Easy Weeknight Fish Tacos

Is Taco Tuesday still a thing? If yes, these easy weeknight fish tacos will help you celebrate without breaking the bank or taking loads of time. White fish gets coated in a dusting of flour then delicately fried to tender perfection. Pack it into your favourite taco shells and she's ready for toppings. Speaking of, this one is loaded with lightly pickled cabbage, avocado, spicy mayo and cilantro. It's all of the good stuff, without the fuss. 

Equipment

Everything you need to make easy weeknight fish tacos at home: 

• medium frying pan
• fish spatula
• tongs
• cutting board
• chef's knife
• medium bowl
• small bowl

Get the full ingredients list and instructions below!

Cooking Tips

1.  Choosing a white fish. I'm using tilapia fillets because I like the mild fish flavour for my tacos and it's usually quite affordable. Cod, halibut, mahi-mahi and snapper are also good options. Whichever you choose, look for something that's sustainably caught. 
2.  Coating the fish in flour before frying helps prevent sticking and retain moisture while achieving a crispy texture. This leaves you with flaky, tender fish that has a great bite to it. 
3. Always warm your tortillas before serving. It might seem like an annoying extra step but the effort is worth the reward. Most taco shells (especially authentic ones) are rigid and break easily. Warming them before serving will make them more pliable, meaning they can hold everything inside while you eat, instead of falling apart in your hands. It also makes them taste better, IMO! Heat the tortillas and then wrap them in a clean dish towel to keep warm until you're ready to eat. 

Easy Weeknight Fish Tacos

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 20 minutes mins

Servings: 4

Ingredients Method

Ingredients

  

• 4 white fish fillets about 500g total (tilapia, cod, halibut etc.)
• ¼ cup flour
• ¼ head red cabbage
• 1 batch ginger-lime dressing linked in instructions
• ¼ cup mayonnaise
• ¼ cup sriracha
• 1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
• 1 avocado
• 6-8 soft corn taco shells
• cilantro for garnish
• lime for serving
• salt I'm using Diamond Crystal Kosher
• neutral oil like avocado or canola

Method

 

1. Thinly slice ¼ head red cabbage and add to a medium bowl. Cover in 1 batch ginger-lime dressing. Toss to coat and set aside.
2. In a small bowl combine ¼ cup mayonnaise, ¼ cup sriracha and 1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar. Stir until evenly incorporated, taste and add salt if needed. It should be spicy and slightly tangy. Set aside.
3. Season 4 white fish fillets with 1 teaspoon salt all over. Cover the seasoned fillets in ¼ cup flour and flip to lightly coat, then shake off any excess and transfer to a clean plate.
4. Heat a medium pan on medium-low. Add enough neutral oil to lightly coat the pan. Add your fish, working in batches if needed, and fry until light golden brown, about 3-5 minutes. Flip and season with a pinch of salt.  Finish cooking on the other side, about 2 minutes more. You'll know the fish is done when the colour changes from light pink and slightly translucent to white and opaque. It should also easily flake apart when poked with a fork.
5. While the fish cooks, peel and slice 1 avocado. Cut your lime into wedges, then squeeze one wedge over the sliced avocado to prevent browning. Roughly chop cilantro for garnish. Set aside.
6. When the fish is cooked, wipe away any oil from the pan and return to medium. Warm your taco shells on both sides, storing them in a clean dish towel as you go, to keep warm. You'll know the taco shells are ready to flip when you see air pockets forming within. They will go from rigid and easily breakable to pliable and strong.
7. Assemble your tacos with fish, avocado, pickled cabbage, cilantro, spicy mayo and lime wedges. Enjoy!