Fish Tacos – A Fresh & Fabulous Recipe

Delicious Fish Tacos are made with buttery baked tilapia, piled high with colorful fresh toppings and drizzled with a creamy homemade fish taco sauce. Everything is done and on the table in 30 minutes!

If you love fresh exciting ingredients these Fish Tacos will become a favorite!

They are SO easy to make!

Unlike fried fish tacos these easy-to-make-at-home tacos are made with baked white fish! 

They have wonderful flavor especially with the homemade creamy fish tacos sauce!

For an easy taco party add these Instant Pot Chicken Tacos too!

This is a soft tacos recipe using either flour or corn tortilla.

Fish Taco Ingredients

The fish for the fish tacos is simple to make with just a few wholesome ingredients.

The cool, lightly spicy, tangy sauce is easy and fast to whip up with ingredients you probably have already on hand!

Toppings are flexible and the same types you’d put on any taco.

I like this combination for the flavor, texture, taste and appearance!

• Flour or corn street taco tortillas
• Tilapia or any white fish
• Green onions
• Salted butter
• Salt and Pepper

Fish Tacos Sauce
-Sour cream
-Mayonnaise
-fresh or dried Dill
-Garlic powder
-Sriracha sauce
-Lime juice 

Fish Tacos Toppings
-Purple/Red or green cabbage, chopped
-fresh Cilantro
-Tomatoes
-Avocados or Guacamole
-Lime wedges

Ingredient Notes

What Type of Fish to Use

You can use any type of white fish for this recipe.

Some of the more popular and accessible types of white fish are: tilapia, cod, haddock, bass, or even catfish.

You can also use salmon and shrimp for a different, yet still delicious, flavor combination.

What is a Street Taco Tortilla?

Street tacos are smaller than traditional tacos.

They are often served by street vendors and meant to be eaten in a few bites.

The tortillas I used are by Mission and are 4.5-inches in diameter. Other brands make the same size tortillas.

Use either Flour or Corn Tortillas

Street Taco tortillas are available in both flour street taco tortilla and corn street taco tortillas.

They even make a ‘carb balance’ version if that better meets your needs.

Any of these can be used for these fish tacos.

The ‘street taco’ name will appear on the tortilla package.

The corn tortillas are gluten-free.

Corn Tortilla PRO TIP: Double the tortillas for each taco if using corn tortillas.

They fall apart more easily and doubling up helps keep them together.

You can also substitute a larger tortilla and make fewer tacos than the recipe specifies.

Use Fresh Ingredients

Though I have used bottled ‘fresh’ lime juice, and frozen/thawed diced avocado, the flavor of fresh ingredients IS better.

I use a hand held lime juicer. It makes quick work of juicing.

PRO TIP: put the lime in the microwave for 10 seconds before juicing to get more juice!

Avocado slicers speed up preparing the avocados too. 

Making Gluten-Free Fish Tacos

Use gluten-free corn or flour tortillas. All other ingredients are naturally gluten-free.

Street Taco Serving Size

Because street tacos are made with much smaller tortillas, plan on 2-3 tacos per person along with some side dishes.

How to Make Fish Tacos – Step-by-Step

For detailed instructions refer to the printable recipe card at the end of the post.

STEP 1: Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

STEP 2: Place fish fillets on the prepared baking sheet topped with salt, pepper, green onions and 2 slices of butter (photos 1-2). Bake for 20-25 minutes until flaky.

STEP 3: Make the sauce by combining all ingredients EXCEPT the lime juice (photo 3).

STEP 4: Add the lime juice; stir to fully combine (photo 4).

Alternative Ways to Prepare the Fish

There are various ways to prepare your fish.

I prefer to bake the fish because the green onion baking in to the fish along with the butter tastes divine.

This also keeps the fish naturally gluten-free.

You can also grill, deep fry, pan fry or cook the fish in an air fryer before adding it to the taco.

Because the tilapia in this recipe is baked, it doesn’t have the crunch that a deep fried fish taco would have.

I personally like the slightly healthier option of baking instead of frying.

The way the flavors and textures mesh together make this cooking method a favorite too.

It gives the taco a nice smooth bite and texture. The fish isn’t overpowering in any way.

Assembling the Fish Tacos

PHOTO 1: Add the cooked white fish fillets to a medium mixing bowl. Break the fish into small pieces with a fork. Add a portion of a fish fillet down the middle of a tortilla.

PHOTO 2: Layer on desired toppings.

PHOTO 3: Spoon on some sauce.

PHOTO 4: Squeeze on some lime juice.

Can the Fish Tacos be Eaten Cold?

Part of what makes fish tacos delicious is the contrast of the hot-out-of-the-oven cooked fish with the cool, refreshing fish taco sauce and toppings.

It makes for a nice cool refreshing bite.

Having everything ready when the fish comes out of the oven makes assembling the tacos fast and easy.

You do not need to reheat the fish before serving.

The fish also has the most flavor when warm.

So though the fish tacos CAN be eaten cold they taste best when the fish is warm.

What to Serve with Fish Tacos – Make it a Meal

There are a variety of fish tacos sides that make a full meal.

The most popular option is beans and rice. 

Fries or a grilled vegetable such as asparagus or corn on the cob are great.

A fresh summer salad is an easy idea too.

Here are some of my favorite things to serve to make it a meal:

• Easy Instant Pot Cilantro Lime Rice
• Cuban Black Beans and Rice (Moros y Cristianos)
• Authentic Costa Rican Gallo Pinto (beans and rice)
• Mexican Quinoa Salad with Green Chilies
• Taco Salad Ole with Avocado-Tequila-Lime Dressing
• Mexican Fiesta Cauliflower Rice
• Elote – Grilled Mexican Corn recipe
• Homemade Corn Tortilla Chips and Pico de Gallo
• Great Guacamole
• Watermelon Margaritas + Watermelon-Infused Tequila
• Blackberry-Mint Agua Fresca

How to Store Leftover Fish Tacos

These soft tacos are best served when freshly made.

If needing to store leftovers, do not store in an assembled taco.

The fish can be stored fish in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days in an airtight container.

Reheat the fish in the microwave before assembling a ‘leftovers’ taco.

The remaining ingredients may be stored, individually packed in air tight containers in the refrigerator for the same amount of time.

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Fish tacos are light and full of fresh flavor!