Easy Fish Tacos are a great family meal, quick to make and on the table in about 20 minutes!
This recipe starts with white fish fillets (such as tilapia or cod) rubbed with a flavorful spice mixture and baked until tender and flaky. Add your favorite toppings, some fish taco sauce, or a side of Fresh Mango Salsa for the perfect weeknight meal!
Easy Fish Tacos Recipe
Fish Tacos are one of those easy meals I just don’t make often enough. They’re fresh and flavorful and everyone loves them, not to mention…. 20 minutes from fridge to table. Win/win!!
What kind of fish for tacos? These fish tacos start with white fish, we like tilapia (although if you don’t like tilapia, choose your favorite white fish such as cod or haddock). You can really use any fish to make these including salmon.
Tortillas should be gently heated and can be either flour or corn. I prefer the flavor of corn tortillas.
How to Make Fish Tacos
- PREP FISH Dab the fish dry and rub it with the simple homemade spice mixture in the recipe below.
- BAKE the fish in the oven for about 15 min… super fast!
- PREP TOPPINGS In those 15 minutes, chop and prep your favorite taco toppings. By the time the fish is done, the toppings are ready.
SHORTCUT TIP: You can also use your favorite pre-made taco seasoning or cajun seasoning. Mixing your own spices takes just a few minutes, tastes better and you can control salt and spice levels.
How to Make Fish Taco Sauce
I often serve fish tacos with a classic coleslaw or onion slaw (recipe below) but if you’d like a sauce, the following is one of our favorites!
Combine the following and drizzle over tacos:
- 3 tablespoons each mayonnaise and sour cream
- juice from 1/2 fresh lime
- a pinch of garlic powder and cumin and about 1/2 teaspoon of sriracha
These just take a few quick minutes to prepare so they are perfect for a busy weeknight and just taste so delicious and light.
Favorite Toppings
- Fresh: Diced tomatoes, diced onion, shredded lettuce, coleslaw (or onion slaw)
- Creamy: Cotija Cheese, avocado or guacamole, cream or sour cream
- Flavorful: Homemade Salsa or Pico de Gallo, Fresh Mango Salsa
What to Serve With Fish Tacos
Fish tacos are a complete meal in one and don’t require a lot of extras on the side! I love to add tons of toppings for everyone to dress up their own and a couple of fresh simple sides.
If I do serve sides with fish tacos, it’s usually something simple like a corn salad or some delicious Spanish Rice!
Favorite Fish Recipes
- Parmesan Broiled Tilapia
- Salmon Tacos with Pineapple Salsa
- Salmon Croquettes
- Herb Crusted Baked Salmon
- Asparagus Salmon Foil Packets
Did you enjoy these Fish Tacos? Be sure to leave a rating and a comment below!
Easy Fish Tacos
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 ½ pounds fillets of tilapia or cod/haddock
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
Rub
- 1 tablespoon chilli powder
- ½ teaspoon cumin
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- 1 teaspoon oregano
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
Tacos
- 8 6-inch corn or flour tortillas
- 1 sliced avocado
- 1 lime wedged
- toppings to taste
Fish Taco Sauce (optional)
- 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
- 3 tablespoons sour cream
- ½ lime juiced
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon cumin
- ½ teaspoon sriracha or to taste
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F.
- Combine all fish taco sauce ingredients in a small bowl and set aside.
- Combine rub ingredients and rub into fish fillets. Place fish on a parchment lined pan and drizzle with olive oil.
- Bake for 12-15 minutes or until flaky and cooked.
- Heat tortillas according to package directions.
- Break fish into large chunks and divide between tortillas. Top as desired and serve.
Notes
Nutrition Information
Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.
Course Main Course
Cuisine Mexican© SpendWithPennies.com. Content and photographs are copyright protected. Sharing of this recipe is both encouraged and appreciated. Copying and/or pasting full recipes to any social media is strictly prohibited. Please view my photo use policy here.
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Hit the spot – deliiiiiish !
Delicious! Used cajun spice I had on hand. Made the sauce and Mango Salsa to accompany. Small salad on side. Perfect supper.
Will definitely make again. Thank you for your delicious recipes.
You’re welcome, Beth! So happy you are enjoying them. Mango Salsa is such a yummy choice to serve these with!
Super delicious
Definitely delicious. My whole family loved them. This is a keeper. We are adding it to the menu. Thank you so much for sharing this wonderful recipe.
Could you substitute mahi mahi for the fish?
Hi Debra, we haven’t tried this recipe with Mahi Mahi but another reader has made it with good results.
Hello! Do you think you could substitute Greek Yogurt for the mayo? Not big mayonnaise fans in this house :)
We haven’t tried that substitution but another reader has and had great results! You will have to let us know how it turns out.
These tacos were excellent. We used cod because that’s what we had in the freezer. Only used the rub and the methodology. Had made chipotle salsa so used that and made cabbage slaw a little differently.
Years ago, I had fish tacos for the first time while vacationing in Virginia Beach. Your recipe is astoundingly delicious and matched the very dish I have been craving for a while. I used Basa and made my own spice mix and the sauce is oh so wonderful. Fabulous recipe!
So glad we could help with your craving, Jan!
I made this for supper for my family tonight. It was super fast, easy, and absolutely delicious. Thank you for the great recipe.
You’re welcome Annie! Glad you enjoyed it.
I made this tonight at the request of my son. I had a similar fish taco in Myrtle Beach two years ago and honestly, this recipe matched it to a tee! Wonderfully, delicious recipe and light!
My husband who is very picky loved this! Asked for it to be in the regular rotation. Thank you for posting delicious recipes like this one!
You’re welcome Rebecca! Love to hear when picky eaters enjoy the dishes!
Fantastic recipe!! I used cod fillets and my family enjoyed it immensely. Great summer meal.
We made this tonight just as written with one exception. I didn’t have Sriracha so I just used a hot sauce that we had in the pantry. The cabbage onion slaw is great too. Next time I will skip the slaw dressing and just double the fish sauce. This was a big hit with our friends. Thank you for this great recipe, as usual.
You’re welcome Kathy, thanks for sharing that idea!
I would like to try this recipe but we dont care for sriracha. What would you suggest for a substitution?
You could try your favorite hot sauce Michelle. Enjoy!
Hello Michelle,
We don’t care for Sriracha either. A product I’ve used a lot as a substitute is Sweet Red Chili sauce by Thai Kitchen.
You can find the Sweet Red Chili sauce by Thai Kitchen on Amazon!
I decided to try this recipe because past ones didn’t quite measure up. It was a hit! Even my son enjoyed it and will usually not eat fish.
A great recipe! We had it on a Friday during Lent. Our family devoured these. I would recommend you follow the entire recipe. We made it with flounder marinated in the curry, the Pico de gallo, and sauce. For our preference- next time I would make it with a little less cumin and a little more curry. …buy plenty of fresh limes,,, and make it spicey!
I give this a five stars because when my family and I made this taco dish, it was fantastic! I love how basic it is which makes it good and the choice of the fish was good.
My daughter (13 years old) who doesnt like fish LOVED this recipe!
That is awesome Diana! So happy she enjoyed it.