You don’t need to deep fry to make terrific Fish Tacos. You just need a really great marinade! A seriously delicious way to serve up white fish filletsthis recipe can be cooked on the BBQ or stove. Either waythey’re healthyfresh and bursting with serious taco goodness!
Bonus: they happen to be HEALTHY 💪🏼
Fish Tacos
A bad fish taco is worse than a bad chicken taco.
And while most people would be turned off after multiple dismal experiencesI perseveredbelieving there to be better.
I meantacos. They have always been one of my favourite foodsever since the first time I tried them.
And I’m thankful I didn’t give up. Because it just got better and better. Went to Mexicotasted the real dealthen used that as my benchmark to make my own.
And now I’ve got The Fish Taco recipe. Wellat leastwhat I think is the BEST Fish Taco recipe. 🙂
What I like to do is load the fish with flavour with a chipotle lime marinade. You just know by looking at it that it’s gonna be goodright??!
Will you LOOK AT THAT!!! Tender and juicy on the insidedeep golden brown on the outsideflavoured all the way through with just a quick 20 minute marinade!!
What to serve with Fish Tacos
Here’s what I serve with Fish Tacos:
The chipotle marinated fish;
“Pink Taco Sauce” – 2 ingredientmildly spicy sour cream or yogurt saucegoes very well with the fish;
Quick pickled cabbage; and
lime wedges and coriander/cilantro leaves.
What you need for Fish Tacos
Here’s what you need to make fish tacos.
Any firm white fish fillets will work fine hereespecially if they are fleshy.
My favourites are snapper and barramundi. They have “meaty” flesh which I particularly enjoy in tacos.
Other common fish that are ideal include: tilapiabasacodJohn Dory and Silver Dorylingbreamhaddockpollackmonkfish.
I recommend avoiding:
really lean fish – like swordfishtuna and kingfish
very delicate fish – like dover sole and flounder
Quick Pickled Cabbage for Tacos
I serve these tacos with a quick pickled cabbage. Pickling it makes the cabbage floppy so it kind of melds together better with the fish (raw cabbage would be too pokey and crunchy for tender fish)and the slight tang is a classic pairing with seafood.
I think I’ve pretty much talked through the making partbut here’s a visual anyway!
20 minute fish marinade – no longerbecause otherwise the lime juice in the marinade will “cook” the fish;
cook itflake it;
quick taco sauce – sour cream and sriracha. I call it my Pink Taco Sauce;
pickle the cabbage – 20 minutes to become floppy (same as the fish marinating timenice and convenient!);
stuff and devour.
I typically cook Fish Tacos on the stove for midweek meals. But this is fantasticfood for a barbecue with friends! It cooks so quickly so it doesn’t take you away from your guests and you can throw the tortillas onto the BBQ to warm up.
It also scales up easilyand you can lay everything out on the table and let everyone help themselves. Definitely my preferred method of entertaining!! – Nagi x
Recipe video above. Fish marinated in classic Mexican fresh flavoursseared until goldenare perfect for tacos. The lightly pickled red cabbage is a perfect accompanied for the soft fisha great texture contrast. A wonderful recipe for white fish filletsyou will NOT miss deep fried fish!
Ingredients
Fish Marinade
1.2 lb / 600g firm white fish fillets(Note 1)
Zest of 1 lime
3tbsplime juice
1tbspchipotle powder(Note 2)
1tbspcanned jalapenofinely chopped
1/4cupcilantro / corianderfinely chopped
2garlic clovesminced
3tbspolive oil
Salt and pepper
Quick Pickled cabbage
4cupsred cabbagefinely shredded
3green onion stemsfinely sliced on the diagonal
2tbspred wine vinegar(or white wine vinegarcider vinegar)
1/2tspsalt
Pink Taco Sauce
3/4cupsour cream(or yogurt)
2 – 3tbspsrirachaadjust to taste (Note 3)
To Cook & Serve
1tbspolive oil
12small tortillas(corn or flour)warmed
lime wedges
coriander/cilantro leaves
Prevent screen from sleeping
Instructions
Marinade fish: Combine Fish Marinade ingredients in a ziplock bag. Set aside for 20 minutes to marinate – no longer than 1 hour.
Pickled Cabbage: Place Pickled Cabbage ingredients in a bowl. Toss to combine and set aside for 30 minutes. Drain excess liquidscrunch cabbage with your hands (to help soften). Set aside.
Pink Sauce: Mix to combine.
Cook fish: Heat oil in a skillet over high heat. Cook fish for 2 minutes on each sideor until golden and cooked.
Remove fish onto plate then flake into large pieces.
To assemble tacostop with cabbage then fisha dollop of sour cream and a squeeze of lime juice. Fold tortilla over and enjoy!
Recipe Notes:
1. Fish – my favourites are snapper and barramundi. They have “meaty” flesh which I particularly enjoy in tacos. Other good fish include: tilapiabasacodJohn Dory and Silver Dorylingbreamhaddockpollackmonkfish.Recommend avoiding:
lean fish – like swordfishtunakingfish (unless you can get fatty kingfish)
very delicate fish – like dover sole and flounder
2. Chipotle powder – can still be irritatingly difficult to find in Australia! Not sold in all major supermarkets (yet) but you can find it in fruit & veg stores (eg Harris Farms)delis and gourmet/speciality stores (e.g. Thomas Dux). It does not cost much more than ordinary spices. It can be ordered online from Firework Foods (Aus only).If you can’t track it downI think the best substitute is ½ tbsp each SMOKED paprikacumin and 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper.3. Sriracha – Asian chilli sauce that’s very common nowadays (sold alongside chilli sauces and in Asian section). Great “cheat” ingredient to quickly add flavour into things as it’s made with more than just chilli. To reduce spiciness of saucesub with some (or all) ketchup instead.4. Nutrition for 3 tacos (tortilla + fish + pickled cabbage)assumes 2 of the 3 tbsp of oil in the marinade is discarded.
I believe you can make great food with everyday ingredients even if you’re short on time and cost conscious. You just need to cook clever and get creative!
O!M!Gina!!!! So if you’re on the fenceMAKE this you will NOT regret!!! Some of the best fish tacos I have ever had; the pickled cabbagethe pink taco sauce….I’m afraid my husband won’t ever take me out for Taco Tuesday again! Thank you Nagi and Dozer for another great recipe!
Made these today for lunch with freshly caught flathead. Absolutely delicious.
Even my husband who originally turned up his nose when I said I was making theseloved them. Substituted the lime juice and zest for lemon.
This recipe is probably my favourite out of basically any food. Its so easy and most of the ingredients can be stored forever. I make the sauce out of kewpie and siracha instead but keep everything else the same.
This was absolutely delicious! My husband and I used codand the combination of spices with the slaw and sauce were out of this world! This will go in a regular rotation from now on.
Delicious recipe! I used barramundi & it was perfect.
Delicious recipe! I used barramundi & it was perfect.
Absolutely loved these. So easy to makehealthy and delicious. I’ve realised I get at least 90% of my recipes here now. Keep up the good work.
O!M!Gina!!!! So if you’re on the fenceMAKE this you will NOT regret!!! Some of the best fish tacos I have ever had; the pickled cabbagethe pink taco sauce….I’m afraid my husband won’t ever take me out for Taco Tuesday again! Thank you Nagi and Dozer for another great recipe!
We made this last night! It was everything I had hoped and dreamed it would be! Soooooooo delicious!!!
Delicious.The fish marinade was mouthwatering.
Another winner from Nagi. Whole family enjoyed it. Simple but tasty.
This is my 14 year old daughter’s favourite meal. She would eat it everyday if she could.
This is our go to every Tuesday… Taco Tuesday .. it’s a hit!!!
My 13 year old son made these for dinner. Absolutely delicious. Very simple and full of flavour
Made these tonight for the family with frozen basa. So delicious and refreshing! Everyone loved it and will definitely make again.
Thank you!
Made these today for lunch with freshly caught flathead. Absolutely delicious.
Even my husband who originally turned up his nose when I said I was making theseloved them. Substituted the lime juice and zest for lemon.
We had these for dinner tonight what a winner! Yummy!
OMG these were amazing and so easy.
Definitely will be making them again.
This recipe is probably my favourite out of basically any food. Its so easy and most of the ingredients can be stored forever. I make the sauce out of kewpie and siracha instead but keep everything else the same.
This is just such a simple and DELICIOUS taco twist. I pickled beetroot (didn’t have cabbage) and used tortillas. Thank you its so gooooooood!
I made these tacos tonightand they were delicious! My husband was not sure how he was going to like fish tacosbut he loved them and went up for more!
Fabulous recipe. Simplequick and very tasty
This was absolutely delicious! My husband and I used codand the combination of spices with the slaw and sauce were out of this world! This will go in a regular rotation from now on.
Absolutely delish! Made it with Mahi Mahi (sometimes called Dorado). Highly recommend!