Best Fish Tacos

These are our family’s favorite fish tacos. Tilapia is coated with a flavorful blackened seasoning and baked in the oven until flaky and tender. These fish tacos are topped with a fresh and vibrant mango salsa, crisp and crunchy shredded cabbage, and drizzled with a bright and tangy spicy-lime crema sauce.

My husband and I are obsessed with these fish tacos. They’re quick and easy to make for a weeknight dinner or can be a total crowd-pleaser when you have company over. They’re also healthy, which is a win-win in my books!

While growing up in Hawaii, California, and Toronto – I’ve eaten A LOT of fish tacos. When I started experimenting with fish taco recipes, I wanted to create something that combined all the flavors I loved from the different tacos that I’ve tried before.

I first tried this recipe using a homemade pico de gallo salsa, and while the tacos tasted good, I felt like they could be better. Then I tried a cabbage slaw, but the tacos had too much acid from the salsa and slaw.

Then I decided to try a mango salsa and drizzled a creamy fish taco sauce over the shredded cabbage.

The fresh mango salsa paired perfectly with the Cajun-inspired spiced tilapia and the creamy fish sauce was just enough to lightly coat the cabbage and tie everything together.

The best part about these tacos is that you can prep everything ahead of time. You can make the mango salsa and fish taco sauce up to 1 day in advance. You can also use a bag of coleslaw mix to save time from chopping the cabbage.

The seasoning takes a few minutes to put together, and you just sprinkle it over the fish before baking it in the oven for 10 to 15 minutes.

I usually use frozen tilapia that has been thawed overnight in the fridge, but you can use fresh fish if you prefer.

Fish taco ingredients

Fish sauce ingredients: To make my spicy lime crema, you’ll need sour cream, fresh lime juice and zest, a small garlic clove, Sriracha sauce, and a pinch of fine sea salt.

Sriracha is a popular Asian hot sauce that’s made from a paste of chili peppers, distilled vinegar, garlic, sugar, and salt. It has a hot, tangy, and sweet flavor. You can find it in the Asian food section at the grocery store.

You can substitute the Sriracha sauce with your favorite hot sauce or leave it out if you’re sensitive to spice.

Mango salsa: To make my fresh mango salsa, you’ll need ripe mango (I use red mango), red bell pepper, red onion, fresh cilantro, a small jalapeño pepper, fresh lime juice, and fine sea salt.

You can leave the jalapeño pepper out if you’re sensitive to spice.

Tilapia: I like using tilapia for fish tacos because it has a mild taste, it’s affordable, and has a firm but flaky texture which holds up well with the other taco toppings.

Seasoning: To create a healthy blackened fish taco, I like to bake the fish in the oven instead of pan-frying it. I use a combination of chili powder, sweet paprika, garlic powder, cumin powder, dried oregano, fine sea salt, cayenne pepper, and freshly ground black pepper.

Olive oil: I like to drizzle a little olive oil over the fish before baking to keep it moist.

Small tortillas: I use corn tortillas because that’s what my family prefers. You can use your favorite corn or flour tortillas.

Cabbage: You can use finely shredded red or green cabbage for these tacos. To save time, I like to use bagged coleslaw mix.

How to make fish tacos

In a medium bowl, combine the ingredients for the mango salsa (diced mango, red bell pepper, red onion, cilantro, jalapeño pepper, fresh lime juice, and fine sea salt). Gently stir to combine and set aside.

Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper and lightly spray with cooking oil. In a small bowl, combine the chili powder, paprika, garlic powder, cumin powder, oregano, salt, cayenne pepper (if using), and freshly ground black pepper.

Sprinkle the seasoning mix evenly over both sides of the tilapia. You may need to use your finger to gently rub the seasoning to make sure the fish is evenly coated.

Place the fish on the lined baking sheet and drizzle the fish with the olive oil. Bake at 400°F for 10 to 15 minutes, or until the internal temperature reaches 145°F. Transfer the fish to a serving dish and use a fork to roughly flake it into smaller pieces.

While the fish is cooking, add all the ingredients for the fish taco sauce in a medium bowl (sour cream, fresh lime zest, lime juice, garlic, Sriracha sauce, and a pinch of fine sea salt). Whisk to combine and set aside.

To serve the tacos, warm the tortillas in a hot, dry skillet or cast-iron comal over medium-high heat for 15 to 30 seconds per side until slightly browned. If you have a gas stove, I like to use heat-resistant tongs to place the tortilla directly over a low flame.

To assemble the tacos, add a piece of fish to a warmed tortilla, then add the cabbage, a drizzle of the fish sauce over the cabbage, then top with the mango salsa. Serve with fresh lime wedges for squeezing over the top of each taco if desired.

What’s the secret to a great fish taco?

The secret to a great fish taco is a contrast of textures and flavors that pair well with each other. 

A mild, white fish like tilapia is perfect for taking on the bold seasonings like chili and cumin. It goes well with the sweet, tangy, and spicy notes of fresh mango salsa and the crunchy shredded cabbage.

The creamy, tangy sauce is the key component which ties all the fish taco ingredients together.

What do Mexican restaurants put on fish tacos?

Many Mexican restaurants top their fish tacos with a creamy white sauce (usually chipotle mayo or lime crema), shredded red or green cabbage, fresh pico de gallo or another type of fruit salsa, fresh cilantro, avocado, and fresh lime wedges.

What are the common mistakes when making fish tacos?

Overcooking the fish. Tilapia is a quick-cooking white fish. You’ll know when the fish is done cooking when the flesh turns opaque (white) rather than translucent, flakes easily with a fork, or the internal temperature reads 145°F.

Using the wrong toppings. A good fish taco needs a crisp, acidic element, such as fresh lime juice or a pickled topping, such as cabbage slaw or red onions. It also needs a creamy sauce to keep the taco from getting dry.

Overloading the taco. You want to add just enough toppings so the taco is easy to eat. Too many toppings will either cause the tortilla to break or spill out immediately.

Using cold tortillas. It’s important to warm up the tortillas so they become soft and flexible and less likely to break when folding.

What to serve with fish tacos?

My favorite thing to serve with fish tacos is tortilla chips and my homemade pico de gallo or guacamole recipe. It’s great for taco Tuesday, game days, or Cinco de Mayo parties.

If you want to make this as a fish taco bowl, I recommend using my cilantro lime rice as the base.

Please let me know how you like this fish taco recipe in the comments below! Your feedback and review encourages me to keep creating new and yummy recipes. I hope you love these fish tacos as much as I do.

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