Fresh and flavorful, baked fish tacos are perfect for taco night. Flaky taco seasoned white fish is loaded into warm corn tortillas and topped with a crunchy creamy lime slaw and extra fish taco sauce. This easy recipe is ready in under 30 minutes making it a great option for a weeknight meal.
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For years, fish tacos was something that I reserved for ordering when I was eating out.
I was too intimidated to make it at home for some reason.
But when I finally did attempt it, I was pleasantly surprised by just how simple it was (even simpler than ground beef tacos!).
And not only are they quick and satisfying, baked fish tacos are also better for you as they aren't deep fried and you can load them up with crunchy slaw and other vegetables.
In fact, it is highly recommended that you top them with plenty of creamy crunchy slaw, diced avocado and extra sauce- the slaw and sauce are definitely what takes them to the next level! (The fajita vegetables are what make these shrimp tacos worthy of Taco Tuesday as well).
So let's bake some fish tacos!
The Ingredients
- Cod- Both fresh and frozen cod will work but frozen needs to be completely thawed first. Another white fish such as tilapia, haddock or halibut can be used as well.
- Chili Powder- I'm referring to the chili powder spice blend (which includes paprika, garlic powder, etc) and not pure ground chilis. Alternatively, you can use taco seasoning in place of that and the cumin in this recipe.
- Cumin- Adds earthy flavor to the tacos. If needed, you can use additional chili powder or taco seasoning instead.
- Sea Salt- Table or kosher salt will also work- adjust to taste.
- Tortillas- I prefer homemade corn tortillas for tacos but you can use flour tortillas, oat tortillas or another type.
- Sauce- We'll be making a batch of my Greek yogurt fish taco sauce for this recipe. If you need substitutions, or more info, check out the full post.
- Greek Yogurt
- Olive Oil
- Lime Juice
- Salt
- Garlic Powder
- Sriracha
- Slaw- For ease, I often just use a pre-chopped blend of coleslaw or broccoli slaw. If you'd like to make your own, you can use chopped red cabbage and carrots.
- Additional Toppings- Along with the slaw, I also like to top these tacos off with avocado, red onion and cilantro. Feel free to include whatever taco toppings you'd like.
The Method
1. Bake the Fish. Pat the fish dry with paper towels and place in a baking dish.
Sprinkle with half of the seasonings then flip and sprinkle with remaining seasonings.
Bake at 400 F for 14-20 minutes until flaky and cooked to an internal temperature of 145 F.
2. Make the Sauce. In a small bowl, mix together all of the ingredients for the sauce.
3. Prepare the Slaw. In a larger bowl, mix together 4 cups of the slaw with ¼ cup of the sauce mixture.
4. Assemble. Flake the fish onto warm corn tortillas and top with slaw, avocado, sliced red onion, cilantro and additional sauce as desired.
5. Enjoy!
Leftovers and Storage
To Store: Refrigerate leftover fish in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. Store toppings, sauce and tortillas separately.
To Reheat: Rewarm fish in the oven at 350 F until heated through and then assemble fresh tacos.
Make it Your Own
- Use a Different Protein: In place of the white fish, you can try this recipe with shrimp, salmon or chicken. The cook time may differ a bit with a different protein.
- Make it in the Air Fryer: If you'd prefer, you can cook the fish in the air fryer at 380 F for 12-18 minutes.
- Fish Taco Bowls: Skip the tortillas and assemble the fish in bowl over rice or quinoa, topped with slaw and additional sauce (like these Chimichurri Shrimp Bowls).
Serving Ideas
The best part about taco night might be adding your favorite toppings! Here are some ideas that would go great with these baked fish tacos. (You can keep the slaw and add some of these or use these toppings instead.)
- Fruit salsa such as Mango or Pineapple Salsa
- Black Beans
- Pico de Gallo or Tomato Salsa
- Sliced Red Onion
- Diced Tomatoes
- Avocado, Guacamole or Avocado Lime Crema
- Chimichurri Slaw
- Fajita Vegetables
And if you're looking for side dishes, try serving these tacos with:
- Crispy Sweet Plantains
- Baked Fries
- Guacamole and Tortilla Chips
- Salad such as Spinach or Santa Fe
- Chimichurri Rice
Tips and Notes
- Avoid Over-baking the Fish: I recommend using an instant read thermometer so that you know when the fish is done. If it gets over baked, it may dry out a bit.
- Don't Skip the Sauce: The sauce takes these tacos to the next level and is definitely worth the extra couple of minutes it takes to make it.
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Recipe Card
Baked Fish Tacos
Ingredients
Fish Tacos
- 1 lb cod or another white fish such as haddock, tilapia or halibut
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
- ~12 (6-inch) corn tortillas
Slaw and Sauce
- ½ cup Greek yogurt full fat
- 2 tablespoon lime juice
- 1 tablespoon good quality olive oil
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon sriracha
- ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
- 4 cups broccoli slaw mix or coleslaw mix or chopped cabbage and carrots
For Serving
- avocado diced
- red onion chopped
- cilantro chopped
Instructions
- Pat the fish dry with paper towels and place in a baking dish. Sprinkle with half of the seasonings then flip and sprinkle with remaining seasonings. Bake at 400 F for 14-20 minutes until flaky and cooked to an internal temperature of 145 F.
- In a small bowl, mix together all of the ingredients for the sauce.
- In a larger bowl, mix together 4 cups of the broccoli slaw with ¼ cup of the sauce mixture.
- Flake the fish onto warm corn tortillas and top with slaw, avocado, sliced red onion, cilantro and additional sauce as desired.
annette c marchbanks says
Made these for a dinner party (along with the shrimp tacos and the lemon rice). I made them exactly as written (including the slaw). The only difference was that I grilled the cod on the outdoor grill. These were a huge hit! So easy to make (and very quick). This is actually an easy recipe to make any time! Loved the slaw and sauce on top!
Janessa says
I'm so glad you liked this recipe- grilling them sounds great! Thank you for your kind review.