Name: Blackened Fish Tacos with Cilantro Slaw and Sriracha Mayo
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 10 min
Yield: 8
Ingredients: 1½ lbs thick-cut cod; 1 Tbsp olive oil; 1 Tbsp unsalted butter; 2 tsp chili powder; 2 tsp paprika; 1 tsp ground cumin; 1 tsp garlic powder; 1 tsp onion powder; ½ tsp pepper; ½ tsp salt; ¼ tsp cayenne pepper; 8 (6-inch) tortillas; 2 cups shredded cabbage; juice of ½ lime; ¼ cup cilantro, chopped; ¼ tsp salt and black pepper, to taste; ½ cup low-fat mayonnaise; juice of ½ to 1 lime; 1 Tbsp sriracha; ¼ tsp salt; 2 tsp sugar

Jump to Recipe

These fish tacos are simple yet bold and spicy! The spice mixture offers that blackened heat while being tamed with cabbage and cilantro slaw and a creamy, heat finish of Sriracha mayo. The hints of citrus throughout pull together all of the flavors in these most perfect tacos!

WHAT’S NEW?

This week is a busy one in the evenings, but alas, work has calmed a bit. We’re looking forward to a sushi rolling class tomorrow night (my Christmas gift to Mark) and a belated holiday work event for Mark on Thursday. Mark’s event is at a restaurant I’ve been wanting to travel and our date night this past weekend was somewhere I’d never been to. Two new restaurants in one week? Unheard of for both me and southwest Michigan.

ROLL CALL FOR THESE TACOS

Taco lovvvers, hello! I see you! I feel you! I am SO you. If I could eat just one food for the rest of my life, it may be tacos. Tender corn tortillas wrapped around flaky, boldly seasoned fish, and finished with slaw and a spicy mayonnaise? Heavenly.
A little lost when it comes to fish? Don’t loooove that fishy-fish flavor but aim to include more fish in your life. This recipe – it’s perfect for you.
Weeknight ready, this meal is a quick prep, cook, and assemble!

KEY INGREDIENTS AND SUBSTITUTIONS

Spices: This little spice combo offers heat and that blackened flavor that is the flavor foundation for these fish tacos. You can prepare the mixture ahead of time for a time savings or buy blackened seasoning.
Cabbage: I love the crunch and color of cabbage but broccoli slaw, coleslaw mix, or even lettuce will do the trick here. For an extra fun pop of color, use purple cabbage or a combination of green and purple.
Sriracha: A magically, versatile ingredient. And while it offers up some heat, it is tamed by creamy mayonnaise, a bit of sugar, and a squeeze of lime. A bit of salt helps pull together the flavors and create the POP that makes it especially delicious.

NUTRITIONAL MERITS

Corn tortillas are not only more flavorful than flour, they are higher in fiber while being lower in sodium, carbohydrate, and fat.
Cod is an incredibly lean protein source that offers omega 3 fatty acids. While not as plentiful in omega 3’s as some other fish, every little bit counts!

VARIATIONS & TIPS

Fish: While cod was used in this recipe, any white fish will work great – tilapia, flounder, perch, Pollock, etc.
To cut the heat in the blackened seasoning, reduce the cayenne or eliminate altogether. Same goes for the Sriracha, however I would recommend adding a bit more sugar to the mayo versus reducing the amount of Sriracha.
Taco toppings: Avocado and radishes are a favorite for both color, texture, flavor, and nutrition, but there is no going wrong. Even a bit of cojita or queso fresco would be delicious!