Spicy Fish Tacos with Cabbage Slaw + Lime Crema
Jun 04, 2014, Updated Oct 16, 2023
A flaky, spiced pan-fried fish taco recipe with quick cabbage slaw and the most delicious lime crema. An easy weeknight meal – one of my most popular recipes on the blog!
I don’t play fast and loose with the words “favourite food”, but fish tacos – done right – are definitely a contender.
Done right doesn’t mean difficult or time consuming – in fact, it’s quite the opposite. My dream taco (what, you don’t dream about tacos?) is just a well-seasoned filet of flakey fish (read: not overcooked), with something crunchy, something creamy, and a good balance of fiery and tangy.
In this recipe, my something crunchy is shredded cabbage slaw (or simply cabbage tossed with lime juice, cilantro and salt) and my something creamy is a lime crema (made with sour cream, mayo, and the juice and zest of a lime). Wrap it up in a flour or corn tortilla (here’s my go-to easy fresh flour tortilla recipe, if you feel like making them from scratch).
It comes together in 15 minutes, and makes a deeeeelicious, healthy, fresh weeknight meal.
I did my fish on a grill pan indoors – just because I felt like hanging out in the kitchen with my friend Clarice who was visiting – but by all means fire up the grill outside. Just grease the grates really well (I rub a wadded up piece of paper towel dipped in oil onto the hot grill using tongs), flip carefully, and keep a close watch so you don’t overcook it. I turn it over when the top edges of the fillet have turned opaque and cook until it is flakey at the edges and just a teensy weensy bit translucent in the centre, as the residual heat will finish off the cooking after it’s removed from the pan.
Feel free to sub in any other white fish or salmon! Very versatile.
If you love fish tacos as much as I do, you must also try my Baja Fish Taco recipe next (the Baja Sauce is to die for)! Or head over here for amazing Chicken Tacos.
Spicy Fish Tacos with Cabbage Slaw + Lime Crema
Ingredients
- 2 lbs white fish fillets (like tilapia, haddock, snapper, cod or sole)
- salt and pepper
- 2 tsp paprika
- ½ tsp cayenne
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 2 tbsp canola oil
- warmed flour tortillas for serving
- slaw for fish tacos
- lime crema
Instructions
- Season fish on both sides with salt and pepper. In a small bowl, combine paprika, cayenne, garlic powder and cumin. Sprinkle over fish on both sides. Heat 1 tbsp oil in a grill pan on medium-high heat. Add half of the fish and cook until the edges are opaque, about 3 minutes. Flip and cook until fish flakes easily with fork, and is just ever-so-slightly translucent (it will finish cooking with the residual heat). Transfer fish to a plate and repeat with remaining fish.
- Serve fish in warmed tortillas with cabbage slaw and a drizzle of crema.
Video
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Making this tonight for dinner!
Making this tonight for dinner!
Okay, this looks so good, I am thawing out salmon right now. My sweetie pie will think I am a gourmet.
Okay, this looks so good, I am thawing out salmon right now. My sweetie pie will think I am a gourmet.
Just made this tonight… phenomenal!
Just made this tonight… phenomenal!
I keep making this and it keeps being unbelievably delicious. I don’t follow your blog regularly, I found this recipe via a Google search, but after my husband and I gobbled these tacos for the third incredible time, I just wanted to let you know how wonderful this recipe is. Â
Thanks for the message, Katharine! Come back again soon! 🙂
These turned out great last night. I am going to use the corn salsa for other dishes as well. Â Thanks for sharing!
You’re most welcome!
I have this sizzling away, preparing for dinner tonight!
Let me know how they turn out! 🙂
can you specify how big is a ‘portion’ as in weight, size etc. i’m not sure how much to use for this recipe but i’d love to try it!