These Baja-Style Grilled Fish Tacos are so fresh, light, and full of flavor! The fish is marinated with spices, lime, and cilantro, and then grilled until perfectly flaky. After grilling, nestle the flaky fish into warm corn tortillas and top with shredded cabbage, pico, cotija, and a creamy white sauce. This is a quick and easy meal that’s perfect for busy weeknights!
Table of Contents
You Can Make These Tacos in About 30 Minutes!
Fish tacos are light, fresh, and one of my go-to summer dinners! These grilled fish is layered with flavor from the marinade. It’s a mix of chipotle, spices, lime, and cilantro, and after just 30 minutes in the marinade the fish tastes so incredibly good!
As per usual, all tacos should be loaded with fresh toppings like guac, pico de gallo, shredded cabbage, and a creamy Baja sauce. Don’t forget all the limes for squeezing over the top!
Looking for a fun libation on the side? These fresh watermelon margaritas totally hit the spot!
Special Equipment
The 7 Main Ingredients
- Fish. Any firm white fish will do here, but my favorites are cod or mahi mahi.
- Chipotle. You’ll want canned chipotle peppers in adobo for this recipe, but in a pinch you could swap in some chipotle powder.
- Lime. You’ll want lime juice and zest to really bring that zesty citrus flavor.
- Spices. You’ll need garlic powder, cumin, and ancho chile powder to really give the fish that classic “taco” seasoning flavor.
- Olive oil. No need to use something expensive, just an olive oil with flavor and a higher smoke point.
- Cilantro. Minced cilantro adds tons of fresh flavor, but if you’re cilantro averse you could swap in chopped parsley or just omit it completely.
- Baja sauce. My simple white sauce recipe combines mayo, Mexican crema, garlic powder, lime juice, and hot sauce.
The Best Type of Fish to Use for Fish Tacos
There are so many options when it comes to making grilled fish tacos! My go-to is any firm, white, flaky fish like cod, mahi mahi, haddock, tilapia, or halibut. You could also make this recipe with salmon, or use the marinade for chicken, pork, or beef.
How to Make Super Flaky Grilled Fish Tacos
- Marinate the fish for 30 minutes. You can marinate the fish in the same bowl or container you whisked together the marinade in. Unlike chicken or beef, you can’t let fish sit in a marinade for too long or else the acidic lime juice will start to break down the fish and make it tough.
- Whisk together the Baja sauce. Like most sauces and spreads, the white sauce tastes even better after it’s had some time in the fridge. Make it now so it’s ready to use as soon as the fish is done grilling.
Jenny’s Tip: Work with a clean grill! This is such an important step and makes all the difference when it comes to grilling. Make sure to clean your grill of any food or debris before you start grilling. This helps keep the delicate white fish from sticking.
- Grill the fish. It doesn’t matter whether you’re using cod or mahi mahi, the grill times are the same! Both kinds of white fish need to cook for about 7 – 9 minutes total at 400 – 450ºF.
- Pile on the toppings! Not sure what to put on your fish tacos? I love layering the flaky grilled fish in warm corn tortillas and topping it with thinly shredded cabbage, pico de gallo, cotija cheese — and who can forget the Baja sauce!
Jenny’s Tips for Grilling Fish Perfectly Every Time
Adequately preheat your grill. Making sure your grates are completely heated through is so important! Make sure to let your grill preheat for at least 15 minutes. The best option is to preheat the grill over medium heat, not high heat.
Lightly grease the grill grates. Grease a towel or paper towel with neutral oil and wipe the hot grill grates right before you put the fish on. This helps the fish release without breaking apart.
Always use a marinade with oil in it. This is another trick to grilling fish, or really any other lean meat. A bit of oil in the marinade coats the fish and also helps keep it from sticking.
Grill with the lid closed. Grilling with the lid closed promotes more even cooking as the food is cooked as much from ambient heat as well as directly on the flame.
Don’t flip the fish too often. Let the fish cook completely on one side, before flipping it. Flipping the fish before it’s done cooking on one side will definitely cause it to flake and fall apart.
Use a fish spatula. The thin metal spatula is so important for cooking fish! It easily gets under the fish without breaking it into pieces and it’s one of my most-used kitchen utensils.
What to Serve on the Side
Grilled fish tacos are definitely a meal in themselves, but what is a good dinner without yummy sides?
In my opinion, tacos should always be served with some Mexican rice and refried beans. Plus, you have to have some good chips and guacamole or fresh salsa verde on the side!
A side of queso never goes wrong, either! If you’re looking for a fresh margarita to enjoy with your tacos, try my frozen mango-strawberry margaritas or my coconut margaritas.
If you do give this recipe a try, be sure to let me know! Leave a comment with a star rating below. Be sure to subscribe to my weekly newsletter and never miss a new recipe! You can also snap a photo & tag @JENNYGOYCOCHEA on Instagram. I LOVE hearing about & seeing your SMF creations!
More Easy Seafood Taco Recipes
- Beer Battered Shrimp Tacos
- Shrimp Tacos with Slaw
- Blackened Fish Tacos
- Beer Battered Fish Tacos
- Chipotle Lime Shrimp Tacos
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Grilled Fish Tacos Recipe
Ingredients
Fish
- 1 1/2 lbs cod or mahi mahi filets
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1 tablespoon lime zest
- 2 tablespoons lime juice
- 2 canned chipotle peppers, very finely minced
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon ancho chile powder
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
- 3 tablespoons finely minced cilantro leaves
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Baja Sauce
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise
- 1/2 cup Mexican crema
- 1 tablespoon lime juice
- 1/2 teaspoon granulated sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 2 teaspoons hot sauce, like Cholula or Tapatio
For Serving
- 8-10 corn tortillas, warmed
- 2 1/2 cups finely shredded cabbage
- 1 cup pico de gallo
- 1 avocado, cut into thin slices
- 2 oz cotija cheese, crumbled
- 1 lime, cut into wedges
Instructions
- Marinate the fish. Place the fish filets in a medium baking dish and season with salt and pepper. In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, lime zest, lime juice, garlic powder, chipotle, ancho chile powder, cumin, and cilantro. Stir well and season with salt and pepper. Pour the marinade over the fish and turn the fish pieces over in the mixture so they’re well coated. Marinate for 30 minutes.
- Make the white sauce. While the fish is marinating, whisk together the mayonnaise, crema, lime juice, sugar, garlic, and hot sauce together in a small bowl. Season to taste with salt and pepper and refrigerate until ready to serve.
- Prep and preheat the grill. Preheat an outdoor grill to 400-450ºF. Make sure the grates are cleaned of any debris and lightly grease them with oil or nonstick cooking spray.
- Grill the fish. Remove the fish from the marinade and place them on the grill for 4-5 minutes, until they have nice grill marks and release easily from the grates. Flip the fish over and grill for another 3-4 minutes, depending on the thickness of the fish filets. The fish is done when it feels firm to the touch and flakes easily.
- Assemble the tacos. Assemble the tacos by flaking the fish into large chunks and layering them in the warmed tortillas with cabbage and pico de gallo. Sprinkle the cotija cheese on top and drizzle with the white sauce. Serve with lime wedges on the side.
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