Spicy fish. Warm corn tortilla. Fresh mango salsa. Let’s go, people. No time to waste!
Did you know I met my husband in a Mexican restaurant? He was the proprietor. I was on a business lunch. He stopped by our table, shared a few charming words, and moved on to work the room.
Five short years – and many free tacos later, I lost a bet on a Bears vs. Packers Monday Night Football game, and we went out on our first date. But that’s a story for another time.
The point of today’s story is, I love tacos. More than that…I love tacos because tacos are a part of my love story.
While carnitas and carne asada used to be my go-to orders, eating mostly pescatarian has given me a world of opportunities to explore spicy and sweet shrimp tacos, baja fish tacos on fresh corn tortillas and now this, my favorite fish tacos recipe.
To call this fish taco recipe “easy” would be an understatement. Grab your favorite white fish fillets (or whatever your local grocer has on sale) and a handful of pantry spices, throw it all in the oven and you’ve got dinner on the table that the whole family will love.
What you need to make Baked Fish Tacos recipe (tacos de pescado):
- firm white fish
- cornstarch
- ground cumin
- ground chili powder
- sea salt
- garlic powder
- cayenne pepper (or, to taste)
- extra virgin olive oil
- For serving: corn tortillas, mango habanero salsa, radishes, avocado, lime wedges, cotija cheese, pickled onions
Step by step instructions for making the best baked fish tacos:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
Dry fish fillets well with paper towels. Lay the pieces of fish in the bottom of a baking pan or dish.
In a small bowl, combine all dry ingredients. Stir to ensure even distribution of the spices.
Pour two tablespoons of oil over the fish in the baking sheet or dish. Use a pastry brush to ensure each piece of fish has a light coating of oil.
Sprinkle the seasoning mix over the fish. Use a brush or your fingers to ensure the spices are massaged into the fish.
Bake the fish for 14-18 minutes, depending on the thickness of your fish fillets. To get a golden brown spice crust, broil the fillets for the last 2-3 minutes of cook time.
Remove fish from the oven and let them sit for 5 minutes.
When ready to serve, use a couple of forks to break apart the fillets into taco-sized pieces.
Layer fish onto warm tortillas, top with a squeeze of lime, mango habanero salsa with fresh cilantro, avocado and sliced radishes. Best served with Arroz Rojo and Mexican Beans.
FAQ’s and Serving Suggestions for Tacos de Pescado:
There are a number of good fish options for this simple dish. I’ve made it with almost every type of fish available to me, including: sea bass, mahi mahi, cod fillets, tilapia and hake. Just about any type of white fish will work. It’s truly one of the most adaptable fish recipes I’ve cooked. While I chose basa for this dish (similar to tilapia, but more widely available in Europe), the list above includes great alternatives.
Absolutely. While I have made this with the freshest fish from our local fish market, I most often make it with any white fish fillets in my freezer or on sale that week. Any fish in fillet form is ideal. My favorites are tilapia (or basa) and hake – both abundant in Portugal. Tilapia, cod, mahi mahi and catfish would be good options in the United States.
You sure can. While a soft corn tortilla is more common for fish tacos, that’s subject to what tastes best to you. I’ve also eaten these in high-protein wraps and enjoyed every bite (the mango salsa helped).
You could substitute a tablespoon of all purpose flour (or gluten free flour) for the cornstarch in making your spice mixture.
Fresh ingredients will add the perfect balance to the spicy baked fish fillets – avocado, tomato, pickled onions, cilantro, lime wedges, even shredded cabbage are all delicious. I love these tacos with mango salsa, but you could also make a creamy fish taco sauce or spicy aioli.
Yes…and yes. This is a great recipe that can be modified for every palate. The half tsp cayenne pepper in the recipe creates a lovely, mild heat in the dish. Adding more cayenne or even ground chipotle powder will dial up the heat. Or keep the tacos mild but serve them with a bottle of hot sauce on the table. To make the tacos less spicy, decrease or skip the cayenne altogether. The cumin and chili powder add warm flavor, but no spice, so removing the cayenne will take away the heat.
To store, wrap tightly or transfer to an airtight container and keep in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Check out these delicious pescatarian recipes next:
This recipe post may contain affiliate links to products we know and love
Print
The Best Baked Fish Tacos (Tacos de Pescado)
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 6-8 1x
Ingredients
- 1 pound firm white fish
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 1 1/2 teaspoons ground chili powder
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper (or, to taste)
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
For serving:
- 12 corn tortillas
- mango habanero salsa
- radishes, sliced
- avocado, sliced
- lime wedges
- cotija cheese
- pickled red onion
Instructions
Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
Dry fish fillets well with paper towels. Lay the pieces of fish in the bottom of a baking pan or dish.
In a small bowl, combine all dry ingredients. Stir to combine and ensure even distribution of the spices.
Pour two tablespoons of oil over the fish in the baking sheet or dish. Use a pastry brush to ensure each piece of fish has a light coating of oil. Sprinkle the seasoning mix over the fish. Use a brush or your fingers to ensure the spices are massaged into the fish.
Bake the fish for 14-18 minutes, depending on the thickness of your fish fillets. To get a golden brown spice crust, broil the fillets for the last 2-3 minutes of cook time.
Remove fish from the oven and let them sit for 5 minutes. When ready to serve, use a couple of forks to break apart the fillets into taco-sized pieces. Layer fish onto warm tortillas, top with a squeeze of lime, mango salsa with fresh cilantro, avocado and sliced radishes.
- Prep Time: 10
- Cook Time: 20
- Category: Easy Recipes
- Method: Baked
- Cuisine: American, Mexican
Keywords: Baked Fish Tacos, fish tacos, tacos de pescada
[…] Previous Post: « The Best Baked Fish Tacos (Tacos de Pescado)Next Post: Shrimp-stuffed Hungarian Wax Peppers with Romesco Sauce » […]