Fish tacos with avocado crema and lime surrounded by shredded purple cabbage and sliced radishes.

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Fish Tacos are a popular dish that can be served as a fun, casual dinner with everyone pitching in. If you make your own soft tacos and deep-fry the fish there will be a job for everyone. For parents of teenagers, if you can teach your kids to make tacos from scratch (and have fun doing it), you will be rewarded with fresh tacos many times over.

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Battered Fish vs Pan-Fried

There is no right answer but my husband voted for deep-fried fish the day we took this photo so that’s what I made. Yes, it’s more work, there’s no doubt about that. But at some point you will likely want to make some deep-fried recipes. Whether it’s calamari, french fries, corn dogs or fish and chips people living gluten free often take up deep frying at home. If you want to make battered fish for these tacos check out this post, Battered Fish and Chips, for the recipe and all the steps.

Gluten free Battered Fish and Chips served in a basket.
Battered Fish and Chips -photo credit Jim Little

But sautéed or grilled fish is no compromise and may even be your preference. Fish Tacos is sort of like pizza, it can be a fun DIY kind of Friday night dinner so don’t make it a chore. Offer the basic toppings you like and repeat the dinner a few times. Then you’ll know what your favourite toppings are and it will be a dinner to look forward to.

Homemade Soft Tacos

Tacos can be soft or hard and are fairly small compared to tortillas. Kids will definitely think of tacos and hard and tortillas as soft but Fish Tortillas just doesn’t sound as exciting as Fish Tacos.

The first store bought tortillas I tried were all disappointing so I went to homemade. They are made of masa harina, water and salt but it’s still another step. So use whatever wraps you like but I recommend you add fresh, soft corn tacos to your list of MUST TRY some day soon.

BEST KITCHEN TIP – Whether you deep-fry fish or make homemade tacos making any recipe at least three times is the key, and then it becomes easy. Think of those difficult specialties made my moms and grandmothers around the world. From homemade perogies to pasta it’s repetition that makes it look easy. Let me know if you try either one.

Gluten Free Masa Harina made into balls
Masa Harina made into balls for corn tortillas -photo credit Jim Little
Making corn tortillas from masa harina
Making corn tortillas with masa harina in a cast iron tortilla press -photo credit Jim Little
Just pressed gluten free corn tortillas ready to be fried.
Corn Tortillas made with Masa Harina -photo credit Jim Little

Over time I organized what I needed to make soft tacos into an easily accessible bucket. The recipe is taped to the side of the container and this is what’s in it.

  • The bag of masa harina
  • My tortilla press
  • Two freezer strength plastic bags to use on the tortilla press to prevent the dough from sticking
  • Cut sheets of wax paper to separate the pressed tacos
  • A set of taco holders for serving

Toppings For Fish Tacos

There are no rules so decide what you like. My best tip is to prepare all the topping in advance arranged in a large tray or plastic container. It’s a bit of work but it makes the Taco Party more fun.

The Sauce

I like my tacos to be a little juicy so I need sauce. Anything available in a squeeze bottle in the fridge is fair game and in my house that is often chipotle mayo. Crema is a Mexican favourite and these days any variation of crema mixed with avocado, avo crema, is popular so that is what I squeezed on these Fish Tacos. Don’t forget the hot sauce.

So there you have it, the science of making Fish Tacos your way. Let me know in the comments below how you like to eat your fish tacos.

More Recipes – Mexican Flavours

Mexican Pork Carnitas

Serving up Mexican Pork Carnitas
Mexican Pork Carnitas -photo credit Jim Little

Turkey Tacos

Gluten free turkey tacos made with homemade corn tortillas lined up in taco holders.
Homemade Turkey Tacos -photo credit Jim Little

Easy Huevos Rancheros

A paper plate with homemade soft corn tortillas topped with enchilada sauce, scrambled eggs and cheese, a hearty Mexican Huevos Rancheros.
Easy Huevos Rancheros -photo credit Jim Little

Crab Quesadillas

A plate with crab quesadillas with a drizzle of chipotle mayo
Crab Quesadillas -photo credit Jim Little

Ingredients

FISH
For deep-frying - 8 oz cod or pollock (follow link in recipe description)
For pan-frying - 8 oz halibut or mahimahi
FISH MARINADE
4 Tbsp lime juice
1 Tbsp olive oil
3 Tbsp chopped cilantro
½ tsp salt
6 oz halibut or mahimahi
TACOS
12 soft tacos (store bought or follow link in recipe description)
TOPPINGS
finely shredded cabbage or premade coleslaw
raw or pickled red onion
thinly sliced radishes
sliced avocado or avocado crema
crema or chipotle mayo
chopped cilantro
fresh lime wedges
hot sauce
EASY CREMA
½ cup mayo or Miracle Whip
½ cup sour cream
2 Tbsp lime juice
¼ tsp salt
AVO CREMA
1 avocado
½ cup sour cream
2 Tbsp lime juice
2-3 Tbsp chopped cilantro
¼ tsp salt

Directions

1
FISH - Combine lime juice, olive oil, cilantro and salt in a flat soup bowl. Add fish and let sit for 15 minutes, no more.
2
Remove from marinade and sauté in oil on medium-high heat, 3-4 minutes per side depending on thickness. Cut and serve in tacos.
3
TACOS – Warm tacos and wrap in towel until ready to serve.
4
TOPPINGS – Prepare desired toppings and arrange in a tray for serving.
5
EASY CREMA – Combine all ingredients and serve in small bowl or squeeze bottle.
6
AVO CREMA – Combine all ingredients and serve in small bowl or squeeze bottle.
7
SERVING – Add fish to warm tacos and let everyone add their favourite tacos toppings.

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Ingredients

Directions
  • FISH
  • For deep-frying - 8 oz cod or pollock (follow link in recipe description)
  • For pan-frying - 8 oz halibut or mahimahi
  • FISH MARINADE
  • 4 Tbsp lime juice
  • 1 Tbsp olive oil
  • 3 Tbsp chopped cilantro
  • ½ tsp salt
  • 6 oz halibut or mahimahi
  • TACOS
  • 12 soft tacos (store bought or follow link in recipe description)
  • TOPPINGS
  • finely shredded cabbage or premade coleslaw
  • raw or pickled red onion
  • thinly sliced radishes
  • sliced avocado or avocado crema
  • crema or chipotle mayo
  • chopped cilantro
  • fresh lime wedges
  • hot sauce
  • EASY CREMA
  • ½ cup mayo or Miracle Whip
  • ½ cup sour cream
  • 2 Tbsp lime juice
  • ¼ tsp salt
  • AVO CREMA
  • 1 avocado
  • ½ cup sour cream
  • 2 Tbsp lime juice
  • 2-3 Tbsp chopped cilantro
  • ¼ tsp salt
  1. FISH - Combine lime juice, olive oil, cilantro and salt in a flat soup bowl. Add fish and let sit for 15 minutes, no more.
  2. Remove from marinade and sauté in oil on medium-high heat, 3-4 minutes per side depending on thickness. Cut and serve in tacos.
  3. TACOS – Warm tacos and wrap in towel until ready to serve.
  4. TOPPINGS – Prepare desired toppings and arrange in a tray for serving.
  5. EASY CREMA – Combine all ingredients and serve in small bowl or squeeze bottle.
  6. AVO CREMA – Combine all ingredients and serve in small bowl or squeeze bottle.
  7. SERVING – Add fish to warm tacos and let everyone add their favourite tacos toppings.