Growing up in California, I’ve always had access to Mexican food in many forms. From fast food, to Tex-Mex, taco trucks, taquerias, and even the nice fancy authentic restaurants. So it’s no wonder that I make burritos, quesadillas, beans, taco salads, enchiladas, tacos and many other dishes. I love Mexican food, and one of my families favorite meals is fish tacos. I remember one time I went to this one little place that served the best fish tacos. I was hooked, and when that particular restaurant closed down I was heartbroken. I had to recreate them! These Fish Tacos with Creamy Fish Taco Sauce aren’t the same thing, unfortunately, but they are still oh so good. This is one of my families favorite meals, and I especially love to start including it in my regular rotation of meals through the Spring and Summer months. Something about that lemony sweet breaded fish with the creamy sauce with hints of lime and spice. Delicious!!
Fish Taco Ingredients:
- 3 Roma tomatoes
- 3 tablespoons cilantro, chopped
- 1 green onion, sliced
- dash cumin
- 4 tablespoons lime juice, divided
- 2 cups Cole slaw
- dash ground pepper
- 2 teaspoons rice vinegar
- 1 pound fish (tilapia)
- 1/2 cup all purpose flour
- 1/2 cup cornmeal
- 2 teaspoons parsley
- 1-1/2 teaspoons lemon pepper
- 2 teaspoons ground cayenne pepper
- 3/4 teaspoon paprika
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon white sugar
- canola oil
- 2 lemons
- 1 cup cheese (cheddar/monterey jack cheese)
- taco sized corn tortillas
- 1-2 avocados (optional)
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise (I use a light version)
- 1/2 cup sour cream (I use a light version)
- juice of 1 lime
- 1/4 teaspoon white vinegar
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon cumin
- 1/4 teaspoon chili powder
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| I like to make the add on’s first, that way the seasonings and spices can set while I prepare the fish. |
In a dish or bowl, combine the tomatoes, cilantro, green onion, cumin and 3 tablespoons of lime juice.
Mix and combine, then cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.
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| In a separate bowl or dish combine the Cole slaw, pepper, vinegar, and 1 tablespoon lime juice. Mix, combine, cover and refrigerate until ready to serve. |
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| Combine all of the ingredients for the creamy fish sauce. Mix well, refrigerate until ready to use. |
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| Combine flour, cornmeal, parsley, lemon pepper, cayenne pepper, paprika, salt, garlic powder, and sugar in a dish or plate. Mix all ingredients until well combined. |
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| Cut each tilapia fillet in half, then dredge in the cornmeal/flour mixture until it is well coated. Pour canola oil in a large skillet or frying pan over medium heat. You want it to be enough oil to reach the sides of the fish, but not completely cover it (fish cooks fast, it will fall apart!) |
Once oil is warmed, add fish and begin to fry each side until it’s a gorgeous golden color.
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| Once the fish is golden and done, remove from heat and immediately douse with lemon juice from a lemon. Let cool while the remaining fish cooks. Generously squeeze lemon over all pieces, once when removed from the heat, and once before you build your taco. |
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| Once the fish is done frying, heat up your tortillas. Then add the Cole slaw, fish, then drizzle with the creamy sauce. |
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| Seriously, I could eat it just like that. Yum. |
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| Add tomato/cilantro mixture, then top with cheese. |
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| I also add avocado, simply because I’m obsessed with them. Big G adds hot sauce, he’s obsessed with that! These are great served with my crock-pot refried beans or my black bean medley (pictured with the tacos). |
Enjoy!
Ingredients
- Fish Tacos:
- 3 Roma tomatoes
- 3 tablespoons cilantro, chopped
- 1 green onion, sliced
- dash cumin
- 4 tablespoons lime juice, divided
- 2 cups Cole slaw
- dash ground pepper
- 2 teaspoons rice vinegar
- 1 pound fish (tilapia)
- 1/2 cup all purpose flour
- 1/2 cup cornmeal
- 2 teaspoons parsley
- 1-1/2 teaspoons lemon pepper
- 2 teaspoons ground cayenne pepper
- 3/4 teaspoon paprika
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon white sugar
- canola oil
- 2 lemons
- 1 cup cheese (cheddar/monterey jack cheese)
- taco sized corn tortillas
- 1-2 avocados (optional)
- Creamy Fish Taco:
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise (I use a light version)
- 1/2 cup sour cream (I use a light version)
- juice of 1 lime
- 1/4 teaspoon white vinegar
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon cumin
- 1/4 teaspoon chili powder
Instructions
- In a dish or bowl, combine the tomatoes, cilantro, green onion, cumin and 3 tablespoons of lime juice.
- Mix and combine, then cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.
- In a separate bowl or dish combine the Cole slaw, pepper, vinegar, and 1 tablespoon lime juice.
- Mix, combine, cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.
- Combine all of the ingredients for the creamy fish sauce.
- Mix well, refrigerate until ready to use.
- Combine flour, cornmeal, parsley, lemon pepper, cayenne pepper, paprika, salt, garlic powder, and sugar in a dish or plate.
- Mix all ingredients until well combined.
- Cut each tilapia fillet in half, then dredge in the cornmeal/flour mixture until it is well coated.
- Pour canola oil in a large skillet or frying pan over medium heat. You want it to be enough oil to reach the sides of the fish, but not completely cover it (fish cooks fast, it will fall apart!)
- Once oil is warmed, add fish and begin to fry each side until it's a gorgeous golden color.
- Once the fish is golden and done, remove from heat and immediately douse with lemon juice from a lemon.
- Let cool while the remaining fish cooks.
- Generously squeeze lemon over all pieces, once when removed from the heat, and once before you build your taco.
- Once the fish is done frying, heat up your tortillas.
- Then add the Cole slaw, fish, then drizzle with the creamy sauce.
- Add tomato/cilantro mixture, then top with cheese.
- These are great served with my crock-pot refried beans or my black bean medley (pictured with the tacos).
- Enjoy!
NOW YOU DID IT, I’M STARVING AND WANT THIS!
Make it for lunch! 😉
My husband does not eat fish tacos. I made these and whala he liked them. I thought they were really good and appreciate the receipe.
Hi Carole, that’s wonderful! So glad you both liked them, thanks for the feedback & for stopping by.
OMG, this look so good!!! Thanks for posting 🙂
Thank you!!!
These look flipping amazing! I LOVE fish tacos, especially with grilled and seasoned fish. I know they’re actually pretty good for me, but I just never make them. I guess it’s because I don’t have good recipe. This looks amazing and not super hard.
I love them with corn tortillas too. I feel like I’m being authentic when I eat them that way. 🙂
Thanks for the recipe. I’m not big on fish, but my boyfriend loves fish tacos!
The only fish tacos I’ve tried in Toronto (so far) are the ones from Hooked. They were ok. Nothing to rave about. I did however try fish tacos in Texas a few years ago and they were outstanding! I guess if you want tacos made right you must go to where they are authentic.
I made these for dinner tonight. SOOOOO GOOOOOOD! I absolutely love fish tacos and these were excellent. Thanks for the recipe 🙂
I’m so glad you liked them! Yay 🙂
I order fish tacos all the time. I think I love them a little too much. I decided to try to make them at home sicne I never had and found your recipe. They were SOOOOO GOOOOD!!! Thank you so much for sharing!
I made these tacos and they were so delicious my whole family enjoyed. I was so proud of my my sauce, pico de gallo blend and cabbage. Thanks for this recipe with pics.
I made these tacos and they were so delicious my whole family enjoyed. I was so proud of my my sauce, pico de gallo blend and cabbage. Thanks for this recipe with pics.
when you write “cole slaw” do you just mean chopped cabbage or ???
Hi Susie! Yes, shredded cabbage works, but I usually buy a bag of ready made cole slaw, without the dressing, and just use that.
That white sauce is money! Thank you so much! I added some (ok lots) of smoked paprika but either way thank you for sharing!
That’s awesome Michael, glad you enjoyed it!
Amazing! Making them again for the third time, using this recipe! Thanks for sharing!
This recipe is fantastic! Thank you for sharing. Like someone else already commented – the fish sauce is liquid gold!! My youngest said she wants to eat it with everything. 🙂
So glad you loved it, it’s been a favorite for my family for years and it’s so exciting to see that many people love it!
We both absolutely loved this recipe. Loved every inch about it. I made our own pico sauce ( onions, cilantro and tomatoes)for it and it was great. Simple, easy with one of my favorite spices- Cumin-. Can’t make anything Mexican without this seasoning, not to mention, Cilantro. OMGoodness, they were spectacular, delightful, and memorable. Originally we used real fresh fish from SFO (not breaded) then Fresh breaded talapia. Wow to both. Your sauce made a world of difference.
Thank you for sharing.
Saving what I can for next time, in the next day, haha. Wish I could send a taco to you. Better yet come join us sometime and enjoy soft spicy retried beans, simple Mexican seasoning rice fish tacos on a soft steamed Corn tortilla. Makes my mouth water…hummm.