Spicy Fish Tacos
I love, love, love fish tacos. If we go to California Tortilla on takeout night, I almost always get their fish tacos – unless I’ve made these ones at home during the week. I’ve tried a lot of different recipes over the past several years; some are way too labor intensive, some are way too unhealthy. This recipe is a melding of all the good parts of all those recipes, and the result is a fish taco that’s simple to prepare, good for you, and super delicious.
If you’re on a mission to get healthier, you can feel completely comfortable adding these to your menu. On top of that, they’re gluten free and can easily be made dairy free by leaving off the lime-sour cream sauce. L loves them, so they’re totally kid friendly, too. If your kiddos don’t like things spicy, just don’t season their fish filets.
This recipe makes 4-6 tacos, but can easily be doubled to feed a larger crowd.
Spicy Fish Tacos
For the Cajun seasoning (note that you’ll have quite a bit left over; just store it in a jar):
1 tablespoon kosher or fine grain sea salt
1 tablespoon garlic powder
1-1/2 tablespoons paprika
2 teaspoons black pepper
2 teaspoons onion powder
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
2-1/2 teaspoons dried oregano
2-1/2 teaspoons dried thyme
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper (optional; omit for less heat)
Pico de Gallo (you can cut the recipe in half if you like, or serve the extra with tortilla chips)
2 filets (8-10 ounces each) of mild white fish, such as tilapia, cod, or halibut
1 tablespoon melted coconut oil, plus a little more for sautéeing
2 teaspoons Cajun seasoning
1-1/2 cups shredded cabbage
1/2 cup chopped cilantro
juice of one lime
kosher or sea salt
1 cup sour cream
corn tortillas
Make the pico de gallo and set aside.
In a small bowl, mix together the tablespoon of coconut oil and the Cajun seasoning.
Pat the fish dry with paper towels, and use a pastry brush to coat both sides of the filets with the Cajun seasoning mixture. Set aside.
In a medium bowl, mix together the cabbage, chopped cilantro, half of the lime juice, and a pinch of salt. Set aside. (Sorry, I forgot to photograph this step – I think a small person was distracting me.)
In a small bowl, stir together the sour cream and the other half of the lime juice. Set aside.
In a large nonstick skillet or on a grill pan, sauté the fish filets (add a little more coconut oil to the pan if you need to, to prevent sticking) until done, 3-4 minutes per side.
Using a fork, break the cooked fish into pieces. Fold into warm tortillas and top with the cabbage mixture, pico de gallo, and lime-sour cream sauce.
Here’s the printable recipe. Yum!
