Craving tacos with a little kick? These Blackened Fish Tacos with avocado sauce are spicy, creamy, and ridiculously easy to make—a quick 30-minute meal perfect for Taco Tuesday or any night of the week.
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When I lived in San Antonio, I went to this popular restaurant called The Cove WAY too often.
My all-time favorite dish? Their blackened fish tacos with avocado sauce—spicy, perfectly seasoned fish balanced by creamy, cool goodness.
So, I decided to recreate them at home with a Southern twist, blending bold Cajun and Mexican flavors into an easy, flavor-packed recipe.
These Blackened Fish Tacos are quick enough for busy weeknights but delicious enough to feel like a special treat!
(Don’t miss out on these Blackened Shrimp Tacos next!)
Ingredients You’ll Need
Please see the recipe card below for the exact ingredient amounts.
Please see the recipe card below for a full list of ingredients and amounts.
- Fish: Cod is my go-to for its mild flavor and flaky texture, but mahi-mahi or tilapia work great too.
- Cajun (Blackening) Seasoning: A bold blend of paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, cayenne, thyme, oregano, salt, and pepper. (This Evolving Table Cajun seasoning is what I used!)
- Tortillas: Flour or corn—your choice! Warm them for the best texture.
- Avocado: Ripe and creamy, the base for that dreamy avocado sauce.
- Greek Yogurt or Sour Cream: Adds tang and creaminess to the sauce.
- Lime Juice: For brightness in both the sauce and as a finishing squeeze.
- Cilantro: Fresh herbs for a pop of flavor.
- Optional Toppings: Shredded cabbage, pickled onions, or a sprinkle of cotija cheese.
How to Make Blackened Fish Tacos
Please see the recipe card below for more detailed ingredient amounts. Jump to recipe for the printable instructions.
Step 1: Season the Fish. Pat the fish dry and sprinkle generously with blackening seasoning on both sides.
Step 2: Cook the Fish. Heat oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add fish and cook 2-3 minutes per side until blackened and flaky. Remove from the pan.
Step 3: Make the Avocado Sauce. Blend avocado, Greek yogurt, lime juice, cilantro, and a pinch of salt until smooth and creamy.
Step 4: Assemble the Tacos. Warm tortillas, flake the fish into chunks, and layer with avocado sauce and your favorite toppings.
FAQs
Cod is perfect for its mild flavor and flaky texture, but mahi-mahi, tilapia, or even halibut work well.
Make sure the pan is hot before adding the fish, and avoid flipping it too soon. Let it form a crust before turning.
It has a kick from cayenne, but you can adjust the spice level by reducing or increasing the amount of cayenne in the seasoning.
The fish is best fresh, but you can prep the avocado sauce and toppings in advance to save time.
More Healthy Fish Recipes
Fish is a super tasty and usually quick dinner option! Check out these other pescatarian-friendly recipes next.
- Crispy Air Fryer Fish, Panko Crusted Salmon, and Pistachio Crusted Salmon all have a delightful crunch for an easy main dish!
- Miso Glazed Salmon and Salmon Burgers are both creative ways to use this omega-rich fish.
Other Tasty Taco Recipes
If you enjoyed these blackened fish tacos, you might also like to try out these other easy taco recipes.
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Blackened Fish Tacos Recipe
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Ingredients
Blackened Fish
- 2 tablespoons Cajun seasoning
- 1 tablespoon packed brown sugar
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- 1 ¼ pounds cod or other white fish, cut into 5 pieces
- 2 tablespoons salted butter
Avocado Sauce
- 1 large avocado peeled and pitted
- ⅓ cup Mexican crema or sour cream
- ⅓ cup packed finely chopped cilantro
- 2 tablespoons lime juice from 1-2 limes
- ½ teaspoon salt
For Serving
- 8 corn tortillas
- 2 cups thinly sliced red cabbage
- Radishes thinly sliced, optional
- Jalapeños thinly sliced, optional
- Fresh cilantro chopped
- ¼ cup crumbled queso fresco
Instructions
- For the Blackened Fish: Mix together the Cajun seasoning, brown sugar, and salt in a small bowl. Sprinkle seasoning over the top and bottom of the fish pieces. Use your hands to pat the seasoning so it adheres to the fish.2 tablespoons Cajun seasoning, 1 tablespoon packed brown sugar, ¾ teaspoon salt, 1 ¼ pounds cod
- Heat a large cast-iron skillet over medium heat and add the butter. Once the butter begins to bubble, add the fish to the skillet and cook for 3-4 minutes. Flip and cook 3-4 additional minutes. If pieces are thicker than 1 inch, sear on the ends to ensure the fish is cooked through.2 tablespoons salted butter
- For the Avocado Sauce: Add the avocado, crema or sour cream, cilantro, lime juice, and salt to a small food processor or blender. Process until completely smooth and thoroughly combined.1 large avocado, ⅓ cup Mexican crema or sour cream, ⅓ cup packed finely chopped cilantro, 2 tablespoons lime juice, ½ teaspoon salt
- To Assemble the Tacos: Carefully toast corn tortillas over an open gas flame. Alternatively, lightly fry them in additional avocado oil or butter in a large skillet over medium heat for 1 minute per side.8 corn tortillas
- Serve blackened fish on toasted corn tortillas with Avocado Sauce, shredded cabbage, radishes, jalapeños, chopped cilantro, and queso fresco, if desired.2 cups thinly sliced red cabbage, Radishes, Jalapeños, Fresh cilantro, ¼ cup crumbled queso fresco
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Video
Notes
- Seasoning. If possible, use this Cajun Seasoning recipe or look for a store-bought one that doesn’t have a ton of added salt/sodium.
- Skillet. The cast-iron is key if you want that classic crusty char!
- Storage. The cooked fish will last for up to 2-3 days in an airtight container. Place the chopped and shredded topping ingredients in their own individual containers. Store the avocado sauce in an airtight container for up to 3-4 days. Freezing is not recommended as the texture of all of the ingredients will change upon thawing.
- Avocado Sauce. Avoid making this in advance, it will last for up to 2-3 days. You can cover with plastic wrap to prevent turning browning.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
I LOVE the fish tacos at The Cove, but moved to Atlanta from San Antonio, so I made my own using this recipe. It was absolutely delicious and the whole family loved it. I did make a few changes, like using mahi-mahi because that’s what we had on hand. Instead of garnishing the tacos with cabbage and cilantro, I made a Mexican slaw with cabbage, onion, jalapeno, cilantro and a quick homemade orange vinaigrette. To make it a complete meal, I served it with cilantro lime rice and black beans. I didn’t change anything about the sauce or the preparation of this fish-I didn’t need to, it was perfect. Thank you so much for sharing this recipe!!!
Yay! So happy to hear you enjoyed the recipe, Jessica! This sounds so good! Thanks so much for taking the time to leave a comment and rating!
This sounds amazing! I’ll be trying them this weekend, will the sauce last 24 hours if I make it ahead of time for a camping trip? Thank you, cant wait to try these!!
Yes, Vanessa! The sauce will last 24 hours – just make sure not to add it onto the tacos until just before serving 🙂 – And also, place a piece of plastic wrap on top of it so it doesn’t turn brown!
The main page of your recipe specified 5tbsp of coriander which is not in the recipe – I think you meant cilantro which I didn’t buy because it was missing from the main recipe 🙁
Hi Noelle! Would you mind telling me where it mentions the coriander? I’m not sure where you are referring to it being mentioned. You just need some cilantro for the recipe 🙂 Hope this helps!
Blackened fish tacosE
I have never left a comment on a recipe before, but I’m doing it now because holy crap these are amazing. I made the recipe exactly as stated, except for adding tomatoes as a garnish, and leaving off the queso fresco ’cause who can remember everything in one trip to the grocery store. Seriously though, my husband said these were the best fish tacos he’d ever had, and we took a two week trip to Cabo last year! These are gonna be added to the favorites list for sure.
Yay, Rhaya!! I am SO happy to hear you and your hubby enjoyed the tacos so much. These are a spin-off of some of our favorite fish tacos at a restaurant in San Antonio called The Cove. So if you’re ever visiting – you must try them out! Thanks so much for your comment and positive words, Rhaya!
I see your recipe called for coriander in the beginning but then it wasn’t added in your actual blog recipe. Do you or don’t use coriander??
Hi Gabby! Not exactly sure where you saw coriander mentioned, but there’s no coriander in this recipe so you can simply follow the directions in the recipe area! Thanks for the question!
Coriander in the photo
Coriander and cilantro are the same thing. Cilantro is the common name in North America.
Thank you for that clarification, Joan!!
These were absolutely wonderful, and even my teenage son was a fan! We used baby greens instead of cabbage and used cod in lieu of tilapia. We also made our own cassava flour tortillas, so they were not only gluten free, but also grain free. Thank you!
Hi Ramae!! Wow, I love your substitutions!! And those cassava flour tortillas sound incredible. Where did you find the recipe? I would love to try some out! Thanks so much for your comment and rating 🙂
Looking forward to making these this summer. Thanks for the recipe idea!
You’re so welcome, Jessica! Can’t wait to hear what you think!
I made the Blackened Fish Tacos but instead of the avocado sauce I made a mayo and Sriracha sauce mixture and then topped the tacos with sliced Avocados and cilantro. Delicious!!
That sauce sounds incredible!! So happy you enjoyed them. Thanks for commenting 🙂