These fish tacos are crispy and flaky, wrapped in a warm tortilla and topped with Baja cream and cabbage slaw. The beer-battered fish and seasoned coating make these tacos absolutely delicious.
If you love seafood, you should try this beer batter cod and cedar plank salmon.
Table Of Contents
Fish Tacos Recipe Details
Every single spice and ingredient adds something unique that you won’t forget. The crispy fish and tangy purple slaw are a stunning and beautiful mixture!
- TASTE: Tangy, sweet, and garlicky, these fish tacos have so many layers of flavor.
- TEXTURE: The crispy fish and crunchy, creamy slaw are the stars of this dish.
- TIME: There are a lot of flavorful ingredients, but this is such an easy recipe to put together, and you can make it ahead of time.
- EASE: These Fish Tacos are ready to serve in just an hour.
What You’ll Need
For the Fish
- Cod fillets– or any other white fish like halibut, snapper, grouper, or mahi mahi
- Fish batter– Beer, all-purpose flour, chili powder, galric powder, salt, and pepper
- Oil for deep frying– vegetable, canola, or corn oil will work
Baja Cream and Cabbage Slaw
- Baja Cream Sauce– Sour cream, Mayonnaise, Black pepper and Salt, Garlic, chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, lime juice, honey
- Cabbage Slaw– Purple cabbage, Carrot, cilantro, honey, lime juice, red onion
- Tortillas– white or yellow corn tortillas work best, but flour tortillas work well too.
How To Make Fish Tacos
To make the BEST fish tacos you need 3 things. The cabbage slaw, Baja cream sauce, and of course the fried battered fish. Here is a quick step-by-step photo guide on how to make fish tacos. For the full recipe details, scroll down to the printable recipe card.
How to Make The Cabbage Slaw
- Chop and shred all the vegetables. In a bowl, add the shredded purple cabbage, chopped cilantro, diced red onion, and shredded carrot.
- Dressing for the slaw. In the same bowl, add the honey and fresh lime juice. Then mix everything together using tongs. Cover with plastic wrap and let it sit in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours.
How To Make Baja Cream Sauce
- In a small bowl, combine sour cream, mayonnaise, honey, pressed garlic, and the juice of half of a lime. Then add 1 finely chopped pepper in adobo sauce along with salt and pepper. Whisk and set aside for later.
How to Fry The Beer Battered Cod
- Create the dredge. In a large bowl combine the flour, chili powder, garlic powder, salt, pepper, and beer. Whisk in the beer as you mix, to ensure a smooth “pancake like” batter.
- Slice the fish. You want to cut the cod fillet into equal sized pieces. Mine were about 3 inches long and 1 inch thick.
- Heat the frying oil. Fill a skillet with about 1-2 inches of oil and bring it to medium-high heat, about 350-375 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Fry the fish. Dredge each cod fillet in the beer batter and fry them in the hot oil for about 4-5 minutes while turning them constantly to ensure even cooking. Then transfer them to a plate lined with paper towels to absorb any excess oil.
- Assemble the fish tacos immediately. Using the tortilla of your choice (corn or flour), add the Baja cream slaw, then 2 crispy cod fillets, and top it all with extra cilantro, pico de gallo, or guacamole.
Recipe Tips
- Allow the cabbage slaw to marinate at least 2 hours- The lime juice and honey will absorb into the cabbage and create better flavor if you let it sit for a little.
- Keep your fry oil at the right temperature– Having the right temperature helps the fish cook through without absorbing too much oil. Shoot for 350-375 degrees Fahrenheit, checking with an instant-read thermometer throughout the frying process.
- Soak up excess oil- This is important because it keeps the outer layer of the fish crisp and the fish tacos from getting soggy.
Add-ins and Substitutions
- Substitute Greek yogurt in the slaw- For a lighter version, use Greek yogurt in place of the sour cream to reduce calories and fat, and add in some extra protein.
- Add veggies- Corn, diced tomatoes, and avocado slices would be really tasty added to these fish tacos.
- Make it spicy- Add some jalapenos, hot sauce, or a little more cayenne pepper in the dredge to up the heat in this dish.
- Go gluten-free- All you’ll need to do is use corn tortillas (or sub gluten-free flour ones) and use gluten-free flour in the dredge.
FAQs
According to NPR, fish tacos originated in Baja, California, Mexico. The combination of a crispy battered fish with the slaw and the creamy sauce all started in one of two cities on that scenic peninsula. Street vendors invented the culinary masterpieces.
It has a combination of creams and spices that is incredibly unique. Sour cream, mayonnaise, and other seasonings make the base, along with citrusy, tangy, and spicy elements.
Any kind of white fish will work well. You can use cod, halibut, snapper, mahi mahi, and grouper.
Serving Suggestions
These Fish Tacos are tasty enough to be enjoyed on their own, but for great sides and toppings, here are some options:
- Toppings: Spicy chili sauce, Cool avocado sauce, Pico de gallo, Guacamole, and Mexican Salsa Recipe with Roasted Corn would all be amazing.
- Salad: Serve these tacos with Avocado Corn Salad or this tasty Creamy Cucumber Radish Salad.
- Sides: Try some Wild Brown Rice, black beans, or Seven Layer Taco Dip on the side.
- Soups: Chicken Tortilla Soup and Creamy Chicken and Wild Rice Soup would go well with these tacos.
Make These Fish Tacos in Advance
Make ahead: The slaw and Baja cream sauce can be made in advance, which cuts most of the prep time down on this dish.
Storing: Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Separate the slaw, sauce, fish, and tortillas to avoid them getting soggy. Reheat the fish in a 400-degrees oven for a few minutes to warm through.
Freeze: The best way to freeze these tacos is by allowing the fried fish to completely cool, then freezing in a single layer on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Once the fish is frozen solid, transfer it to an airtight container or bag. Then bake or air fry the fish at 300 degrees Fahrenheit until crisp and warmed through. It will last for up to 2 months. The tortillas can freeze, too, but the slaw will break down so make that fresh.
More Tasty Seafood Dishes!
- Cod with Sauteed Vegetables
- Panko Crusted Salmon
- Salmon Wellington
- Crispy Shrimp Tempura Recipe
- Imitation Crab Salad with Shrimp Recipe (VIDEO)
Watch Video Here
Full Recipe Instructions
Fish Tacos Recipe
Ingredients
For the fish
- 1 1/2-2 lb cod fillets
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 16 oz beer
- Oil for deep frying vegetable, canola, or corn oil work
Cabbage Slaw
- 1/2 purple cabbage
- 1/4 cup cilantro
- 1 carrot shredded
- 1 1/2 tablespoons honey
- Juice of 1 lime
- 2 tablespoons red onion diced
Baja Cream Sauce
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1/2 clove garlic
- Juice of 1/2 lime
- 1 chipotle pepper in adobo sauce finely chopped
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- Corn or flour tortillas for serving
Instructions
- Chop and shred all the vegetables. In a bowl, add 1/2 shredded purple cabbage, 1/4 cup chopped cilantro, 2 Tbsp diced red onion, and 1 shredded carrot.
- Dressing for the slaw. In the same bowl, add 1 1/2 Tbsp honey and the juice of 1 lime. Then mix everything together using tongs. Cover with plastic wrap and let it sit in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours. The longer the slaw sits, the better flavor you will get.
- Make the Baja cream sauce. In a small bowl, 1/2 cup combine sour cream, 1/2 cup mayonnaise, 1 Tbsp honey, 1/2 small pressed garlic clove, and the juice of half of a lime. Then add 1 finely chopped chipotle pepper in adobo sauce along with 1 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp black pepper. Whisk and set aside for later.
- Create the dredge. In a large bowl combine 2 cups of all-purpose flour, 1 tsp chili powder, 1 tsp garlic powder, 1 1/2 tsp salt, and 1/4 tsp pepper. Now slowly pour in 16 oz of beer. Make sure to use a whisk to mix the beer into the flour mixture as your pour it in. Constantly stirring will ensure a smooth "pancake-like" batter.
- Slice the fish. You want to cut 1 1/2-2 lb cod fillets into equal-sized pieces. Mine were about 3 inches long and 1 inch thick.
- Fill a deep skillet or heavy-bottomed pot with about 1-2 inches of corn, canola, or vegetable oil and bring it to medium-high heat or 350-375 degrees Fahrenheit. It's best to monitor the oil temperature with an instant-read thermometer using the entire frying process.
- Fry the fish. Dredge each cod fillet in the beer batter and fry them in the hot oil for about 4-5 minutes while turning them constantly to ensure even cooking. Then transfer them to a plate lined with paper towels to absorb any excess oil.
Notes
- How to freeze and bake later (total time saver!)
- Add-ins and substitutes
- Frying tips for perfectly crispy fish
Nutrition
This recipe was originally posted April 25, 2017, we’ve tweaked it a bit since then.
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Colleen says
Reading through this, for the gluten free option, wouldn’t you also have to sub something for the beer since most beer isn’t GF.
Dina says
Hi Colleen, thank you for catching that. You are correct, most beers have gluten. I would substitute with club soda to make it gluten free.
Mary Doyle says
Perfect tacos and easy to make.Taste delicious
Dina says
Thank you so much, Mary! 🙂 So happy that these fish tacos came out perfectly for you! Thank you so much for your feedback and support! 🙂
Alison Moore says
What can you substitute for beer in the batter?
Dina says
Hi Alison, you can use any kind of unflavored seltzer water. I hope you love the recipe! 🙂
MG says
I have not used another recipe after finding yours! It’s requested by all my friends and family now when we catch fish. So far I have used snook, snapper, redfish, sheepshead, shrimp and snakehead! All delicious. My additions are sliced avocado and homemade hot sauce. Will never use another slaw recipe again. It’s the best! Thanks again!
Dina says
WOW that is so amazing to hear! Your lovely comment totally made my day. Thank you so much! 🙂
MG says
This is our favorite recipe for fish tacos! Tangy, spicy and a little sweet! The slaw is perfect. We use snook for the fish, but I think you could use any fish, even shrimp. So delicious! Thank you!
Dina says
I am so happy that you love this fish tacos recipe. We made this with tempura shrimp and it was amazing! Thank you for taking the time to write your kind feedback!
Kristina says
The best fish tacos I’ve ever had. Definitely recommend trying them out. Yum! My husband even said better then the restaurant.
simplyhomecooked says
Hi Kristina 🙂 That is so awesome to hear! Glad that your husband loved them so much 🙂 Thank you so much for taking the time to leave your awesome feedback 🙂
Dan Garder says
Love this recipe, I used my FRESH Mahi and used Zatarans Cajun spice instead of chili powder.
I’ve been using this Cajun spice in all my Mexican recipes forever.
Just one more thing for truly authentic Mexican fish recipes only use Mahi, Grouper, or Robalo aka Snook (it’s not commercially sold in the US)
If you live in Florida you got go and catch them yourself, it’s a gamefish.
Thanks again Captain Dan
simplyhomecooked says
Thank you for the tips and feedback, Dan! Happy to hear you loved these fish tacos! Thank you for taking the time to leave your awesome feedback, I really appreciate it 🙂
Marilyn Davis says
I loved this recipe, while I used regular milk since I didn’t have buttermilk and decided to make the cabbage pickled , this recipe was AMMAAZZING! I will definitely make it again. The garlic sauce was on point.
simplyhomecooked says
Thank you so much Marilyn! I really appreciate your feedback 🙂 Glad to hear you loved these fish tacos and that you will be making them again! 🙂 I hope you find many more delicious recipes on my blog 🙂
Bożena says
Looks wonderful and tastes even better! Very easy to prepare. Thank you.
simplyhomecooked says
Thank you Bożena!