Blackened Fish Tacos Recipe

Blackened Fish Tacos are filled with deep-flavored fish, topped with fresh cilantro slaw and avocado cream sauce!

I decided to give fish tacos a try and came across this recipe.  These tacos are amazingly delicious and fresh tasting.  

You won’t be disappointed with this Blackened Fish Taco recipe.

Fish tacos on a green plate with lime wedges

Putting The Fish Tacos Together

Recipe Ingredients

  • Tilapia fillets – You can also use red snapper, cod, mahi-mahi, or halibut.
  • Corn tortillas – Or flour tortillas.
  • Canola oil – You can use vegetable oil or olive oil.
  • Smoked paprika, garlic powder, dried oregano, onion powder, cumin, brown sugar, salt, and cayenne pepper – For the blackened seasoning.

Slaw Ingredients

  • Red and green cabbage – You can also just one type of cabbage.
  • Green onions
  • Cilantro
  • Fresh lime juice

It takes a little prep work, but it’s not too time-consuming.  We usually prepare the sauce the night before. When we’re ready to eat, we put the fish on, and while it’s cooking, prepare the slaw. It actually comes together very quickly.

Raw tilapia fish fillets seasoned on a sheet pan.

In a small bowl, combine the smoked paprika, garlic powder, dried oregano, onion powder, cumin, salt, brown sugar, and cayenne pepper.

Sprinkle the mixture over both sides of your tilapia fillets or a light white fish of your choice, and then rub the seasonings in.

Combine all of the Avocado-Cilantro Sauce ingredients in a food processor or blender. Pulse until well-combined.

Cilantro slaw mix in a white bowl.

Combine all of the slaw ingredients in a large bowl and mix well. The prepackaged shredded cabbage mix is easy to put together.  I make it while the fish is cooking.  

Heat the oil in a heavy-bottomed pan over medium-high heat. Once heated, add in the tilapia (a few at a time if you can’t fit them all at once).

Cook for 4-5 minutes on each side until the outside is blackened and the fish flakes apart easily.

Remove the fish from the heat, and if desired, warm the corn tortillas in the same skillet over medium heat, cooking for about 30 seconds on each side.

Break up the tilapia into 2-3″ pieces. Distribute the fish evenly between the 6 sets of flour tortillas, and top with Slaw and Avocado-Cilantro Sauce.

Fish taco sauce in a glass ramekin.

How To Make A Fish Taco Sauce

I make the sauce the night before, so when I come home from work, all I have to do is the slaw and fish. Plus, it gives the ingredients time to come together.

Add the following to a food processor and pulse until well combined.

  • 1/4 cup sour cream – If you prefer, you can use Greek yogurt.
  • 1/2 cup mayo
  • 1 ripe avocado pitted and skinned
  • 1/4 cup cilantro chopped
  • Juice of 1 lime
  • 1 jalapeno chopped and seeded
  • Salt to taste

The avocado cream sauce is a MUST!  We don’t like straight sour cream in our house, so I used more mayo than sour cream to cut the taste a little.

That cilantro and jalapeno just pop, and the lime juice brightens up the sauce to make it a perfect sauce for the fish tacos!

This is a great quick and easy recipe that screams southern California. It comes together so fast and delivers all the flavors. We love this recipe!

Fish Taco Toppings

Feel free to top these tacos with any of the following variations.

  • Pico de gallo
  • Fresh cilantro
  • Fresh lime juice
  • Fresh jalapenos
  • Cotija cheese
  • Diced red onion
Blackened fish tacos on a green plate with lime wedges.

FAQ

What’s the best fish to use for fish tacos?

A white, mild fleshed fish is best. Talapia is a very affordable option. Grouper makes a great fish for tacos as well.

What’s the best sauce to use on fish tacos?

Use a mayo and sour cream mixture, chopped cilantro, chopped and seeded jalapeno, lime juice, avocado, and salt. Fresh and delicious!

Blackened Fish Tacos - Deep flavored fish, topped with extremely fresh tasting cilantro slaw and avocado cream sauce!

Blackened Fish Tacos Recipe

Blackened Fish Tacos – Deep flavored fish, topped with extremely fresh tasting cilantro slaw and avocado cream sauce!
5 from 1 vote
Print Pin Rate
Course: Dinner, Entree, Main Course
Cuisine: Tex-Mex
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes
Servings: 6
Calories: 504kcal
Author: Leigh Harris

Ingredients
 

Blackened Fish

  • 1.5 lbs tilapia fillets
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons smoked paprika
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon cumin
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon brown sugar
  • 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • 2 tablespoons canola oil
  • 12 corn tortillas

The Slaw

  • 1/2 red cabbage sliced thin
  • 1/4 green cabbage sliced thin
  • 3 or 4 green onions diced
  • 3/4 cup cilantro
  • Juice of 1 lime

The Sauce

  • 1/4 cup sour cream
  • 1/2 cup mayo
  • 1 ripe avocado pitted and skinned
  • 1/4 cup cilantro chopped
  • Juice of 1 lime
  • 1 jalapeno chopped and seeded
  • Salt to taste

Instructions

  • In a small bowl, combine the smoked paprika, garlic powder, dried oregano, onion powder, cumin, salt, brown sugar, and cayenne pepper. Sprinkle the mixture over both sides of your tilapia fillets, and then rub the seasonings in.
  • Combine all of the Avocado-Cilantro Sauce ingredients in a food processor or blender. Pulse until well-combined.
  • Combine all of the Slaw ingredients in a large bowl and mix well.
  • Heat the oil in a heavy-bottomed pan over medium-high heat. Once heated, add in the tilapia (a few at a time if you can’t fit them all at once). Cook for 4-5 minutes on each side, or until the outside is blackened and the fish flakes apart easily.
  • Remove the fish from the heat, and if desired, warm the corn tortillas in the same skillet over medium heat, cooking for about 30 seconds on each side.
  • Break up the tilapia into 2-3″ pieces. Distribute the fish evenly between the 6 sets of tortillas, and top with Slaw and Avocado-Cilantro Sauce.

Nutrition

Calories: 504kcal | Carbohydrates: 36g | Protein: 29g | Fat: 29g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Cholesterol: 70mg | Sodium: 434mg | Potassium: 894mg | Fiber: 9g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 1484IU | Vitamin C: 62mg | Calcium: 124mg | Iron: 3mg

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6 Comments

  1. I’m a big fan of fish tacos, these sound so flavorful and delicious! Thanks for sharing at What’d You Do This Weekend?!

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