Fish Tacos Recipe - Pan Seared, Ready in 15 Minutes

These Fish Tacos are Easy to Make

Who’s in the mood for Fish Tacos? I know I am! These are light, fresh, and bursting with flavor, perfect for spicy food lovers.

My version features tender red snapper (or any white fish) lightly seasoned with garlic, onion, paprika, and white pepper, then pan-seared until flaky. I pile it onto warm flour tortillas (or corn, if you prefer) with a crunchy slaw of shredded cabbage, roasted jalapeño, cilantro, lime, and a hint of honey.

Top with creamy homemade fish taco sauce - mayo, crema, lime juice, and hot sauce - plus sliced avocado. Quick, easy, and on the table in about 15 minutes.

Let’s make some fish tacos.

Key Ingredients

The full ingredient list with measurements is listed in the recipe card at the bottom of the post.

• FOR THE CRUNCHY CABBAGE SLAW
• Red Cabbage
• Green Cabbage
• Roasted Jalapeno - see my post for how to roast peppers
• Cilantro
• Fresh Lime Juice
• Champagne Vinegar - or use your favorite white vinegar or apple cider vinegar
• Honey
• Salt
• FOR THE FISH TACO SAUCE
• Mayonnaise
• Mexican Crema - or use Sour Cream
• Lime Juice
• Hot Sauce - Use your favorite, or use sriracha
• Garlic Powder or Fresh Garlic
• Kosher Salt
• FOR THE FISH TACOS
• Red Snapper - or use your favorite white fish
• Spices - Garlic Powder, Sweet Paprika, Onion Powder, White Pepper -(or use black pepper as a substitute), Salt - or use my taco seasoning recipe as a time saver
• Olive Oil
• Flour Tortillas - you can use corn tortillas
• Avocado
• Extras for Topping - Sliced roasted jalapeno peppers or chiles toreados, fresh squeezed lime, your favorite hot sauce

How to Make Fish Tacos

MAKE THE FISH TACO SLAW

Toss together the shredded red cabbage, shredded green cabbage, roasted jalapeno, cilantro, lime juice, vinegar, honey and salt in a large bowl. Make sure everything is evenly coated. Refrigerate until ready to use.

MAKE THE FISH TACO SAUCE

Whisk together the mayo, crema, lime juice, hot sauce, garlic and salt in a medium bowl. Refrigerate the cream sauce until ready to use. This is a huge flavor builder. So good.

MAKE THE FISH TACOS

Season the Fish. Remove the skin from the fish and slice the fish into strips. Mix together the seasonings in a small bowl and sprinkle it over the sliced fish.

Cook the Fish. Heat the oil in a pan to medium high heat and add the fish. Cook gently for 5 minutes, turning the fish every minute, until it is cooked through. Remove from heat.

Assemble the Tacos and Serve. Serve the pieces of fish onto warmed tortillas, then top with sliced avocado, crunchy cabbage slaw and dollops of creamy fish taco sauce, maybe a lime wedge or two on the side.

Toss in some diced red onion if you'd like. Don't forget the hot sauce!

Boom! Done! Your delectable fish tacos are recipe to serve! Don't they look amazing? So easy to make and always satisfying. I'm not kidding when I say this is the best fish tacos recipe around. Perfect every time.

Best Fish for Fish Tacos

This recipe works with any white fish. You can use whatever is freshest at your fish counter or most affordable that week. Here are my favorites.

• Red Snapper. One of my favorites. It has a mild, slightly sweet flavor with a firm but flaky texture that holds up nicely in a hot pan. The fillets sear to a gorgeous golden color and the fish stays moist inside. Highly recommend.
• Halibut is another excellent pick. It's meatier and thicker, with a clean, mild flavor. If you like a chunkier bite in your taco, halibut is your fish.
• Grouper is wonderfully versatile. It has a slightly sweet flavor and a firm texture that won't fall apart in the pan. Great for grouper tacos and one of the most popular white fish in the Southeast.
• Mahi Mahi brings a little more flavor than other options. It's a mild but distinct fish with a slightly firmer texture. Excellent for fish tacos and easy to find.
• Wahoo is a personal favorite when I can get my hands on it. Lean, firm, and mild, it sears beautifully and makes outstanding wahoo tacos. Worth looking for.
• Monkfish has a meaty, almost lobster-like texture. It takes a bit longer to cook than thinner fillets, so adjust your timing as needed. Rich and satisfying.
• Cod is easy to find and budget-friendly. Mild and flaky, it works well here, just be gentle when flipping because it can break apart more easily than firmer fish.
• Tilapia is the most affordable option on this list and still delicious. Great for a weeknight meal when you want something quick and inexpensive.

Serving Ideas

Serve your fish tacos with Mexican refried beans or this awesome Mexican rice recipe (so fluffy!) on the side.

Try my spicy creamy habanero sauce recipe, which is amazing on fish, or the milder salsa dona recipe (made with jalapenos).

That's it, my friends. I hope you enjoy my fish tacos recipe. So good! Let me know if you make it and what fish you've chosen. I'd love to hear how it turned out for you. Keep it spicy!

Storage & Leftovers

Store any leftover cooked fish in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. To enjoy it again, reheat it gently on the stove top in a small pan with oil. Do not overheat, or it can dry out and become tough.

The slaw will last up to 5 days in a sealed container in the fridge. Serve it right out of the container.

The taco sauce will last a week or longer in a sealed container.

More Fish Taco Recipes

• Baja Fish Tacos (Fried Fish!)
• Shrimp Tacos with Creamy Jalapeno Sauce
• Beer Battered Fish Tacos with Habanero Slaw
• Creamy Fish Taco Sauce Recipe

Grab yourself a fish taco!

Fish Tacos FAQ

What is the best fish for fish tacos?

Red snapper is my personal favorite, but the honest answer is that any firm white fish works beautifully. Halibut, grouper, mahi mahi, wahoo, and cod are all excellent choices. See my full breakdown in the section above.

Is red snapper good for fish tacos?

It's my favorite fish for tacos, full stop. Red snapper has a mild sweetness, a firm enough texture to hold up to pan searing, and it flakes perfectly onto a tortilla. If you can find fresh red snapper at your fish counter, grab it.

What goes on fish tacos?

The classics are seasoned white fish, shredded cabbage slaw, avocado, and a creamy sauce. My version adds roasted jalapeño to the slaw for heat and makes a fish taco sauce from mayo, Mexican crema, lime juice, and hot sauce. Sliced fresh jalapeños or chiles toreados on top take it over the edge.

Can you make fish tacos ahead of time?

You can get ahead on two of the three components. Make the slaw and the fish taco sauce up to a day in advance and refrigerate both. Cook the fish right before serving though. It only takes 5 minutes and fish tacos are at their best when the fish is fresh out of the pan.