Easy Fish Tacos
These seared fish tacos start with inexpensive white fish, which cooks in a flash for an easy weeknight dinner.
Serves4
Makes8 tacos
Prep25 minutes to 1 hour
Cook8 minutes to 10 minutes
I have a fish taco problem. It’s really a taco problem, but fish tacos are the best of them all. Warm tortillas filled with healthful fish that still tastes great with lots of fixings? Who wouldn’t have a problem eating too much of that?
At home, I keep it easy and healthy; rather than fry, I marinate an affordable white fish such as pollock (cod works, too) and cook it in a pan without any oil other than the little bit in the marinade. It’s amazing how flavorful the fish comes out with so little added fat.
Because the fish has such great flavor on its own, you don’t have to go crazy with toppings. That said, we are talking tacos — naked is not allowed. I serve these with flour tortillas and either just a simple mango slaw or a selection of fixings, including tropical guacamole, quick pickled red onions, chipotle lime cream, and plain shredded cabbage or thinly sliced radish.
Fish Tacos
These seared fish tacos start with inexpensive white fish, which cooks in a flash for an easy weeknight dinner.
Prep time 25 minutes to 1 hour
Cook time 8 minutes to 10 minutes
Makes 8 tacos
Serves 4
Nutritional Info
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 pounds
skinless, flaky, white fish fillets, such as pollock or Dover sole
- 1
medium jalapeño pepper
- 1/3 cup
freshly squeezed lime juice (from about 3 juicy limes)
- 3 tablespoons
neutral oil, such as grapeseed or canola
- 1/4 cup
chopped fresh cilantro, plus more for serving
- 1 teaspoon
ground coriander
- 1/2 teaspoon
ground cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon
chili powder
- 1/2 teaspoon
kosher salt, plus more as needed
- 8
warmed small flour tortillas
Fixings of choice, such as cabbage slaw, pickled red onions, lime wedges, and crema
Instructions
Cut the fish fillets into 2x4-inch strips. If you want the fish to be mild, trim, seed, and devein the jalapeño first before cutting it into thin slices. Set both the fish and pepper aside.
Whisk the lime juice, oil, cilantro, coriander, cumin, chili powder, cilantro, and salt together in a medium bowl. Add the fish and sliced jalapeño and toss to combine, making sure that the marinade covers them well. Alternatively, transfer the marinade, fish, and jalapeño to a large, resealable plastic bag. Marinate at room temperature for 20 minutes, or refrigerate for several hours or up to overnight.
Heat a large frying pan over medium-high heat. Add the fish, allowing a small amount of the marinade to drip in. Be careful not to add too much marinade or the fish won’t brown. If you don’t add enough, the pan will start to burn; you can add more marinade as necessary so that there is just enough to grease the pan. Cook, flipping halfway, until the fish is cooked through and opaque, 8 to 9 minutes total. Season with more salt as needed. Serve immediately, tucked into the flour tortillas with additional cilantro and other fixings of choice.
Recipe Notes
Storage: Leftovers can be refrigerated in an airtight container up to 2 days.
Reprinted with permission from Make It Easy: 120 Mix-and-Match Recipes to Cook from Scratch–with Smart Store-Bought Shortcuts When You Need Them. Copyright © 2016 by Stacie Billis. Photographs copyright © 2016 by Naomi McCullough. Published by Da Capo Lifelong Books, an imprint of Perseus Books Group.
