These Cod Fish Tacos are made with flaky and juicy cod, avocado crema, tomatoes, cabbage mix and the most incredible easy pickled red onions all wrapped in a soft flour tortilla.
Fish tacos are always a crowd-pleaser, but when you use cod, you get the perfect combination of flaky fish and fresh toppings that bring loads of flavor and crunch. These cod fish tacos are perfect for a light yet satisfying meal. With juicy, seasoned cod paired with crunchy veggies, easy pickled red onions and a creamy avocado crema, they’re a simple yet gourmet dish the whole family will enjoy. Instead of fish, you can serve these tacos with shrimp, using Bang Bang Shrimp or Grilled Shrimp.
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Why You'll Love This Recipe
Bursting with flavor: This meal is packed with the best flavors—tender cod, fresh veggies, pickled red onions and a creamy avocado crema that bring it all together in every bite.
Perfect for large gatherings: Whether it’s a family reunion, party, or casual get-together, these tacos are sure to please a crowd. (We make this every vacation, that's how good it is.)
Light and satisfying: While full of vibrant flavors, the meal is also light and won’t leave you feeling overly stuffed, making it a satisfying option for any occasion.
Customizable: Everyone can load up their tacos with their favorite toppings, making them exactly the way they like it! (You can even add some pineapple salsa for a tropical twist.)
Ingredients
Cod Fish Tacos
- Fish - fresh cod is the best option, but you can also use frozen cod.
- salt, pepper
- herbs and spices - I use lemon pepper seasoning, chili lime seasoning, paprika, and Old Bay seasoning.
- cabbage mix: cabbage, carrot, zucchini (totally optional, but so delicious). Instead of the zucchini, you can use cucumber or bell pepper.
- tomatoes
- fresh herbs - cilantro, green onion, parsley
- limes, for serving
- tortillas- I personally prefer soft flour tortillas, but you can use any kind of tortillas that you like
- easy pickled red onions
Avocado Crema: (The Avocado Crema will be great on burgers, wraps, sandwiches or even to dress your salads.)
- avocado (the avocado needs to be perfectly ripe, not too hard or too soft)
- sour cream or plain Greek yogurt
- garlic
- fresh herbs (cilantro, green onions)
- lime juice
- buttermilk or milk
- salt, pepper
The complete list of ingredients and their exact measurements can be found in the recipe card below.
What Fish is Best for Fish Tacos?
When it comes to fish tacos, you’ll want a fish that’s mild, flaky, and holds up well to grilling or frying. Cod is a classic choice, (it's my personal favorite for sure!) but there are many other great white fish options that work beautifully, such as haddock, swai, snapper, halibut and catfish. These fish provide the perfect balance of flavor and texture.
You can even try salmon or steelhead trout if you want something different. They'll have a richer flavor and a slightly firmer texture. Whether you stick with traditional white fish or opt for something a bit bolder, these fish will create the perfect base for your tacos. I've used my Ultimate Baked Steelhead Trout for fish tacos and we really enjoyed it as well.
How to Make Cod Fish Tacos
- Start by making the pickled onions. (They'll need time to marinate and chill.)
- Slice the shallots or red onion and put them in a jar or bowl.
- In a small saucepan, combine the water, red wine vinegar, sugar and salt. Cook just until it reaches a simmer and all the sugar is dissolved.
- Pour the pickling liquid over the shallots/onion.
- Set aside while you are preparing the rest of the meal. The pickled onions will be good in the refrigerator for several weeks.
- Then, make the Avocado Crema.
- In a blender, combine all the ingredients for the avocado crema until smooth.
- Season with with salt and ground black pepper, to taste. You can add more or less lime juice, depending on how you like it. Also, you can add a splash more milk or buttermilk to thin it out more, if you want to.
- Prepare all the other Taco Toppings
- Prep all your toppings - shred the cabbage, grate the carrot and zucchini, chop the tomatoes, cilantro and green onions. Toss the cabbage, carrot, zucchini, and herbs together.
- Sometimes, instead of using just fresh veggies like here, I will use coleslaw or another type of Cabbage Salad. The Crunchy Cabbage Cucumber and Corn Salad is one of my favorites with Fish Tacos.
- Cook the fish.
- Cut the fish fillets into 1 ½" strips.
- Season the fish with salt, ground black pepper and any seasoning mixes that you like.
- Heat the oil over high heat in a large skillet.
- Cook the fish until it's golden brown and cooked through on both sides, about 3 minutes per side.
- Assemble the Fish Tacos.
- Heat the tortillas in a skillet or the microwave to warm.
- Place the cabbage mixture in the center of the tortillas, top with the fish, pickled onions and tomatoes.
- Drizzle with the Avocado Crema.
When I serve Tacos for guests, I make a bar with all the different components and then everyone can customize their tacos any way they want.
More Delicious Cod Recipes:
- Fish Patties
- Potato and Cod Soup
- Roasted Cod With Tomatoes and Red Onion
- Homemade Fish Sticks
- Fish in Parchment With Vegetables
Cod Fish Tacos
Tacos don’t get better than this! Flaky cod, crunchy veggies, and creamy avocado crema come together to create the ultimate fish taco experience.
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Main Course
Ingredients
Pickled Onions:
- 4 shallots or 1 red onion (sliced)
- ½ cup water
- ½ cup red wine vinegar (or any other vinegar)
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
Avocado Crema:
- 1 avocado
- ¼ cup sour cream or Greek or plain (unflavored yogurt)
- 1 garlic clove (grated)
- ½ - 1 Tablespoon each (chopped cilantro, green onion)
- 1 - 1 ½ Tablespoons lime juice
- 2 Tablespoons milk or buttermilk (to thin out the avocado crema)
Fish Tacos:
- 1 ½ lbs cod (or any other fish, cut into 1 ½" strips)
- seasoning mixes such as (lemon pepper seasoning, Old Bay, paprika, chili lime seasoning)
- salt, ground black pepper, to taste)
- 1 ½ Tablespoons oil (for frying)
- 6 flour tortillas
Toppings:
- 2 - 2 ½ cups shredded cabbage
- 1 carrot (grated)
- ½ zucchini (cut into thin strips or grated), or cucumber
- 1 pint cherry tomatoes (sliced)
- 1-2 Tablespoons cilantro (parsley, green onion, etc.)
Instructions
Pickled Onions
- Slice the shallots or red onion and put them in a jar or bowl.
- In a small saucepan, combine the water, red wine vinegar, sugar and salt. Cook just until it reaches a simmer and all the sugar is dissolved.
- Pour the pickling liquid over the shallots/onion. Set aside while you are preparing the rest of the meal. The pickled onions will be good in the refrigerator for several weeks.
Avocado Crema
- In a blender, combine all the ingredients for the avocado crema until smooth. Season with with salt and ground black pepper, to taste. You can add more or less lime juice, depending on how you like it. Also, you can add a splash more milk or buttermilk to thin it out more, if you want to.
Other Taco Toppings
- Prep all your toppings - shred the cabbage, grate the carrot and zucchini, chop the tomatoes, cilantro and green onions. Toss the cabbage, carrot, zucchini, and herbs together.
Cooking the Fish
- Cut the fish fillets into 1 ½" strips.
- Season the fish with salt, ground black pepper and any seasoning mixes that you like. I use lemon pepper seasoning, chili lime seasoning, paprika, and Old Bay.
- Heat the oil over medium-high heat in a large skillet. Cook the fish until it's golden brown and cooked through on both sides, about 3 minutes per side.
Assembling the Tacos
- Heat the tortillas in a skillet or the microwave to warm.
- Place the cabbage mixture in the center of the tortillas, top with the fish, pickled onions and tomatoes. Drizzle with the Avocado Crema.
- When I serve Tacos for guests, I make a bar with all the different components and then everyone can customize their tacos any way they want.
Made these forr dinner last night... It was so yummy.. Thanks for the recipe
I'm happy to hear that, Smitha:).
Beautiful, fresh and healthy! Thank you for this recipe, making these today with my toddler <3
That's awesome, Brittany! I hope you loved the tacos. So fun to cook with toddlers:).
This looks amazing... I've added it to this weeks's line-up! Thank you, Olga!!