Fish Tacos

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 experiences, I persevered, believing there to be better. I mean, tacos. They have always been one of my favourite foods, ever 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 Mexico, tasted the real deal, then used that as my benchmark to make my own. And now I’ve got The Fish Taco recipe. Well, at least, what 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 good, right??!

Will you LOOK AT THAT!!! Tender and juicy on the inside, deep golden brown on the outside, flavoured 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 ingredient, mildly spicy sour cream or yogurt sauce, goes 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 here, especially 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: tilapia, basa, cod, John Dory and Silver Dory, ling, bream, haddock, pollack, monkfish. I recommend avoiding:

really lean fish – like swordfish, tuna 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. Here’s what you need for the pickled cabbage:

Don’t restrict yourself to using this pickled cabbage just for Fish Tacos! It will go with any type of tacos – chicken, old school beef tacos, shredded beef, beef barbacoa, or pork carnitas.

How to make it

I think I’ve pretty much talked through the making part, but here’s a visual anyway!

20 minute fish marinade – no longer, because otherwise the lime juice in the marinade will “cook” the fish; cook it, flake 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 time, nice and convenient!); stuff and devour.

I typically cook Fish Tacos on the stove for midweek meals. But this is fantastic food 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 easily, and you can lay everything out on the table and let everyone help themselves. Definitely my preferred method of entertaining!! – Nagi x