This fast and flavorful fish tacos recipe is the perfect quick lunch or dinner.

Seasoned fish fillets are baked, flaked, and then tucked into tortillas with your favorite toppings and a drizzle of taco sauce.

Fish tacos on a wooden board

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Holly’s Recipe Highlights

  • Flavor: Baked and not fried, these fish tacos are fresh and flavorful with a mild white fish and simple homemade rub. We love to serve these with the easy taco sauce below.
  • Difficulty: Simple toppings and a little oven time are all you need for resort-style fish tacos.
  • Technique: The fish is baked until flaky but can also be grilled.
  • Swaps:  Any white fish can be used in this recipe.
  • Time-Saving Tip: The homemade taco seasoning mix can be replaced with a packet of taco seasoning.
  • Leftovers: Stretch leftovers further by making fish taco bowls!
ingredients for fish tacos including lime, oil, fish, fish taco sauce, tortillas, seasoning rub, avocado

Ingredient Tips for Fish Tacos 

  • Fish: I use cod in this recipe, but any white fish like halibut, haddock, or tilapia will work. Frozen fish should be thawed and patted dry so the seasonings will adhere.
  • Seasonings: The rub for these fish tacos is a flavorful blend of paprika, garlic powder, cumin, cayenne, salt, and pepper. You can also use a packet or homemade taco seasoning.
  • Sauce: The fish taco sauce is a rich and tangy addition and needs few ingredients. Fresh lime juice is recommended.
  • Tortillas: Corn or flour tortillas work for fish tacos, so gently warm them before filling them so they don’t crack.

Variations

  • Seasoning: Season the fish fillets with a blackened seasoning or a Cajun flavor.
  • Onion slaw: Make a quick cabbage onion slaw by combining a cup of shredded cabbage, ½ thinly sliced sweet white onion, 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro, 1/3 cup sour cream, 2 tablespoons of fresh lime juice, and one seeded and chopped jalapeno pepper.

How to Make Fish Tacos

  1. Prepare the fish: Pat fish dry and rub with homemade spice mixture.
  2. Bake: Bake the fish in the oven (full recipe below).
  3. Prepare the toppings: Chop and prepare desired taco toppings.
  4. Enjoy! Assemble and serve tacos once the fish and toppings are ready.

Fish Taco Toppings

Fish Tacos on a wooden board

Leftovers?

Store leftover fish from the tortillas and other ingredients in a covered container for up to 2 days. Use leftover fish in a cold wrap, on top of a salad, or reheat portions in the microwave and build new tacos with toppings and add-ins.

More Easy Taco Recipes

Did you enjoy this Fish Tacos Recipe? Leave a comment and rating below.

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close up of Fish Tacos with avocado and cilantro
5 from 154 votes

Fish Tacos

Servings 4 servings
Tender and flaky, these baked fish tacos are lightly seasoned, nestled in soft tortillas, and drizzled with a creamy fish taco sauce.
Servings 4 servings
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
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Ingredients  

  • 1 ½ pounds cod fillets or tilapia,haddock, or halibut
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil

Seasoning Rub

  • 1 tablespoon chilli powder
  • 1 teaspoon paprika
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • ½ teaspoon cumin
  • ½ teaspoon garlic powder
  • ½ teaspoon onion powder
  • ½ teaspoon black pepper
  • ½ teaspoon salt

Tacos

  • 8 corn tortillas or flour tortillas, 6-inch
  • 1 avocado sliced
  • 1 lime wedged

Fish Taco Sauce (optional)

  • 3 tablespoons sour cream
  • 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
  • ½ lime juiced
  • ½ teaspoon garlic powder
  • ½ teaspoon cumin
  • ½ teaspoon sriracha or to taste

Instructions 

  • Preheat the oven to 400°F.

Fish Taco Sauce

  • Combine sour cream, mayonnaise, lime, garlic powder, cumin, and sriracha in a small bowl (if making) and refrigerate until serving.

Seasoning Rub

  • In a small bowl, mix the chili powder, paprika, oregano, cumin, garlic powder, onion powder, black pepper, and salt.
  • Dab the fish fillets dry with a paper towel and drizzle with olive oil. Rub the seasoning mix over all sides of the fish.
  • Bake on a rimmed baking sheet for 10-15 minutes* or until flaky and heated to 145℉.
  • Heat tortillas according to package directions.
  • Use a fork to break the fish into large chunks. Divide the fish pieces among the tortillas and add toppings as desired.

Notes

Spice Rub:  Substitute the rub above with our own favorite rub, cajun, or blackened seasoning.
Cabbage Onion Slaw: Combine 1 cup shredded cabbage, ½ sweet white onion, thinly sliced, 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro, ⅓ cup sour cream (or Greek yogurt), 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice, and 1 jalapeño pepper seeded & chopped.
Keep an eye on your fish. Thinner pieces of fish will cook faster.
Leftover fish can be refrigerated for 2 days. Fish should be stored and reheated separately from the tortillas.
Nutritional information includes 1 fish taco in a corn tortilla. Toppings are not included in nutritional information.
5 from 154 votes

Nutrition Information

Calories: 163 | Carbohydrates: 27g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 5g | Sodium: 348mg | Potassium: 174mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 875IU | Vitamin C: 4.9mg | Calcium: 62mg | Iron: 1.6mg

Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.

Course Dinner, Fish, Lunch, Main Course
Cuisine American, Mexican
Fish Tacos on a wooden board with writing
open faced Fish Tacos on a wooden board with writing
fish tacos on a board with a title
Fish Tacos on a wooden board with garnish and writing

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About the author

Holly Nilsson is the creator of Spend With Pennies, where she creates easy, comforting recipes made for real life. She is also the author of “Everyday Comfort,” which promises to inspire even more hearty, home-cooked meals.
See more posts by Holly

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5 from 154 votes (102 ratings without comment)

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  1. The best fish tacos with every component -sauce & onion/jalapeno cabbage plus suggested toppings make a party for dinner. I used cod this time, resulting in super flavor and texture My teen daughter requests it frequently – and it’s easy!5 stars