Fish Tacos

5 from 15 votes

These irresistible fish tacos are bright, perfectly seasoned, and have the best sauce ever! Make this straightforward taco recipe for a totally delicious family meal.

Prep Time40

Cook Time20

Total Time1

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

Keyword: fish tacos recipe

Servings: tacos

Author: Natasha Bull

Ingredients

For the fish:

3 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon lime juice
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1.5 pounds cod fillets see note for subs
1 tablespoon butter for frying

For the sauce:

1/2 cup mayo
1/3 cup sour cream
2 tablespoons lime juice
1 tablespoon sriracha sauce
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/4 teaspoon salt

For serving:

12 corn tortillas see note
2 cups finely shredded cabbage green or red
1/2 medium red onion chopped
1 handful fresh cilantro chopped
Lime wedges
1/2 cup grated Cotija cheese optional, to taste
1 jalapeno pepper chopped finely, optional

Instructions

Prepare your fish by adding the olive oil, lime juice, chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, and salt to a medium bowl and stirring together. Add the cod fillets to a ZipLoc bag and pour the marinade over, then massage to coat and pop it in the fridge. You will prep the rest of the recipe while it marinates, and this will likely take 30-40 minutes, but as long as you marinate the fish for at least 20 minutes, you're good to go.
Meanwhile, add the sauce ingredients to a medium bowl and stir together until smooth. Taste and adjust if needed (e.g. add more lime or salt). Refrigerate until needed.
Prep your toppings and warm your tortillas. To warm the tortillas, use your preferred method or heat a dry cast iron skillet (don't add oil or butter) over medium-high heat. Once it's HOT, warm each tortilla individually, flipping once with tongs (about 30 sec/side). Place them in a clean kitchen towel or foil as you go along, and wrap them up to keep them warm.
When the fish is done marinating, melt the butter in a skillet over medium-high heat (you can use the same one you just warmed the tortillas in). Once the pan is hot, cook the fish for 3-5 minutes/side or until it flakes easily with a fork, taking care to not overcook it. Break the fish up with your fork, then serve straight from the skillet to keep it warm; it'll continue to cook a bit more once you take it off the stove.
Serve on warmed tortillas with desired toppings and a drizzle of the sauce.

Notes

Use cod or another flaky white fish such as tilapia, halibut, mahi-mahi, bass, or snapper.
This recipe will generously make about 12 tacos with your typical medium-size corn tortillas, but it also depends on how much you top them. If you're making smaller tacos e.g. with mini "street size" corn tortillas, you will be able to make more. This recipe will feed 4 adults, especially if you serve it with something else like chips and guac. Leftover sauce can be covered and refrigerated if needed.
The taco sauce isn't spicy, and unless you use a hot chili powder or add some cayenne or chili pepper, the marinade isn't spicy either. Omit the jalapenos if you want to keep these tacos mild.
It's fine to eyeball the toppings! I put quantities as a guideline if needed.
See blog post for more tips, answers to FAQ, and more serving suggestions.

Nutrition