Our all-time favorite Fish Tacos recipe! These are loaded with fresh ingredients and perfectly seasoned plump fish. Don’t skip the best fish taco sauce – a garlic lime crema that you will want it on all your tacos!
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This is our go-to recipe for family get togethers and company because it comes together quickly and it always gets rave reviews. These fish tacos are so flavorful and satisfying but you will feel good and light at the end of the meal.
This recipe is party sized and can be scaled down to feed a smaller crowd. It was developed by my brother-in-law, Slavik and it has been adopted by pretty much everyone in our family. I have had so many requests to publish the recipe so here it is! It’s an easy, excellent fish tacos recipe. Thank you Slavik for sharing your awesome fish tacos with us. I’m pretty sure it’s impossible to ever get tired of this recipe. P.S. They just happen to be gluten free fish tacos!
Seriously though, be generous with that fish taco sauce! The sauce recipe was adapted from Kaylee on All Recipes. We simply doubled it because there never seems to be enough of the sauce ;).
Ingredients for Fish Tacos:
We used tilapia but you are welcome to use any white fish. Salmon or shrimp would be amazing as well!
Fish Taco Toppings:
*Cotija cheese is a Mexican cheese that crumbles when you grate it; similar to feta but much milder in flavor and not nearly as salty. It is inexpensive and found in the refrigerated cheese section of the grocery store.
Ingredients for Best Fish Taco Sauce:
For the fish taco sauce, all you need is sour cream, mayo, lime juice, garlic powder and sriracha. The sriracha gives it a little kick of spice so you can add more or less based on your preference. This taco sauce is essentially a lime crema – the perfect blend of tanginess and heat (print the recipe below).
How to Make Fish Tacos:
1. Line a large baking sheet with parchment or silicone liner. In a small dish, stir together seasonings: 1/2 tsp cumin, 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper, 1 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp black pepper and evenly sprinkle the seasoning mix over both sides of tilapia.
2. Lightly drizzle fish with olive oil and top each piece with a dot of butter. Baked at 375˚F for 20-25 min. If you want it to get a little browned around the edges, you can broil for 3-5 minutes at the end if desired.
3. Combine all the Taco sauce ingredients: 1/2 cup sour cream, 1/3 cup Mayo, 2 Tbsp lime juice (from 1 medium lime), 1 tsp garlic powder, 1 tsp Sriracha sauce, or to taste in a medium bowl or a large measuring cup and whisk together until well blended. It’s really fun and feels like dining out to serve the sauce in a squeeze bottle like this one.
4. To serve the tacos, toast quickly toast the corn tortillas on a large dry skillet or griddle over medium/high heat.
5. To assemble: start with the fish then add remaining ingredients finishing off with a generous sprinkle of cotija cheese and finally that awesome taco sauce! Serve with a fresh lime wedge to squeeze extra lime juice over tacos.
Mmmm so much sauce! I’m so crazy about this taco sauce. Seriously the best!
⬇ Print-Friendly Fish Tacos Recipe:
Fish Tacos Recipe with Best Fish Taco Sauce!
Ingredients
Fish Taco Ingredients:
- 24 small white corn tortillas
- 1 1/2 lb tilapia
- 1/2 tsp ground cumin
- 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 1 Tbsp olive oil
- 1 Tbsp unsalted butter
Fish Taco Toppings:
- 1/2 small purple cabbage
- 2 medium avocado, sliced
- 2 roma tomatoes, diced (optional)
- 1/2 diced red onion
- 1/2 bunch Cilantro, longer stems removed
- 4 oz 1 cup Cotija cheese, grated
- 1 lime cut into 8 wedges to serve
Fish Taco Sauce Ingredients:
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 1/3 cup mayonnaise
- 2 Tbsp lime juice, from 1 medium lime
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp Sriracha sauce, or to taste
Instructions
- Line large baking sheet with parchment or silicone liner. In a small dish, combine seasonings: 1/2 tsp cumin, 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper, 1 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp black pepper and evenly sprinkle seasoning mix over both sides of tilapia.
- Lightly drizzle fish with olive oil and dot each piece with butter. Bake at 375 for 20-25 min. To brown edges, broil for 3-5 minutes at the end if desired.
- Combine all Taco sauce ingredients in a medium bowl and whisk until well blended.
- To serve the tacos, toast quickly toast the corn tortillas on a large dry skillet or griddle over medium/high heat.
- To assemble: start with pieces of fish then add remaining ingredients finishing with a generous sprinkle of cotija cheese and finally that awesome taco sauce! Serve with a fresh lime wedge to squeeze over tacos.
Nutrition Per Serving
Filed Under
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Love Tacos? Don’t miss our most popular taco recipes here (the beef bulgogi and shrimp tacos are completely swoon worthy!)
I’m so tempted to make these again for dinner tonight. I will never stop loving this recipe! I hope you all love it as much as we do.
These cannot be beat! Fantastic recipe, Natasha! Also, love your recipe book and your sweet story in the beginning, so similar to our upbringing❤️ I’ve shared your website over a dozen times, it’s simply amazing. Just a suggestion, maybe tap into your Euro roots and share some of those recipes.. burek, strudel, pasulja, etc.
HI Monica, thank you for your suggestions and I’m so happy you loved the Fish Tacos Recipe! This is a recipe that has made many people happy over the years.
This really is the BEST fish taco recipe. I’ve tried others and always come back to this. My 3 kids LOVE it and I love how healthy AND tasty it is. I can always count on your recipes to be amazing, Natasha! And, I love your cookbook too! It’s always the first one I reach for.
Hi Cari, I’m so happy you and your children love the fish taco recipe. Thank you for the amazing review!
Great ingredients and health food is always better!
The sauce is wonderful and I make it all the time. My family’s favorite dish.
So happy to hear that, Deborah!
The entire family loved this. I will definitely make it again.
That’s just awesome! Thank you for sharing your wonderful review, Jo!
Made as written the first time a couple months ago. Big hit and everyone young and old loved them! Have since made them with cod, halibut and mahi mahi. All great. We now double the quantity of dry rub on the fish and usually let the fish rest in the fridge for 15-20 minutes with the seasoning when time permits. Also tried frying fish in small strips in peanut oil with a little butter, which was voted a titch bit tastier, but not enough better than the baked version to make much difference and of course not as “healthy.” We also add more like 2 tbsp of Sriracha in the sauce if little ones not joining. We also like a quick pickling of the red onions with lime juice and apple cider vinegar. This recipe is as good as any (and better than many) we’ve had in restaurants and vastly cheaper. We get dozens of fish tacos with all the fixings for under $30. So good!
Hi Laurie! I’m so glad you loved it—even with your own twist! Sounds delish!
Laurie, Do you have a recipe for the pickled red onions? Sounds wonderful with your extra additions if other want to choose what they are in the mood for. Thanks, Carmen
My whole family loved your recipe so much. My kids couldn’t believe that the tacos were made at home. The sauce was so delicious. I added a sprinkle of dried dill leaves to it for extra flavor. Yummy!!
That’s so great to hear. I’m happy they were a hit!
I made this with cod and topped with the “sauce”, cojita, purple cabbage, avocado, and freshly made pico. Ridiculously good.
Great recipe! Had all ingredients except cheese so had to use feta, both husband and I loved the dish. Will repeat.
This recipe exceeded expectations. One of the best fish tacos I have ever eaten let alone cooked. Saving this one for sure.
That’s so great! It sounds like you have a new favorite, Anthony!
Hi, Is there another type of cheese i could use that would be good instead of the cotija? Thanks!
Hi Susan! You can use any cheese of your preference or leave it out completely. Queso
fresco is a good Mexican cheese alternative.
We make this on rotation! It’s great for when extended family or friends come over, too!! SO GOOD!!!
I made it,ate 3 tacos delicious and healthy,thank you from TEXAS, Cynthia
Absolutely delicious! Perfect recipe, although I had to scale back the servings.
Thank you, Natasha!
It’s exactly what I was looking for!
Yummy!!!
You’re very welcome, Eileen! I’m glad it hit the mark.
These are the best fish tacos ever! We use mahi-mahi for them. Everyone I’ve served them to has raved over them! Thank you Natasha!
I adjusted the recipe slightly to my liking and fried my fish instead, but holy crap the sauce! I tried it alone and at first though meh, but oh man together with the fish its divine, so moreish! Highly recommend x
I’ve never made fish tacos before, tried your recipe, and oh my, it’s delicious, my family loved it, I won’t even try another one. I followed it exactly, wouldn’t change a thing!
An AMAZING recipe! So simple and so delicious! My family loves when I make these! Thank you for always keeping it simple!
Hi Annie! We love these yummy fish tacos too! Thanks for the review.
This recipe was delicious! The whole family liked it.
awe that’s the best, Mattie!
I am NOT a fish lover. But dh is and I know it’s healthy for the family. Made these in a hurry and forgot the butter and lemon and they STILL turned out. The seasoning is spot on – just enough kick and good flavor. Added some cole slaw on top for me and half my family. The other half loved the fish sauce in this recipe. Another home run from Natasha- so simple and easy, yet flavorful!
I made these tacos 3 years ago for my sister’s birthday and it has been her requested birthday meal ever since. I’m one that usually uses recipes as a suggestion, but I altered nothing on this. They are just great!