The Best Fish Tacos
Get all the tips and tricks to make the best fish tacos of your life! The fish can be cooked on the grill, oven, air fryer or stovetop!
Fish tacos, really good fish tacos, are probably one of my favorite things to eat in the history of ever. If I spy them on a menu out in the wild, I am 99.3% sure to order them.
Turns out, making really amazing fish tacos at home is super easy, really fast, and an incredibly good idea. Also, it pretty much means I have no reason to every leave my house again.
What Kind of Fish to Use for Fish Tacos
The best kind of fish to use for fish tacos, in my opinion, is a mild-flavored white fish. Like, cod, halibut, tilapia, or rockfish.
Recently, Brian and the four teenage boys went fishing in Alaska, and I had a moment of “who am I and how did I get here” as I stared at the 200 pounds of fish shoved in the freezer when they got home.
At least half of what they brought back is halibut and cod. Which means I forsee a lot of fish tacos in my future. And I am not mad about it. Although, I am still a little feisty over all the ice cream I had to rehome to make room for the fish.
BUT, the good news is that you don’t have to go deep sea fishing to get really good fish for fish tacos. Most of the types of fish I mentioned above are pretty widely available in the freezer section at most grocery stores.
A Quick But Perfect Marinade
What makes these fish tacos so amazingly wonderful is the simple but delightfully zesty and delicious marinade.
Because fish are more delicate than, say, pork or chicken or beef, the marinade time is short. Just 30 minutes or so. But it’s the perfect amount of time to infuse the fish with fantastic flavor.
- olive oil
- fresh lime juice
- garlic
- chili powder
- cumin
- smoked paprika
- salt, pepper, and a pinch of cayenne
Grill, Air Fryer, Oven or Stovetop
You read that right! Now that the flavor is in place, there are so many different ways to cook the fish for these tacos.
Which basically means: THERE IS NO EXCUSE NOT TO MAKE THESE FISH TACOS!
Because the fish will cook really fast, the biggest tip is to keep your eye on it so it doesn’t over cook and dry out. It needs to cook just until it flakes easily with a fork and the center doesn’t look raw or translucent.
Grill: preheat a grill to medium-high, lightly oil the grates (or use a grill basket), and cook the fish for 2-3 minutes per side.
Air Fryer: preheat an air fryer to 370 degrees for 2-3 minutes. Lightly grease insert of air fryer. Add fish in a single layer and cook for 6-7 minutes.
Oven: preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Line baking dish with aluminum foil and lightly grease with cooking spray. Add fish in a single layer and bake for 3-5 minutes per side.
Stovetop: heat 1-2 tablespoon olive oil in a large non-stick skillet over medium heat. Add the fish in a single layer (don’t crowd the pan; may need to cook in batches), and cook for 3-4 minutes per side.
Toppings + Sauce
What makes a really great fish taco? Well, first and foremost: really flavorful fish.
But since we’ve already covered that, it’s all about the toppings. And the sauce.
The creamy sauce for these fish tacos is UNREAL. You might recognize it from it’s origins in these crazy good Korean beef tacos. Come to find out, it moonlights as a killer fish taco sauce and…wow. Just wow.
The best fish tacos, in my opinion, are loaded. Piled high. Stuffed. So full that eating them is a study in beautiful chaos and messy fingers.
My fish taco toppings of choice:
- pico de gallo (I literally just chop up tomatoes, onions, jalapeno, cilantro with a bit of salt, pepper and fresh lime juice)
- Cotija or queso fresco cheese (those fine crumbles are everything)
- shredded cabbage
- diced avocado
- fresh cilantro
- lime wedges
Aside from a little chopping (and that 30 minutes of marinading time), these fish tacos come together fast. Restaurant-level food made at home. YES!
They really are the best fish tacos in the history of ever! I could eat them every day for the rest of my life and die a happy woman.
It’s your choice what type of tortilla to serve them in. I’m a corn tortilla gal personally – and highly recommend heating those corn tortillas up in a hot skillet for a couple of seconds.
Quite honestly, I don’t know what to do with myself now that I’ve posted the quintessential best-ever fish taco recipe. Is there even life after the best fish tacos? I’m not sure. I’ll have to rebound with a decadent, dark chocolate dessert recipe. Then my blogging life will basically be complete.
What to Serve With This
- Mexican Street Corn Salad
- Fresh fruit
- The Best Cornbread
One Year Ago: Sheet Pan Chicken Tzatziki Wraps
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Three Years Ago: Monterey BBQ Chicken Pasta {One Pot Dinner!}
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Five Years Ago: One-Bowl Double Chocolate Peanut Butter Brownies
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Eight Years Ago: Salted Peanut Butter Cup Chocolate Chip Cookies
Nine Years Ago: Brownie Batter Dip
Ten Years Ago: Mango and Black Bean Quinoa Salad
The Best Fish Tacos
Ingredients
Fish:
- 2 pounds white fish, like tilapia, cod, rockfish or halibut
- ¼ cup olive oil
- ¼ cup fresh lime juice
- 2 teaspoons chili powder
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon coarse, kosher salt, use a bit less if using table salt
- ⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper, more or less to taste
Sauce:
- ½ cup sour cream
- ½ cup mayonnaise
- 3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
- 1 teaspoons sriracha sauce
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
Tortillas + Toppings:
- 12 (6-inch) corn or flour tortillas
- finely shredded cabbage
- fresh cilantro
- diced avocados
- pico de gallo (see note)
- Cotija or queso fresco cheese
- lime wedges
Instructions
- Place fish in shallow dish or ziploc bag.
- Whisk together the olive oil, lime juice, chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, smoked paprika, salt and cayenne. Pour the marinade over the fish and toss to coat all sides of the fish. Cover and place in the refrigerator to marinate for 30-45 minutes.
- For the sauce, whisk together all the ingredients until well-combined. Refrigerate until ready to use. The sauce can be made several days in advance.
- While the fish marinates, prep/chop the toppings.
- Cook the fish using a grill, air fryer, oven or stovetop. Timing will depend on the thickness of the fish and exact temperature. Keep a close eye on the fish and cook until it easily flakes with a fork and is no longer translucent/raw in the center. An instant-read thermometer should register 140 degrees F at the thickest part.Grill: preheat a grill to medium-high, lightly oil the grates (or use a grill basket), and cook the fish for 2-3 minutes per side.Air Fryer: preheat an air fryer to 370 degrees for 2-3 minutes. Lightly grease insert of air fryer. Add fish in a single layer and cook for 6-7 minutes. Oven: preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Line baking dish with aluminum foil and lightly grease with cooking spray. Add fish in a single layer and bake for 3-5 minutes per side. Stovetop: heat 1-2 tablespoon olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the fish in a single layer (don't crowd the pan; may need to cook in batches), and cook for 3-4 minutes per side. After cooking, season to taste with additional salt and pepper!
- Serve the fish on warmed corn or flour tortillas piled high with toppings and drizzled with sauce.
Notes
Recipe Source: from Mel’s Kitchen Cafe
Delicious – This recipe is a keeper! Thank you!
I meant to add in my last comment does it need to be fresh fish not ever frozen?
It’s fine if it’s been frozen – just thaw it first.
I have the frozen mahi mahi from Costco. Wondering if that would work? Just defrost first?
Yep!
These were delicious and the entire family enjoyed them- even 4 picky kids! I did add a little more taco seasoning flavor for a richer taste, but the recipe was otherwise perfect “as is”.
These are hands down the best fish tacos! I love the fresh flavors and all of the ingredients come together so nicely. I prefer these to any restaurant. Thank you Mel for all of your delicious recipes.
For the crema sauce what can you sub yogurt for the mayonnaise?
You can definitely experiment!
These are so delicious and so easy! Thank you for all of your wonderful recipes, Mel! You’re my go-to gal when I need a new recipe!
Absolutely delicious!! Even the non-seafood lovers enjoyed this recipe. The sauce was the best part.
Awesome fish tacos!
How long does the crema last?
Probably about a week in the fridge.
I made these tacos last night and they are amazing.
The “Best” in the title of this recipe is no joke. They are The Best. All other fish tacos look down sheepishly and shuffle out the door when they see these ones coming. The sauce? Shut up. Just shut up and eat it and then fail to convince yourself to ever eat anything else ever again because nothing will ever be as good as this ever.
Loved them! Will make these fish tacos again and again! Thank you for sharing!
OMG I needed to redeem myself after a fail of fish tacos last week, this was SO yum and easier, double win! Thanks for sharing
These were amazing! The toppings definitely make the taco, so don’t skimp on those. Will definitely be making these again!!
Made it. Ate it. LOVED IT!
I have made these for my family of 4 teenagers and my husband and everyone begs me to make them over & over again. Absolutely delicious & better than I’ve ever had in a restaurant!
Worse Fish Tacos Ever!
What made them
So bad for you? They sound pretty authentic. Just curious—what would you do different
These were amazing!! I and my family loved them- and they were easier than I thought they would be!
Made fish in air fryer and the tacos were delicious!!
Yum! Used plain, non fat yogurt instead of sour cream. Never missed the fat. Great dinner!
I just made these twice in one week with Mahi Mahi. I am very impressed. YUM!! I go to a lot of restaurants where the fish tacos are just meh so I had prepared myself to be disappointed if I was making them myself but OMG your recipe impressed my friends and me so much. As do all your recipes. Drool.
This was one of the best fish taco recipes I’ve tried. The mix of spices, the crema like sauce, AND we had the side corn salad as well. Simply the most refreshing taste to pair with NFL playoff weekend and a drab, cold winter season. We didn’t modify a thing. Used Cod and being Greek, loved the touch of Feta in the corn salad. Thank you for a great recipe!
These really are the Best Fish Tacos Ever, and I’m a California girl and know my fish tacos. I was really pleased with how tasty these are and how easy to make. I followed the recipe exactly as written using tilapia and corn tortillas and cooked the fish in the air fryer. They were perfection. This recipe allows for variations so I’ve also used salmon which is my personal favorite, and I don’t always use the cotija cheese or pico de gallo. One time my pantry was a little bare and I ended up just toping the fish with shredded cabbage tossed with a little dried cilantro and the crema (sauce). They were still wonderful. Thank you again for a terrific recipe, Mel. What would we do without you?
Thanks so much, Betsy!! Appreciate you. And so happy you love this recipe!
I made these tonight for dinner and they were fabulous! Definitely going in the rotation! Thanks for another great recipe!
Your writing is a joy to read. So humorous and relatable and clever. I’m guessing it’s inspired by a well-read mind? Would you consider posting regular book recommendations? Similar to your gift, product, and Friday thoughts?
I do love to read! Although I’m certainly not the most well-read person. I’ll try to share more book recommendations! Thank you for your kind comment.
Mahi Mahi is also really good for fish tacos!
I have a question, how do I make the corn tortillas? Fry? Warm in a dry non stick pan ? I appreciate your help. This will be great. After all the rich food, we need something a little lighter. Can’t wait to try
Hi Michelle, I warm them in a cast iron or nonstick pan!
Wow these were amazing! I’ve made a lot (in the past 10 years) of fish tacos and these were the best! Thank u mel!
These are phenomenal! They are now in our weeknight rotation and satisfy the whole family, including a picky 10 year old girl. Thank you!
Delicious! Another winner by Mel!!
I have loved your recipes for a long time but I believe this is the first time I have ever posted a review. These fish tacos might be one of the best things I have ever eaten!! The flavors were perfect. My family loved them too! I used tilapia and did not add cheese but followed the recipe. I can’t wait until I make them again. Thanks so much!
Thank you so much for taking the time to leave me a comment and let me know, Christi!
I made these for lunch today. I broiled cod for 7 minutes a side, it was perfect. I used fresh corn tortillas, which I don’t have a lot of experience cooking — they’ll be better next time. My family loved these. The sauce was great, as well as the marinade. The prep time wasn’t bad, but next time I’ll make the pico de gallo, the sauce and put the spices for the marinade together the day before.
Thanks for the review, Julie! I really appreciate it!
This is so easy and quick AND flavorful! Wow, you’ve done it again, Mel! By the way, when my son was eating these tonight he said, “Mel starts with MMMMMMMMMM.”
Ok, that was the cutest thing! Thank you for sharing that! Haha. So happy you guys loved these!
Fish tacos are my love language, and I will 100% order them if they are on the menu. Thanks for the fresh twist with the marinade and sauce Mel! LOVE it!
Thank YOU, Kristen!
Love and appreciate those nutrition fact! Thank you!
You are very welcome, Susan! I’m getting the nutrition facts added one by one to all the recipes. Hopefully all the recipes will be updated in the next few weeks!
Never had fish tacos before, and where have I been all my life. These were so good. I’m going to make these all the time.
Thanks for letting me know! SO so happy you enjoyed them!
i LOVE fish tacos and these look so good! which cooking method do you prefer? i am leaning towards trying the oven or stovetop methods.
Hi Michele, I lean toward using the oven or grill.
We’ve been looking for a new fish taco recipe, this recipe is going to cut in front of the 3994478 recipes on my Pinterest boards and right to the next meal plan! Thanks Mel
Tried the sauce tonight with my tacos. Added a couple of drops of liquid smoke in the sauce since I cooked my fish on the stovetop. The liquid smoke worked great in the sauce!
These look delicious! I wish I had your problem of a freezer full of fresh Alaskan halibut. Our favorite way to eat it is baked with a buttery, parmesan bread crumb topping.
Putting this on the menu for the weekend! Just for planning- not everyone eats fish tacos- how would this be to eat in non taco form with the sauce?
My boys are currently in Alaska right now… the fish will be arriving in a couple days and I still haven’t used all of last years! Let you king forward to you sharing more halibut and rock fish recipes!
Your pictures of the marinated and cooked fish look scrumptious! And those tacos look fantastic. Wow! I want to go fishing in Alaska now!
Maybe you’ll have to have fish tacos at your next family reunion. That might make a dent in that 200 lbs of fish
Can’t wait to make these! How many tacos does your family eat? I’m thinking each teenage boy could eat this whole recipe! 😉
Hey Tammy! I’d say we’re kind of a 2-3 fish taco/per person kind of family. 🙂 Some of my kids like fish more than others, but loaded with toppings, the tacos are pretty filling.
Can the fish be in the marinade for longer than the 30-45 minutes? Does anything bad happen? Can one set the fish to marinade before leaving for the day and cook when you get home?
That’s a great question, Sarah! For acidic marinades (like this one), if the fish is left too long in the marinade, the acidity can kind of “cook” the fish and change the texture. I haven’t tested it out…my guess is the fish would probably be fine for upwards of an hour or so, but I think I’d hesitate to leave it in the marinade all day.
Do you have to thaw the fish before marinating and frying it?
Yes, if it’s frozen, it should be thawed first.
Mel, is that dulce or picante smoked paprika? Can’t wait to make these!
The smoked paprika I have is from Penzey’s…and it doesn’t say if it’s sweet or spicy, but I’m guessing it’s not on the spicy end because it doesn’t add a lot of heat to the flavor.
Couldn’t help but do the math: If a recipe calls for 2 lbs of fish and you have 200 lbs of it in your freezer… that’s a lot of fish tacos!!!
Haha, I know!! I’m probably going to have to branch out from fish tacos to use up all that fish. 🙂
My husband and I went fishing in Alaska last month and have 50 lbs of halibut and rockfish in our freezer, so this is timely and I thank you for it! So excited to try this.
So fun!! I have a few other fish recipes up my sleeve based on my family’s fish haul from Alaska!
Hey Mel,
I’m super excited to try them. Question, how about using pollock as a fish choice? Thanks again for another new yummy recipe to add to our back pocket.
Hi Erika! I haven’t ever cooked with pollock, but a quick google search tells me it’s a great choice for fish tacos!
You just saved all the frozen tilapia in my freezer!!! I cannot wait to make this. Thank you!