Baja Fish Tacos with Creamy Slaw
On June 19, 2024
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My Baja Fish Tacos with creamy slaw and jalapeño lime taco sauce are fresh and crispy, super easy to make, and bursting with vibrant flavors.
Baja Fish Tacos with Creamy Slaw
If you think you don’t like fish tacos, then think again. One bite of my Baja Fish Tacos and you’ll be a believer. I’m talking fresh, flaky, white fish filets, fried to golden perfection, served in white corn tortillas. Then, piled high with a creamy, tangy slaw made with crisp, shredded cabbage, sweet honey, and bright lime juice. Topping it all off, I drizzle them with my homemade taco sauce, made with fresh cilantro, zesty lime, and jalapeño for a touch of heat. These tacos are borderline addictive, so be prepared for taco duty once your family gets a taste. Let’s make some tacos.
What are Baja fish tacos?
Baja fish tacos, sometimes called fish tacos de Ensenada, originated in the 1950s in Baja California, Mexico. These tacos are traditionally battered then fried white fish served on corn tortillas, topped with shredded cabbage, and a creamy white sauce usually made with sour cream, mayonnaise, and lime juice. The combination of crispy fish, fresh toppings, and a tangy sauce have made Baja fish tacos an increasingly popular dish everywhere.
Batter for Frying Fish Taco Filets
The key to a great Baja taco is a light and crispy batter coating your fresh fish filets. For this recipe I’m using halibut. You can also use cod, or any white fish you prefer. You want your filets around 1 inch thick, so trim with a sharp knife, if needed. Then, you’re ready to make your batter. Here’s what you’ll need:
- ¼ cup cornstarch
- ¾ cup rice flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon Kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon onion powder
If you happen to have my Wing Night kit, you can also use the batter from that, or your own recipe if you have one you love. You can also check out my recipe for Grilled Fish Tacos if you want to skip this step. However, I highly recommend the batter.
Creamy Taco Slaw
In the spirit of the traditional cabbage, I’m doing these Baja Fish Tacos with a creamy cabbage slaw. Once you’ve got the following ingredients prepped, simply combine them in a large bowl and set aside until ready to combine with the dressing:
- 1 cup red and green cabbage mix (shredded)
- ¼ cup green onions (diced)
- ¼ cup fresh cilantro (sliced)
Next, in a small bowl, combine all the ingredients for your slaw dressing. You’ll set this aside as well, and combine with the slaw just before serving your tacos. Here’s what you need to make these easy slaw dressing:
- ½ cup mayonnaise
- 1 teaspoon honey
- ½ teaspoon Kosher salt
- 1 Tablespoon fresh lime juice (about ½ a lime)
Jalapeño Lime Taco Sauce
Once again, I wanted to do a sauce inspired by the original Baja style tacos. This Jalapeño Lime Taco Sauce is my personal take on the traditional white sauce. The creaminess complements the crispy, battered fish, and the slight heat from the jalapeños pairs great with the fresh slaw (it’s also great on sandwiches and salads). Here’s what you’ll need for it:
- ½ cup mayo
- ½ cup sour cream
- 1 jalapeño (seeds optional)
- 1 bunch cilantro
- ½ teaspoon Kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon onion powder
- juice of 2 limes
Just combine all the ingredients in your blender jar or food processor, and mix until you have a smooth, creamy consistency. This is best refrigerated, so you can make it ahead of time, too. Yes, you can purchase a cabbage and a slaw. But since both this rich dressing and refreshing slaw are so easy to make ahead, I say go homemade.
How to Make Baja Fish Tacos
- Preheat oil. Add your cooking oil to a 12-inch cast iron skillet or heavy bottom pan on your grill or oven and bring it to around 350 degrees F.
- Make the taco sauce. Combine all the ingredients for your jalapeño lime sauce in a blender and puree until you have a creamy sauce. Make this ahead and chill to give this tasty sauce an extra depth of flavor.
- Make the slaw. In a large bowl, combine your freshly shredded cabbage, sliced cilantro leaves, and diced green onions. In a separate, small bowl, combine your creamy mayo with some honey for sweetness, a little Kosher salt, and some lime juice for brightness. Set both aside and wait to combine until you’re ready to serve. Trust me, fresh is best.
- Batter the fish. Mix all of the dry batter ingredients in a medium bowl, then stir in ice water and whisk until smooth. You want your filets to be about 1 inch thick. Trim them with a sharp knife if needed, then coat your filets evenly on all sides. Let any excess batter drip off before adding to your cooking oil.
- Fry. Place the battered filets in the hot oil with a good pair of tongs. You want to give your filets about 6-8 minutes per side, flipping gently when they start to float. For food safety, make sure your filets reach an internal temperature of 145 degrees F with a reliable food thermometer. Remove to a flat rack above a baking sheet, allowing excess oil to drip away.
- Assemble the tacos. Combine your dressing and slaw, then assemble your tacos with two corn tortillas topped with your fried fish, a healthy portion of your fresh slaw and a drizzle of your creamy taco sauce.
More Awesome Taco Recipes
After you experience how easy making these Baja Fish Tacos is, you’ll be offering to host Taco Tuesday every week. When you’re ready to branch out, I’ve got dozens of taco and filling recipes available in the Hey Grill Hey app. Grill up some of my homemade corn or flour tortillas, then try one of these amazing taco recipes next:
Simple Baja Fish Taco Recipe
This Baja Fish Taco recipe will turn even the pickiest eaters into major fans. I’ve already converted more than a few doubters. If you love these flavorful tacos as much as I do, give this recipe a 5-star rating, and tell me all about your experience in the comments.
If you want to be the first to know about even more incredible recipes just like this one, plus get pitmaster pro tips and a look behind the scenes, be sure to check out all my social media channels. You can find me on YouTube, Instagram, and Facebook with @heygrillhey.
Baja Fish Tacos with Creamy Slaw
Ingredients
- 4 fish filets halibut or cod
- 8 cups canola oil or vegetable oil
- 4 limes for juice
- 8 white corn tortilla taco shells
Seasoned Batter
- ¼ cup cornstarch
- ¾ cup rice flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon Kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon onion powder
Creamy Slaw
- 1 cup red and green cabbage shredded
- ¼ cup green onions diced
- ¼ cup fresh cilantro sliced
- ½ cup mayonnaise
- 1 teaspoon honey
- ½ teaspoon Kosher salt
- 1 Tablespoon fresh lime juice
Jalapeño Lime Taco Sauce
- ½ cup mayo
- ½ cup sour cream
- 1 jalapeño seeds optional
- 1 bunch cilantro
- ½ teaspoon Kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon onion powder
- 2 limes for juice
Instructions
- Preheat oil. Add your cooking oil to a cast iron skillet or heavy bottom pan on your grill or oven and bring it to around 350 degrees F.8 cups canola oil
- Make the taco sauce. Combine all the ingredients for taco sauce in a blender and puree to a smooth consistency. Refrigerate until ready to serve.½ cup mayo, ½ cup sour cream, 1 jalapeño, 1 bunch cilantro, ½ teaspoon Kosher salt, ½ teaspoon black pepper, ¼ teaspoon garlic powder, ¼ teaspoon onion powder, 2 limes
- Make the slaw. In a large bowl, combine shredded cabbage, sliced cilantro leaves, and diced green onions. In a separate, small bowl, combine mayo, honey, Kosher salt, and lime juice. Set aside to combine when ready to serve.1 cup red and green cabbage, ¼ cup green onions, ¼ cup fresh cilantro, ½ cup mayonnaise, 1 teaspoon honey, ½ teaspoon Kosher salt, 1 Tablespoon fresh lime juice
- Batter the fish. Mix all batter ingredients in a medium bowl, then stir in ice water and whisk until smooth. Coat your filets evenly on all sides, letting any excess batter drip off.4 fish filets, ¼ cup cornstarch, ¾ cup rice flour, 2 teaspoons baking powder, 1 teaspoon Kosher salt, ½ teaspoon paprika, ¼ teaspoon garlic powder, ¼ teaspoon onion powder
- Fry filets. Place the battered filets in hot oil. then fry for 6-8 minutes per side. Flip occasionally, until golden brown all around, and internal temperature reaches 145 degrees F.
- Assemble the tacos. Combine your dressing and slaw, then assemble your tacos with two corn tortillas topped with your fried fish, a healthy portion of your fresh slaw and a drizzle of your creamy taco sauce.8 white corn tortilla taco shells, 4 limes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
