Posted on by 14ideas

Five Amazing Fish Taco Recipes

Living in Missoula MT, it’s hard to find quality fish tacos. So much so that I’ve taken it upon myself to make them at home. After sifting through dozens of recipes, I give you five amazing fish taco recipes you must try next time you have taco Tuesday. I promise you wont be disappointed.

Fish Tacos with Strawberry Mango Salsa

IF

Ingredients

  • 1 lb firm tilapia, cut into 1-inch-thick fillets
  • 1 lime, juice of
  • 1/2 tsp cumin
  • 1/2 tsp chili powder
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/4 tsp black pepper, ground
  • Strawberry Mango Salsa
  • Corn or whole wheat tortillas, small
  • Lime, cilantro, Tabasco sauce for garnish, optional

Directions

  1. In a flat rimmed baking dish, whisk together lime juice, cumin, chili powder, salt and black pepper. Turn fish on both sides in marinate until evenly coated. Let fish marinade in the refrigerator for at least 15 minutes.
  2. In the meanwhile, prepare Strawberry Mango Salsa.
  3. Preheat an indoor/outdoor grill or large non-stick skillet on medium high heat and spray with cooking spray. Place fish on the grill/skillet and cook untouched until white and opaque on the bottom, about 4 minutes. Carefully flip on the other side and cook another 4 minutes. If using an indoor grill, you won’t have to flip the fish and cook for 4 minutes total. Transfer to a platter and using the fork break into large flakes. Warm up tortillas on the grill or microwave.
  4. To assemble a taco, place desired amount of fish in a warm tortilla, and top it with Strawberry Mango Salsa and any optional garnishes.

Salmon Tacos with Thai Curry Sauce

Salmon-Tacos-with-Thai-Curry-Sauce

Ingredients 

  • Salmon fillet
  • Small Flour Tortillas, one per taco

For the curry:

  • 1 can Coconut Milk
  • 2 Tbls. Panang or Red Curry Paste
  • 1 Tbls. palm sugar*
  • 1 Tbls. fish sauce

For the slaw:

  • 1½ C. shredded green cabbage
  • 1½ C. shredded red cabbage
  • 1 sliced green onion
  • ¼ C. chopped mint
  • ¼ C. chopped basil
  • ¼ C. chopped cilantro
  • 1 lime, juiced, zested
  • 1 Tbls. fish sauce
  • 2 tsp. palm sugar*
  • ⅛ tsp. red chili paste (you could use red pepper flakes)

Directions

  1. Prepare curry: Combine coconut milk, curry paste, palm sugar and fish sauce in saucepan. Stir well and bring to boil, reduce heat and simmer about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, to reduce sauce and thicken a bit. Set aside.
  2. Prepare slaw: add shredded cabbage, green onion and chopped herbs in bowl. Combine lime juice, zest, fish sauce, palm sugar and red chili paste and drizzle over cabbage. Toss well and set aside.
  3. Grill or bake salmon. Heat tortilla, add salmon (break into a few pieces to fit in tortilla), some slaw and drizzle curry sauce on top.
  4. *Substitute white or brown sugar for palm sugar if necessary. And taste for correct sweetness. Need a little more salt, add more fish sauce, need a little more heat, add a bit more curry or red chili pepper.

Blackened Mahi Mahi Tacos with Chipotle Mayo 

Mahi-Mahi-Tacos-with-a-Chipotle-Mayo-8

 

Ingredients 

For Chipotle Mayo:

  • 1 whole chipotle pepper* (in adobo sauce)
  • ½ cup light mayo
  • 1 tsp lime juice
  • salt and pepper, to taste

For the Blackening Seasoning:

  • 1 tbsp paprika
  • 2 tsp dried Italian seasoning
  • 1 tsp cayenne pepper
  • ½ tsp garlic powder
  • ½ tsp onion powder
  • ½ tsp black pepper

For the Tacos:

  • 15 oz. mahi-mahi, skin removed
  • 6 small flour tortillas
  • ⅓ cup Monterey jack cheese, shredded
  • 1 cup cabbage, shredded
  • 2 roma tomatoes, diced
  • 2 tbsp cilantro (or flat leaf parsley), chopped

Directions 

  1. First, prepare the chipotle mayo. Add the mayo, chipotle pepper, and lime juice to a blender and blend until smooth. Season with salt and pepper to taste, then refrigerate until ready for use.
  2. Mix the paprika, dried Italian seasoning, cayenne pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, and black pepper together in a small bowl. Set aside.
  3. Cut the filet of mahi-mahi in half lengthwise. Then, cut into large equal-sized pieces. Sprinkle the mahi-mahi with the blackening seasoning and set aside.
  4. Heat a skillet over medium-high heat. Spray with cooking spray and add the seasoned mahi-mahi pieces. Cook the pieces until each side has browned and the fish is flaky, about 3 to 4 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.
  5. Heat the tortillas in a skillet over medium-high heat, about 30 seconds per side. Alternatively, heat the tortillas in a microwave under a damp paper towel in 30 second increments.
  6. Assemble the tortillas by laying a few pieces of the mahi-mahi down the center of each tortilla, then top it with ⅙th of the shredded cheese, cabbage, tomatoes, and cilantro. Drizzle with chipotle mayo and serve immediately.

Blackened Tilapia Baja Tacos

4e4281c0a1d2df62d4c3b1ff30cd33c7

Ingredients

  • 1/4 cup reduced-fat sour cream
  • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
  • 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
  • 1 jalapeño pepper, seeded and chopped
  • 1 cup thinly sliced white onion
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons paprika
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons brown sugar
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 3/4 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper
  • 4 (6-ounce) tilapia fillets
  • 1 tablespoon canola oil
  • 8 (6-inch) corn tortillas
  • 1/2 ripe peeled avocado, thinly sliced
  • 4 lime wedges

Directions 

  1. Combine first 4 ingredients in a food processor; process until smooth. Combine jalapeño sauce and onion in a small bowl.
  2. Combine paprika and next 6 ingredients (through ground red pepper); sprinkle evenly over fish. Heat oil in a large cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add fish to pan; cook 3 minutes on each side or until desired degree of doneness.
  3. Warm tortillas according to package directions. Divide fish, onion mixture, and avocado evenly among tortillas. Serve with lime wedges.

Sautéed Tilapia Tacos with Grilled Peppers & Onions

1108p84-sauteed-tilapia-tacos-x

Ingredients

  • 2 (1/2-inch-thick) slices white onion
  • 1 (8-ounce) package mini sweet bell peppers
  • Cooking spray
  • 3/4 teaspoon salt, divided
  • 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, divided
  • 4 (5-ounce) tilapia fillets
  • 8 (6-inch) corn tortillas
  • 1 small jalapeño pepper, thinly sliced
  • 8 lime wedges (optional)

Directions

  1. Preheat grill to high heat.
  2. Arrange onion slices and bell peppers on a grill rack coated with cooking spray. Grill onions for 12 minutes, turning after 6 minutes. Grill bell peppers 12 minutes, turning occasionally. Remove onions and bell peppers from grill, and let stand for 5 minutes. Slice onion rings in half. Thinly slice bell peppers; discard stems and seeds. Combine onion, bell peppers, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/8 teaspoon black pepper in a small bowl.
  3. Sprinkle fish evenly with remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt and remaining 3/8 teaspoon black pepper. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add fish to pan, and cook for 3 minutes on each side or until fish flakes easily when tested with a fork or until desired degree of doneness.
  4. Warm tortillas according to package directions. Divide fish, onion mixture, and jalapeño slices evenly among tortillas. Serve with lime wedges, if desired.

Please leave a comment and let me know which recipes you tried, and how you liked it!

Written by Rachael Fuson

University of Montana