15-Minute Tilapia Fish Tacos with Corn Salsa — Tons of big flavors in a fast, fresh, and healthy meal!! A clean-eating taco recipe that tastes like comfort food!
Quick Fish Tacos with Corn and Cabbage Salsa
This is an easy, family-friendly tilapia fish taco recipe that’s ready in 15 minutes. You may even change the mind’s of those who say they, ‘don’t like fish’ with these tacos.
The fish is lightly floured and pan-seared for a barely-there crispy crust while retaining a moist, flaky, and tender interior.
Add the fish to the fajita or taco shells, top with cheese right away so it melts a bit, and then add the salsa. It’s a refreshing salsa that’s both creamy from the avocado with lots of crunch from the corn, cabbage, and cucumbers.
It’s a satisfying and healthy dinner at home faster than you can call for take-out!
Tilapia Fish Taco Ingredients
This is a simple, no-frills taco recipe with the best ever cabbage and corn salsa (or slaw, call it whatever you want — it’s delicious!).
For the fish tacos:
- Butter
- Olive oil
- Flour
- Tilapia filets
- Salt and pepper
- Taco shells
- Shredded Mexican cheese blend
For the corn and cabbage fish taco slaw:
- Red cabbage
- Corn
- Cucumber
- Avocado
- Fresh cilantro
- Salt, pepper, cayenne pepper
- Lime juice
- Apple cider vinegar
- Agave (or honey)
Can Another Type of Fish Be Used?
I used tilapia because it’s sustainable, neutral-tasting, and oh yes, cheaper than most. But you may try another white fish, including halibut, catfish, or cod.
How to Make Tilapia Fish Tacos
Making tilapia fish tacos with corn salsa is super easy! Here’s an overview of the recipe:
- Make the salsa: Add all the salsa ingredients to a mixing bowl and toss to combine.
- Dredge the tilapia in flour, season to taste, then cook in a greased skillet until golden brown on both sides.
- Remove the fish from the skillet and warm the taco shells one by one, if desired.
- Slice fish, add to fajita shells, top with cheese, salsa, and serve immediately.
Tips for Making Fish Tacos with Tilapia
I’m a cilantro fiend and use plenty because I love the flavor it adds, but play with the ingredient ratios based on your preferences.
You can make a double batch of salsa and eat it with chips, which is what I do. The vegetables soften as time passes from the apple cider vinegar and lime juice and the flavors marry and it tastes even better.
I love the flavor of tilapia and don’t think it needs much more than salt and pepper, but you’re welcome to use your favorite taco or fajita seasonings on the fish if desired.
What to Serve with Fish Tacos
Serve the tilapia fish tacos with all of your favorite Mexican recipes! Here are some of the fish taco sides that we love:
- Instant Pot Black Beans
- Instant Pot Refried Beans
- Homemade Tortilla Chips
- Salsa (Tomatillo Avocado, Pineapple Chipotle, or Restaurant Style)
- Grilled Mexican Corn
- Black Bean, Corn & Avocado Salad
And make sure to wash them down with a 3-Ingredient Margarita or a Mango Pineapple Frozen Margarita.
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15-Minute Tilapia Fish Tacos with Corn Salsa
Ingredients
Salsa (extra is great with chips or make a double-batch)
- ¾ cup red cabbage, sliced thin
- ¾ cup corn, I use frozen that I thaw before adding
- ¾ cup cucumber, peeled and diced
- ½ to 1 medium ripe avocado, peeled, pitted, and diced
- ¼ cup minced cilantro leaves, or to taste
- ¾ teaspoon salt, or to taste
- ½ teaspoon pepper, or to taste
- pinch cayenne pepper, optional and to taste
- 3 to 4 tablespoons lime juice, lemon juice may be substituted
- 3 to 4 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 3 to 4 tablespoons agave, honey may be substituted, or to taste
Fish
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- flour, for lightly dredging fish
- 2 large tilapia filets, about 1 pound
- salt and pepper, to taste
- fajita or taco shells
- about 1 cup white cheese or a white cheese blend, such as queso quesadilla, oxaca, asadera, Monterrey Jack, etc.
Instructions
Salsa
- Add all ingredients to a large bowl in the order listed, toss well to coat evenly, taste, and make any desired flavor adjustments; set aside.
Fish
- To a large skillet, add the butter, oil, and heat over medium-high heat to melt butter.
- Dredge fish through flour, coating both sides.
- Add fish to skillet, season with salt and pepper, and cook for about 3 to 4 minutes on first side.
- Flip, season with salt and pepper, and cook for about 3 minutes on second side, or until fish is lightly golden browned on both sides and cooked through.
Assembly
- If desired, lightly warm each fajita shell momentarily on a dry skillet over medium-high heat before adding fish.
- Slice fish, add to fajita shells, top with cheese, salsa, and serve immediately. Tacos are best warm and fresh. Extra salsa will keep airtight for up to 2 days, noting that avocados will oxidize and vegetables will continue to soften and release water as time passes.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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These are too gorgeous, love all those colors going on! Food should always look pretty :)
Fish Tacos are my go to at most restaurants…I really do need to just make them at home. Especially seeing how easy and awesome these are. I love that colorful salsa you have on top too! Delicious!!!
Thanks for saying hi!! Hope you and your gorgeous family are going great :)
I remember the first time we heard of fish tacos. My wife and I both thought, yuk, that doesn’t sound good at all!
I love the color in the photos! And I love fish tacos, so this is perfect. Plus it’ll get me in the mood to eat allthetacos in Hawaii!
I loved the colors too but it was so hard to shoot. BRIGHT fish, cheese, wraps. With darker colors. My camera (and me) were struggling :)
You are on an amazing-trip-bonanza lately!!
I don’t know why, but I never make fish tacos. I love them at restaurants, but I never make them. Too much fish growing up?
You make them look so easy though!
They were SO easy and this salsa, you would love love love. I could eat just boatloads of it!
There is nothing more amazing than cilantro my friend. I am pretty addicted to it. I am a big lover of tacos, especially fish and shrimp tacos. These are a serious must try!
I am a cilantro addict. And mega congrats on your book. Been seeing your FB posts and Carla did your forward and you are just a mover and a shaker and so proud of you!! :) xo
MMM fish tacos are my fave! :D
When I see fish tacos I come running! I want them ALL!!! ;)
These fish tacos look AWESOME! So much color and flavor and texture! You go girl!!
I LOVE fish tacos. These colors are simply gorgeous. Definitely need to add to the menu pronto!
Have a beautiful Wednesday Averie!
Fish tacos aren’t really a thing up in Wisconsin where I live, but I’m thinking I should TOTALLY make them a thing because these seriously look all kinds of amazing and perfect for summer! That avocado salsa looks so ultra-fresh and packed with flavor!
I grew up in MN but have been living in San Diego for 15 years. I can relate that fish tacos aren’t really a midwest thing but you should start a trend :)
That avocado salsa alone looks just delicious! I’ve been loving avocados lately! I typically don’t eat too much fish but you’ve made me want to make this!
I love that the fish isn’t deep fried as I still have a fear of frying…and your pictures are gorgeous so colorful can’t wait to try your version…cabbage on fish tacos is a must.
Thanks for the photo compliments. The white taco shells, the white cheese, the light fish, it was all so bright and super sunny the day I made these that the photos were so bright! And I totally understand about frying. In 6 years, I have 1 recipe for fried food, the coconut shrimp I posted 10 days ago!
15 minutes and fish tacos in the very same sentence? I am ALL about that! This dish just has “summer time eating” written allllll across it’s deliciousness! Pinning!
Totally summer time eating all over it and thanks for pinning!
I need to get my cilantro and basil planted outdoors this weekend and I need to make these fish tacos! We have some yard work planned so a couple of quick recipes will come in handy. Thanks for providing them for me this week….I won’t have to think too hard for Friday’s grocery shopping!!
Glad you’re enjoying the easy dinner options. After 6 years of lots of sweets, I just have to branch out and glad they’re coming in handy for you!
I really need a patio herb garden and should get on that idea myself!
I’m a cilantro fiend, too! Cilantro tastes like summer to me. This is the time of year when I want to stand outside and eat street food. Or make tacos like this!
You are very lucky to live in a city that has a year-round summer thing going on. I’m pretty jealous.
Cilantro tastes like summer to me <--- that is so true and yes I know I am super fortunate! I'd rather pay the sunshine tax and deal with the cost of living here than live in the cold or anywhere else, that is for sure! Hope your parents enjoyed their time out here!