These spicy fish tacos with slaw are one of my go-to weeknight meals—super easy, full of flavor, and on the table in under 30 minutes. The flaky fish, crunchy cabbage, and that creamy, spicy sauce on top? Total perfection. If you haven’t tried these yet, you’re seriously missing out!
Spicy Fish Tacos Recipe
Is your family having a Taco Tuesday tradition yet? If not, it is a great recipe to start one! What about celebrating Cinco De Mayo with delicious themed foods like simple chicken tacos or quick steak fajitas!
Ingredients
- Whitefish filets - Tilapia or halibut are great options for these spicy fish tacos. I’ve used 3 thin and small frozen and thawed tilapia filets that measure about 5 inches long and 4 inches wide. If you use bigger fish filets, adjust the baking time accordingly.
- Spices - I’ve used a combination of smoked paprika, cumin, and chili powder to add depth of flavor and spice to the fish filets. Or you can use homemade taco seasoning instead. You can easily adjust the level of heat by increasing or decreasing the chili powder. As the recipe stands, the spice is more aromatic than hot.
- Tortillas - Feel free to make your own tortillas or purchase corn tortillas, flour tortillas, or a gluten-free tortilla brand to suit your preferences.
- Cabbage (for fish taco assembly) - Save yourself some time buying a pre-shredded bag of cabbage mix, otherwise, a simple cabbage salad works too. Whenever I have more time I love making cabbage slaw or cabbage stir-fry here. If you don’t enjoy cabbage then consider using fresh Romaine lettuce or another favorite leafy lettuce.
- Spicy Fish Taco sauce - This easy-to-make sauce can be increased with heat by simply increasing the hot sauce. You could also buy a taco sauce instead if you like.
- For the full list of ingredients, please scroll down to where you'll find the recipe card.
How To Make Blackened Fish tacos Step By Step
- In a small bowl combine all the spices. Place the fish fillets onto a large baking sheet or dish lined with parchment paper.
- Brush the fish with vegetable oil. Rub with spices on both sides and transfer to a preheated oven to 400 Fahrenheit. Bake for 8-10 minutes and add about 3-5 minutes on the broil setting to get the exterior slightly crisp and charred. Transfer to a plate lined with paper towels.
- Once baked, shred the fish with two forks or tear it into smaller bite-size pieces, and set aside.
- Make the Spicy Mayo sauce by combining all the ingredients, and let the flavors blend nicely for 10-15 minutes covered in the fridge.
- Meanwhile, warm tortillas in a small pan over medium heat just until they start to get charred.
- To assemble: mix shredded red cabbage and green cabbage with some salt to taste. Massage the cabbage for a couple of minutes and add olive oil.
- Add the cabbage slaw to warm tortillas followed by finely diced red onion, carrots, fresh cilantro, green onions, thinly sliced radish, and fish pieces. Top with spicy mayo sauce!
Tips
- For 4 tacos I used 1 cup of sliced cabbage, ¼ shredded carrots, and 3-4 radishes. For added convenience, you can purchase packaged julienned carrots, thinly sliced red onion, and radish in the salad section or simply prepare these ingredients ahead of time to store in separate containers in the refrigerator.
- Although warming the tortillas before assembling the fish tacos is optional, I strongly recommend taking this step as it helps to make the tortillas pliable for assembling the tacos.
- Fish has a tendency to stick to surfaces so it’s best to spray the baking pan with a non-stick cooking spray before baking the fish.
- I’ve opted to set the oven to broil for a couple of minutes which gives the fish a slightly crispy exterior. This is optional but does add to the overall deliciousness of the dish.
- Any leftover spicy homemade sauce can be stored in the fridge for 3-5 days in an airtight container. If the sauce has thickened, simply add in some milk or sour cream, bringing it to room temperature before using it in other dishes or freshly made spicy fish tacos.
- Any smoky spices that you have on hand will give a great smoky-spicy flavor. Instead of spices provided in the recipe, you can use chipotle, adobo, cayenne pepper, and smoked salt.
Freezing and Storing Instructions
- Properly sealed, baked white fish fillets can be stored in the fridge for a couple of days. Keep all the ingredients separate for the most optimal result while storing.
- I'd still highly recommend consuming everything on day 1, especially in fresh fish recipes. If you really need to, refrigerate fish and reheat in the oven at about 200 degrees Fahrenheit on a baking sheet or dish until warm.
Serving Suggestions
For the best fish tacos serve them with a variety of Mexican side dishes such as avocado dip, salsa, more coleslaw, and yellow rice.
Easy Dinner Recipes
- Baked Pasta With Pepperoni
- Cheesy Ground Beef Taco Pasta
- Salmon Patties
- Chili Cheese Dog Casserole
- Cheesy Sheet Pan Nachos
📖Recipe
Spicy Fish Tacos
These Spicy Fish Tacos are a great example of a healthy and flavorful Mexican-inspired dish that can easily be ready to serve in less than 30 minutes! The contrasting textures of tender fish filets with a crunchy cabbage mix and topped with a Spicy Fish Saco sauce is simply irresistible…a must-try!
Ingredients
For Fish
- 1 pound flaky white fish fillets, tilapia, cod, halibut, fresh or thawed from frozen
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon cumin
- ¼ teaspoon chili powder
Spicy Fish Taco Sauce
- ½ cup mayonnaise
- ¼ cup sour cream
- 1 teaspoon Sriracha or similar hot sauce
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- ¼ garlic powder
For serving (optional)
- 4 taco size tortillas
- red onion, diced
- young green cabbage or mixed cabbage slaw
- carrots, julienned
- radish, sliced
- avocado, diced
- cilantro, chopped
- lime wedges
Instructions
- In a small bowl combine all the spices.
- Place the fish fillets onto a large baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Drizzle the fish with vegetable oil. Rub with spices on both sides and transfer to a preheated oven to 400 Fahrenheit.
- Bake for 8-10 minutes (for medium thin fillets) and add about 3-5 minutes on the broil setting to get the exterior slightly crisp and charred. Transfer to a plate lined with paper towels. Optional. Once baked, shred the fish with two forks or tear it into smaller bite-size pieces, set aside.
- Make the Spicy Fish Taco sauce by combining all the ingredients, let the flavors blend nicely for 10-15 minutes covered in the fridge.
- Meanwhile, warm tortillas in a small pan over medium heat just until they start to get charred.
- To assemble: mix shredded red cabbage and green cabbage with some salt to taste. Massage the cabbage for a couple of minutes and add olive oil. Add the cabbage slaw to warm tortillas followed with finely diced red onion, carrots, fresh cilantro, green onions, thinly sliced radish, fish pieces. Top with spicy mayo sauce!
Notes
- For 4 tacos I used 1 cup of sliced cabbage, ¼ shredded carrots, and 3-4 radishes. For added convenience, you can purchase packaged julienned carrots, thinly sliced red onion, and radish in the salad section or simply prepare these ingredients ahead of time to store in separate containers in the refrigerator.
- Although warming the tortillas before assembling the fish tacos is optional, I strongly recommend taking this step as it helps to make the tortillas pliable for assembling the tacos.
- Fish has a tendency to stick to surfaces so it’s best to spray the baking pan with a non-stick cooking spray before baking the fish.
- I’ve opted to set the oven to broil for a couple of minutes which gives the fish a slightly crispy exterior. This is optional but does add to the overall deliciousness of the dish.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
Fish Tacos: FAQ
Can I make these spicy fish tacos ahead of time?
These fish tacos should be served and enjoyed immediately after assembling for the best flavor and texture. You can prepare some of the recipe components such as the taco sauce, sliced red onion, shredded carrots, and radishes - all to be stored in separate airtight containers until ready to assemble the tacos.
Are these spicy fish tacos healthy?
Absolutely! It’s never a bad idea to add fish to the diet since it’s a great source of healthy protein and Omega-3 fatty acids. The salad components offer various vitamins, minerals, and good fiber too.
Of course, you will need to evaluate the recipe according to your dietary requirements.
Are these spicy fish tacos gluten-free?
No. I’ve used regular tortillas for these tacos. If you require a gluten-free version, simply use gluten-free tortillas that are readily available online or in-store.
Rita
These spicy fish tacos are a delicious and easy way to add some seafood into your menu!