Description
These blackened fish tacos are a fast, flavorful, and budget-friendly weeknight dinner. Featuring a spicy, smoky blackened crust on white fish, topped with a creamy cilantro lime crema and crunchy cabbage slaw, they come together in just 20 minutes.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1.5 lbs white fish fillets (tilapia or cod), thawed and patted dry
- 3 tablespoons melted butter
- 3 tablespoons blackening spice blend (1 tbsp paprika, 1 tsp cayenne, 1 tsp garlic powder, 1 tsp onion powder, 1 tsp dried thyme, 1 tsp dried oregano, 1 tsp salt, black pepper to taste)
- 1 cup full-fat sour cream
- 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
- 2–3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- ½ cup packed fresh cilantro, chopped
- 2 cups shredded cabbage (green and purple mix)
- ½ small red onion, thinly sliced
- 8–10 small corn or flour tortillas
- 1 ripe avocado, sliced
- 1 tablespoon oil (avocado or vegetable) for cooking
- Lime wedges for serving
Instructions
- Make the Cilantro Lime Crema: In a small bowl or food processor, combine sour cream, mayonnaise, lime juice, minced garlic, and chopped cilantro. Whisk or blend until smooth. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed. Cover and refrigerate.
- Prep the Fish and Slaw: Pat fish fillets completely dry with paper towels. Season with salt and pepper. In a small bowl, mix the blackening spices. Brush or dip fish fillets in melted butter, then coat both sides heavily with the spice blend, pressing spices to adhere. Toss shredded cabbage with a squeeze of lime juice and a pinch of salt.
- Blacken the Fish: Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat with oil until shimmering and just starting to smoke. Place fish fillets in the pan (cook in batches if necessary). Cook undisturbed for 3-4 minutes until a dark crust forms and edges turn opaque. Flip gently and cook for another 2-3 minutes until fish flakes easily. Remove from heat and let rest for 2 minutes.
- Warm the Tortillas: Warm tortillas in a dry skillet for 30 seconds per side or microwave wrapped in a damp paper towel for 20 seconds. Keep warm in a towel.
- Assemble: Flake the blackened fish into large chunks. Assemble tacos by placing slaw on warm tortillas, topping with flaked fish, drizzling with cilantro lime crema, adding avocado slices, and squeezing lime wedges over the top. Serve immediately.
Notes
Ensure fish is completely dry before seasoning to prevent steaming. Do not overcrowd the pan to ensure proper blackening. The pan must be hot enough to smoke slightly for the best crust. Leftover fish can be reheated gently with a splash of lime juice and butter to maintain moisture.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Cuisine: Mexican
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 2 tacos per serving
- Calories: 380
- Sugar: 3
- Sodium: 650
- Fat: 18
- Saturated Fat: 6
- Carbohydrates: 25
- Fiber: 4
- Protein: 28
Keywords: blackened fish tacos, weeknight dinner, easy fish recipe, cilantro lime crema, blackened fish, quick tacos, tilapia tacos, cod tacos