 cup low fat plain yogurt
- 2 tablespoons lime juice
- 1 – 2 tablespoon Sriracha Sauce (hot sauce would work here too, just start with less)
- 1/2 teaspoon sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
Instructions
- Before making the fish, in a medium bowl mix together the ingredients for the salw. Allow it to sit while you are making the fish.
- Pat dry the fish. Rub the fish with spices and salt, covering both sides.
- In a skillet over medium heat, add 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Make sure it coats the entire pan. Add the fish and cook for 2 minutes on each side. The fish is cooked through when it is compltely opaque all the way through or reaches an internal temperature of 140 degrees. Flake apart the fish.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the sour cream, yogurt, lime juice Sriracha, sugar, and kosher salt. Adjust the flavors of the sauce to your taste. Read more about how to do that here.
- To put together the tacos, add a small amount of fish, slaw, and sauce to each one. Enjoy!
Ruth Phillips says
Yum 😋