Easy Fish Tacos with Spicy Sauce
With Cinco de Mayo right around the corner, you need to add these easy fish tacos with spicy sauce to your menu. This fish taco recipe is loaded with flavor and easy to make. Perfect for a fun weeknight dinner at home. Or you can set this up as a tasty taco bar for your next gathering. These tacos are guaranteed to be a hit.
Recipe tips
For this easy fish tacos recipe, I made a spicy sauce that you can drizzle right over the seared fish. It’s made from five pantry ingredients and has so much flavor. Simply combine mayo, ketchup, hot sauce, old bay seasoning and lemon juice. That’s it. It’s very similar to a remoulade sauce that is commonly used on fish, minus the pickles. This sauce adds that extra pop of flavor that tastes so good with the flaky white fish.
For this taco recipe, I used Atlantic cod fillets. Atlantic cod is a flaky white dense fish that is good for frying or pan searing. It has a very mild flavor, so you can really get creative with your spices. It is also loaded with nutrients and vitamins like, iodine which is good for your thyroid function. Low in fat and high in protein this fish is a great option for a healthy diet.
To add some flavor to the cod, I made a simple and delicious spice blend. It includes, onion powder, garlic powder, salt, paprika and oregano. This blend forms a beautiful crust on the outside of the fish as it sears in the pan. Since Atlantic cod is dense you can easily grill this fish too.
In addition to the spicy sauce, try topping the tacos with my tasty slaw. The dressing is a combination of yogurt, white vinegar, sugar, and mayonnaise. It’s tangy and so delicious with the red cabbage and red bell pepper. Once you put all of these flavorful components together you have the ultimate fish taco!
Feel free to add other garnishes too. I served mine with tortilla chips, salsa, grilled corn, lime wedges, and some sliced cherry tomatoes. You can set it up like a beautiful taco bar and everyone can customize their own taco.
Storage
Store everything is separate airtight containers for 3-4 days in the refrigerator. Freezing is not an option for this recipe. Looking for more fish recipes? Try my blackened shrimp taco bowls with mango salsa or my spinach salmon burgers with whipped feta.
Easy Fish Tacos with Spicy Sauce
Ingredients
Fish and cabbage slaw
- 2 lbs. Atlantic cod
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil, for searing the fish
- 8 warmed flour tortillas , flour or corn will work perfectly
- 2 cups red cabbage , julienned or sliced thin
- 1 cup red bell pepper , julienned or sliced thin
Fish Seasoning
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons oregano
- 1 teaspoon paprika
Spicy Mayonnaise
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise , Hellmann’s
- 1/4 cup ketchup , Heinz
- 1 tablespoon hot sauce , Frank's Red Hot
- 1 teaspoon old bay seasoning
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice , fresh squeezed
Tangy Dressing for Cabbage Slaw
- 1/4 cup mayonnaise
- 1/4 cup light sour cream
- 2 tablespoons cane sugar
- 1 tablespoon white vinegar
Avocado Smash
- 3 medium avocados , peel and remove pits
- 3 tablespoons lime juice, fresh squeezed
- 1 medium jalapeno , about ¼ cup, diced – remove seeds and veins using a spoon
- ¼ cup shallots, diced
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon cilantro, fresh chopped
Optional Garnishes
- salsa
- tortilla chips
- cherry tomatoes sliced in halves
- lime wedges
- 2 ears grilled corn , remove kernels
Equipment
- 3 small mixing bowls, one medium bowl
- 11-inch non-stick skillet
Instructions
Prepare the spicy sauce:
- In a small mixing bowl, combine the mayonnaise, ketchup, hot sauce, old bay seasoning and lemon juice. Mix well and set aside.
Prepare the avocado smash:
- In a small mixing bowl, combine the avocados, lime juice, diced jalapeno, diced shallots, salt and cilantro. Smash everything together using a spoon. Once the avocado is creamy and slightly lumpy, set it aside. Cover and refrigerate it to prevent it from turning brown.
Prepare the red cabbage slaw:
- In a medium-sized mixing bowl, combine the mayonnaise, white vinegar, light sour cream, and sugar. Mix well.
- Next, add the thinly sliced red cabbage and red bell pepper to the dressing. Toss until it is well coated. Cover and refrigerate until it’s time to assemble the tacos.
Prepare the fish spice blend:
- In a small bowl, combine the onion powder, garlic powder, paprika, salt, and oregano. Mix until well combined.
Prepare the fish:
- Remove the fish from the refrigerator and let it sit for 15 minutes to come up to room temperature.
- Pat the fish dry with a paper towel.
- Generously season the fish with the spice blend.
- Grab an 11-inch non-stick skillet and place it over medium high heat.
- Once the pan is hot, add the oil.
- Reduce the heat to medium and add the seasoned cod fillets. Let them cook undisturbed for 3-4 minutes. Once the fish has a nice brown sear, flip the fish but only once.
- You will know when the fish is done because it will begin to flake, and the center will be opaque, not translucent.
- You want the internal temperature to be 145 degrees Fahrenheit. Cooking time will vary based on the thickness of your cod fillets.
- Remove the cod from the pan and set it aside.
Assemble the tacos:
- Add a warmed tortilla to a plate.
- Add some of the avocado smash.
- Place a few pieces of cooked cod on top of the avocado smash.
- Drizzle the cod with the spicy mayo sauce and some of the red cabbage slaw.
- Top with any additional garnishes you desire. Enjoy!
One Comment on “Easy Fish Tacos with Spicy Sauce”
We just made these with some fish we had in the freezer and they blew us away. I will definitely be making these again. Thanks!