Refreshing combination of sweet and spicy flavors of these Blackened Fish Tacos is so satisfying, one won’t he enough. These tacos are packed with juicy, flaky blackened fish, crunchy slaw, and sweet mango salsa. Spicy, sweet, and fruity ingredients work perfectly together and burst with flavor in every bite.
I can never decide which is better in tacos, Blackened Fish or crispy fish. Both kinds of fish go great with avocado and mango, it just comes down to wanting spices or crunch.
BLACKENED FISH TACOS
There is something about fish tacos that makes me crave them any time of the year. I don’t care if it’s summer or middle of winter, if I see fish tacos on the menu, I don’t look at anything else. But, you don’t even have to go out to a restaurant to satisfy this craving because fish tacos are so easy to make at home.
These tacos are one of my favorites to make. It must be the combination of soft tortillas, crunchy slaw, juicy fish fillet, and sweet mango salsa that makes these tacos the best. What makes a perfect bite is the combination of different textures and flavors to hit all the taste buds at once. You have soft, crunchy, and juicy textures coupled with sweet, spicy, salty, and sour flavors. It’s a party in your mouth!
Mango salsa is my go-to topping for anything related to blackened fish. Sweet and fruity goes so well with the spices of the fish, that flavor just can’t be beat. You can also make the salsa ahead of time and add it to the tacos when ready.
I love it that my whole family can enjoy these tacos, even those with gluten free diet restrictions. It’s a simple swap of tortillas to make gluten free fish tacos, just use corn tortillas or other gluten free taco tortillas.
WHAT IS IN BLACKENING SEASONING
Blackening seasoning is very similar to Cajun seasoning but less spicy, and I throw in a touch of sweetness. It’s so easy to put together in 2 minutes, you’ll never buy another one at the store. Simply combine these ingredients in a bowl and mix thoroughly:
Paprika
Garlic powder
Onion power
Thyme
Oregano
Black pepper
Cayenne pepper
Salt
Brown sugar
HOW TO MAKE BLACKENED FISH TACOS
Blackened fish
Fish will take the longest to prepare, so start with that. Preheat the oven to 425°, melt butter, and mix the seasoning. Dip fish fillet into butter first and let excess drip off. Then, dip fish into the seasoning and flip it around to coat the fillet on all sides.
Place an empty skillet into the preheated oven and let it heat through for a few minutes. Take it out, pour in some melted butter, and add seasoned fish fillet. Bake fish for 12-17 minutes, depending on the type and thickness of the fish.
Baking time of the fish will depend on the type of fish, thickness of fillet, and size of fillets. If you’re baking smaller pieces of fish, it will take much less time than baking a whole fish fillet. Always check for doneness at the thickest part. You can touch it with your finger and press down gently to see how firm the flesh feels. You can also use a fork to flake off some of the meat to make sure it’s completely opaque inside.
Slaw
Slice cabbage as thinly as you can and combine it with vinegar, lime juice, and sugar. Mix well and let it sit until ready to use.
Mango Salsa
Cut mango and combine it with red onion, jalapeno, cilantro, and lime juice. Mix well and set aside until ready to top tacos.
Preparing Fish Tacos
When fish is ready, take it out of the oven and let it sit on a cutting board for about 5 minutes.
In a mean time, spread out tortillas on a baking sheet and pop it into the oven to heat up.
To make tacos, add some slaw in the middle of each tortilla. Flake off chunks of fish and divide it among the tortillas. Scoop a couple of tablespoons of mango salsa on top of fish and enjoy.
WHAT FISH TO USE
For fish tacos, I love using cod because it’s a juicy, meaty fish and not too light to be lost among other ingredients.
Mahi-mahi is another great fish that is thick and meaty.
You can also use tilapia for a lighter bite. Tilapia is much lighter than cod or mahi mahi but still hold up great when blackened and baked.
The choices are not limited to these thee though. Many other fish are great is tacos like salmon, swordfish, and halibut. All can be easily blackened and baked.
SOME MORE RECIPES TO TRY
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Blackened Fish Tacos
These tacos are packed with juicy, flaky blackened fish, crunchy slaw, and sweet mango salsa. It's ready in 20 minutes and holds a great combination of flavors and textures
Ingredients
- 4-6 taco tortillas
Blackened Fish:
- 1 lb cod fillet
- 3 tbsp unsalted butter melted
- 1 1/4 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1 1/2 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 1 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
- 1 tsp brown sugar packed
Slaw:
- 1 cup shaved purple cabbage
- 1 tbsp white wine vinegar
- 1 tbsp lime juice
- 1/2 tbsp white granulated sugar
Mango Salsa:
- 1 ripe mango
- 1/4 cup diced red onion
- 1 jalapeno pepper seeded and minced
- 1 tbsp fresh minced cilantro
- 1 lime - juice only
Instructions
Blackened Fish:
Preheat the oven to 425°, melt butter, and mix the seasoning.
Dip fish fillet into butter first and let excess butter drip off. Then, dip fish into the seasoning and flip it around to coat the fillet on all sides.
Place an empty skillet into the preheated oven let it heat through for a few minutes. Take it out, pour in some melted butter and add seasoned fish fillet. Bake fish for 13-15 minutes, depending on the thickness.
Slaw:
Slice cabbage as thinly as you can and combine it with vinegar, lime juice, and sugar. Mix well and let it sit until ready to use.
Mango Salsa:
Cut mango and combine it with diced red onion, diced jalapeno, cilantro, and lime juice. Mix well and set aside until ready to top tacos.
Prepare Tacos:
When fish is ready, take it out of the oven and let it sit on a cutting board for about 5 minutes.
In a mean time, spread out tortillas on a baking sheet and pop it into the oven to heat up.
To make tacos, add some slaw in the middle of each tortilla. Flake off chunks of fish and divide it among the tortillas. Scoop a couple of tablespoons of mango salsa on top of fish and enjoy.
Recipe Notes
All images and text ©Lyubov Brooke for ©Will Cook For Smiles. Please do not use my images without prior permission. If using my posts in collections and features, please link back to this post for the recipe. Disclaimer: Nutrition information shown is not guaranteed to be 100% accurate as most ingredients and brands have a slight variation.
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