Easy Baja Fish Tacos topped with creamy cilantro lime slaw — unbelievably quick and simple to make. Amazing for Cinco de Mayo and all summer long!
Quite frankly, I’ve never been a big taco person in the past. More of a fajita gal. My troubles? That hard shell.
How am I supposed to stuff my face will all the goodies when there’s a prison of giant tortilla chips around them? No no no. And then I found out about soft taco shells and everything changed.
Now I could eat tacos every day. And especially homemade crispy fish tacos piled high with slaw!
How this recipe works
Now you might think this is a complicated recipe. Breaded fish and a sauce and a slaw? All for a few Baja Fish Tacos? I’ll let you in on a little secret:
The sauce is totally also the dressing for the slaw. And it takes 30 seconds to mix together.
And while the slaw is softening in the dressing, you’ll have the fish in the frying pan in no time. Heat the taco shells, arrange everything on the dinner table and let the family admire your hard work.
Recipe tips
- If cod loin is unavailable, use cod fillet. It will be thinner and less juicy, but still delicious. You can also use a different firm, white fish fillet if you don’t have any cod.
- Follow the breading method closely, it’s the best way to get the crispy coating to stick to the fish!
- If the coleslaw seems watery after soaking, first stir it through very well. Sometimes cabbage can release a lot of water when combined with salt. If there’s a lot of excess liquid you might want to drain it before serving.
Serving suggestions
We obviously have these in taco shells. I also add fresh cilantro and lime wedges on the side – such a nice refreshing kick!
If you want to add another side dish, I recommend my Mexican Bean Salad or my Tomato Cucumber Avocado Salad. A simple homemade guacamole is also a delicious addition!
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PS If you try this recipe, why not leave a star rating in the recipe card right below and/or a review in the comment section further down the page? I always appreciate your feedback! You can also follow me on Pinterest, Facebook or Instagram. Sign up for my email list, too!
Baja Fish Tacos with Creamy Cilantro Lime Slaw
Recipe details
Ingredients
For the sauce and slaw
- 1 (14 ounce) container plain Greek yogurt I used skim
- 1 lime juice only
- 1 tablespoon vinegar
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1 handful fresh cilantro chopped
- salt and pepper to taste (usually I need to add a little bit of extra salt to the slaw)
- 1 (14 ounce) bag tri-color coleslaw mix
For the Fish
- 1 cup breadcrumbs
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- ¼ teaspoon ground paprika
- ¼ teaspoon ground cumin
- pepper & ground chili to taste
- 1 large egg beaten
- 14 oz cod loin cut into chunks
- 2 tablespoons oil to cook the fish
To Serve
- 8-10 soft taco shells warmed
- lime wedges and extra cilantro optional
Instructions
Make the slaw and sauce:
- In a large bowl, combine yogurt, lime juice, vinegar, chopped cilantro, salt and pepper until creamy. Remove about ⅓ of the mixture and refrigerate in a smaller bowl (this is your sauce to serve with the tacos). Add the coleslaw mix to the remaining ⅔ of yogurt sauce and mix it very well. Cover and refrigerate.
Make the fish:
- Combine the breadcrumbs, cornstarch and seasonings in a shallow dish. To a separate bowl, add the beaten egg.
- Dip the fish pieces FIRST into the breadcrumbs, then into the egg and then again into the seasoned breadcrumbs to coat thoroughly.
- Heat the oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Cook the fish in the hot oil until it's tender on the inside (it should be white and flake easily) and golden-crispy on the outside, carefully flipping the fish pieces multiple times. This will take about 5-10 minutes.
Serve:
- Serve the fish immediately with the slaw, sauce and warmed taco shells. Pass extra lime wedges and cilantro.
ami@naivecookcooks says
Gosh I suddenly got hungry just looking at these!! That crispy fried fish is totally calling my name!
Nora says
Thanks Ami! Crispy fish gets me every time.
Lynn | The Road to Honey says
I looooooove fish tacos. There is this food truck in Hawaii that sells the best fish tacos (with charred tortilla!!!!) and I try to go there every day when I am there. Sadly, I have not been able to escape there over the last few years. So then there are these fish tacos. They look mmmm, mmmmm, good. The fish, the slaw. . .I need it all (or another trip to Hawaii ;-).
Nora says
That sounds so yummy, Lynn! I think you definitely need homemade fish tacos AND another trip to Hawaii 😉
Rachel @ Bakerita says
Ooooh man, you are making me REALLY crave fish tacos! I pretty much only eat them when I’m home in San Diego because they’re pretty incomparable, but these look sooo good – I need to dig into one (or two…or three…) of these for dinner ASAP!
Nora says
Ha! I love to give you cravings 😉 And I definitely didn’t stop at one taco.