Bring coastal flavors home with these Blackened Fish Tacos! Spicy, Cajun-seasoned cod or mahi mahi is seared in a cast iron skillet, loaded into warm corn tortillas, and topped with a creamy avocado sauce and fresh cilantro for the most epic flavor combo. Make this quick and easy dinner recipe in under 30 minutes 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.
The fish fillets had a spicy kick and the creamy sauce and cabbage slaw helped to calm it down a bit.
Match. Made. In. Heaven.
So taking what I know best about Southern fare, I combined the flavors of Cajun and Mexican food to create this delicious blackened fish taco dish that you see here.
It has SO much flavor, and it’s such an easy recipe. Plus, it all comes together in under 30 minutes!
(Don’t miss out on these Blackened Shrimp Tacos next!)
How to Make This Recipe a Winner
There are really 2 components to this dish that will make it absolutely shine: the seasoning and the skillet.
- The blackened seasoning: This recipe is made with a homemade mix. While yes, you can use the store-bought mixes, they often have a TON of salt and extra sodium. I love to mix up my own batch and store it in the spice cabinet for anytime I want to add a little extra kick to recipes!
- The skillet. A cast-iron skillet is a MUST if you want to get that gorgeous blackened char on the fish.
Ingredients
Notes about the ingredients needed for this Blackened Fish Tacos recipe are below. Jump to recipe for the exact measurements.
- Fish. My personal favorite fish for this recipe is a mildly flavored, firm white fish. Mahi mahi or cod are good choices. Tilapia and catfish can also be used, but don’t have as much nutritional value.
- Blackened Seasoning. Homemade blackened seasoning is what I used in this recipe, but you can also opt to buy a Cajun or Creole seasoning from your grocery store instead. Please be aware that store-bought options are often A LOT hotter than the homemade kind and often contain a TON of added salt/sodium so you may want to adjust how much you add accordingly.
- Tortillas. Corn tortillas pair wonderfully with the soft and flaky fish. However, you can also choose to use Cassava Flour Tortillas if you want to make a grain-free fish taco.
- Avocado Sauce. Avocado, sour cream (or Greek yogurt), cilantro, and lime juice combine to make the BEST from-scratch fish taco sauce.
- Toppings. Add some shredded cabbage, crumbled queso fresca, finely chopped cilantro, red onion, or green onions when serving.
How to Make Blackened Fish Tacos
Please see the recipe card below for more detailed ingredient amounts. Jump to recipe for the printable instructions
1. Prep the fish and blackened seasoning.
Depending on how big the fish fillets are, you’ll want to cut them into smaller pieces that cook evenly. Aim for 1- to 2-inch fillets.
Stir together the blackened seasoning, brown sugar, and 1 teaspoon of salt in a small bowl. Sprinkle the mix over the top and bottom of the fish pieces. Then, gently pat with a paper towel so the seasoning sticks.
2. Cook the fish in a cast iron skillet.
Add the butter to a large skillet over medium heat (a cast iron skillet works amazing). After it melts, add the fish to the hot pan and cook for 6 to 8 minutes. Be sure to flip halfway through cooking.
Note, if the pieces are thicker than 1-inch, cook them on all the sides to ensure they’re cooked through.
3. Make the avocado sauce and tortillas.
While the fish is cooking, it’s time to whip up the avocado sauce.
All you have to do is throw the four avocado sauce ingredients (avocado, sour cream, cilantro, and lime juice) into a small food processor and voila!
ALL tortillas taste better when you lightly cook the corn tortillas in a bit of coconut oil before serving. (You can use butter or oil if don’t like coconut flavor.)
Not only do they get a remarkable flavor, but they also become super pliable and sturdy enough to load up all of those taco ingredients.
If you don’t like coconut flavor, simply use butter or avocado oil instead!
5. Build the tacos and serve.
Finally, it’s time to actually make the tacos! Carefully place some blackened fish and avocado sauce in each prepared tortilla. Then, add your chosen toppings, like shredded cabbage, chopped cilantro, chopped green onions, and queso fresco.
FAQs
You can put just about anything on fish tacos! Some of the best fish tacos toppings, however, are crunchy cabbage or lettuce, tomatoes, cheese, beans, salsa, or even jalapeños.
Yes, fish tacos are incredibly healthy. Just be sure to avoid breaded fish and stick with corn tortillas for the healthiest option.
More Healthy Fish Recipes
Fish is a super healthy and usually quick dinner option! Check out these other pescatarian-friendly recipes next.
- Crispy Air Fryer Fish
- Panko Crusted Salmon
- Pistachio Crusted Salmon
- Miso Glazed Salmon
- Salmon Burgers
Other Taco Recipes
If you enjoyed these blackened fish tacos, you might also like to try out these other easy taco recipes.
- Easy Shredded Chicken Tacos
- Easy Skillet Steak Fajitas Recipe
- Oven-Baked Sheet Pan Chicken Fajitas
- Air Fryer Fish Tacos
- Ground Turkey Tacos
- Sweet Potato Black Bean Tacos
- Barbacoa Tacos
- Roasted Cauliflower Tacos
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Blackened Fish Tacos
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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 homemade 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 🙂