Grilled Fish Tacos
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These grilled fish tacos are a fresh and flavorful anytime meal. Flaky white fish, crunchy cabbage, and pico de gallo are tucked into a warm corn tortilla, then topped with a creamy chipotle-lime sauce. They’re easy to make and ready in just 40 minutes!
These grilled fish tacos are one of my favorite summer dinners. With perfectly seasoned grilled fish, crunchy cabbage, fresh pico de gallo, and plenty of fish taco sauce, they prove that you don’t need a long list of toppings to make an incredible taco.
The secret is to keep things simple and let each ingredient shine. The fish is coated in a flavorful blend of chili powder, cumin, garlic, and onion powder before hitting the grill, where it develops a lightly charred exterior and stays tender inside. Thick, firm white fish like halibut or cod works especially well because it holds together beautifully on the grill.
And then there’s the fish taco sauce. Creamy, smoky, and just a little spicy, it ties everything together and adds loads of flavor to every bite. Combined with crunchy cabbage and fresh pico de gallo, these tacos are bright, satisfying, and exactly the kind of meal I find myself making on repeat during barbecue season.
And if you love Tex-Mex seafood recipes, also try my shrimp tacos!
How to warm corn tortillas
Warming up tortillas (especially corn tortillas) is a key step in the taco-building process. The heat softens them, making a big difference in how they taste and hold ingredients. Here are a few ways you can do it:
- Warm your tortillas on a dry cast-iron skillet for about 15-20 seconds per side.
- You can also do away with the skillet and char the tortillas directly over gas flames for a few seconds using tongs!
- Or wrap a stack of about five tortillas in a packet of aluminum foil and place it in a preheated oven at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 15-20 minutes, until heated through.
- You can also wrap a stack of tortillas in a clean tea towel and then give them a quick 20-second zap in the microwave.
What to serve with grilled fish tacos
These tacos are a meal on their own, but I like to serve them with a bowl of easy guacamole and some crispy tortilla chips, or a summer tomato and grilled corn salad.
Grilled Fish Tacos Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon avocado oil
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon EACH: onion powder, garlic powder, and cumin
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- 1 lb white fish
- 12 4-inch tortillas (warmed)
- 2 cup shredded cabbage
- ¾ cup pico de gallo (or your favorite salsa)
Fish Taco Sauce
- ½ cup sour cream
- ¼ cup mayonnaise (can be light)
- ¼ cup cilantro
- 1 tablespoon chipotle adobo sauce
- 1 lime (zest and juice)
- 1 clove garlic (minced)
- 1 pinch sea salt
Instructions
- In a small bowl, mix the avocado oil, chili powder, onion powder, garlic powder, cumin, and salt until a paste forms.1 tablespoon avocado oil, 1 tablespoon chili powder, 1 teaspoon EACH: onion powder, garlic powder, and cumin, ½ teaspoon sea salt
- Place the fish on a plate and cover both sides with the paste. Let it marinate for 30 minutes on your counter or up to an hour in your fridge.1 lb white fish
- While the fish marinates, make the sauce. Place all of the ingredients into your blender and blend until mostly smooth. Transfer the sauce to a serving bowl.½ cup sour cream, ¼ cup mayonnaise, ¼ cup cilantro, 1 lime, 1 clove garlic, 1 pinch sea salt, 1 tablespoon chipotle adobo sauce
- Preheat your grill to medium-high heat and oil the grates. Grill the fish for 4-5 minutes, flipping over once. Break the fish into smaller pieces.
- To assemble your fish tacos, put some cabbage on a tortilla then top with grilled fish, some of the sauce, and a tablespoon of pico de gallo.12 4-inch tortillas, 2 cup shredded cabbage, ¾ cup pico de gallo
Video
Notes
Nutrition
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Favorite fish taco recipes
For more inspiration, check out all of our taco recipes!
I was pinched for time so I didn’t marinate for the full 30 minutes but these still turned out beautifully. Since my fish wasn’t super thick I placed them on foil to grill to be safe – So yummy! Grilling fish for tacos is brilliant – keeps fish cooking smells out of the kitchen.
I recently tried the Grilled Fish Tacos recipe, and it was an absolute hit! The seasoning on the fish was spot-on, creating a perfect balance of smokiness and spice.
Do you think Greek yogurt could be used instead of the mayo/sour cream?
It can be, but it definitely won’t taste as creamy. I would suggest swapping the sour cream for Greek yogurt but keeping the mayo. You can use light mayo if you’d like!
This looks wonderful! Live in Key Largo so have access to quality seafood. This will beon the menu for weekend visitors!