In honor of cinco de mayo this recipe is very fitting. Tacos are a weekly meal, and it is definitely a family favorite. To be quite honest we make tacos out of anything. From breakfast tacos like potatoes and egg, to sautéed spinach, to ground beef and cheese. Tacos were are a must, especially growing up in a Mexican household. So it’s only normal I carry that over to my family.
Now the question to ask yourself when you’re deciding on what kind of tacos to make is—What are you craving? What’s the taste you are going for? Beef, fish, veggie? Once you narrow it down and choose like I’ve chosen to make fish tacos. You’ll want to decide the following. Limey, blackened, grilled, or spicy, I mean the possibilities are kind of endless. Oh did I forget to mention that prior to getting married I never really cooked? Ok well that’s for another day, but all this to say is that you can also find a simple recipe to follow and make a delicious dinner for your family.
Prepping the fish
Ok can we agree that these tacos are making your mouth water? Because every time I look at these I remember just how delicious that crispy tortilla tastes, with the limey cabbage and the savory fish tastes all together. It is so good and so simple to make.
I always buy 1 lbs of tilapia (you can also use other white fishes ex. Halibot, or Snapper). For a family of four two adults and three kids, makes about 14 tacos. Depending on how loaded you make the tacos, you can make less with more fish too.
I use five ingredients and let it simmer on medium heat while I prep the sauce and cabbage. I haven’t ventured out to try a different fish but what I love about tilapia is that it is light and flaky.
- 1 teaspoon of fajita seasoning
- 1/2 teaspoon of paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon of chili powder
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1/4 cup of water
You can always season to your liking of course, by adding more or less of the seasoning. And it will look like this deliciousness down below. I let it cook until it is flaky and the bottom is slightly crispy. It usually cooks in about 15 minutes if it is not frozen.
Mild creamy avocado and cilantro sauce
So you know that cilantro lime dressing from Chick Fil A? Ok think about that delicious cilantro flavored dressing, but instead it’s homemade and healthier. My husband isn’t one who likes spicy too much but to my surprise he wanted to make it “spicy” or shall I say just a tad bit on the mild side. So we hydrated the peppers for 30 seconds in boiling water and then took out the seeds.
You want to start by adding all of the ingredients together in a blender or hand blender whichever works best for you. And then you’ll have the creamiest, yummiest sauce for your tacos ready to go. If you want you can add salt and pepper to liking too, we opted out this time.
- 1 avocado
- 1 lime
- 2 tablespoons Mexican crema
- 6 stems of cilantro
- 1 dried red pepper optional
- Garlic optional
Shredded cabbage with lime
There’s nothing too special with the cabbage but the secret ingredient is just lots of lime. I like to use the potato peeler to thinly slice the cabbage. One I rinse and dry the cabbage I add about two entire limes. Squeeze all the juice out and sprinkle with fresh black pepper, and salt. Mix it all together very well and then the cabbage is ready to go.
- 2 cups purple cabbage
- 1 cup regular cabbage
- 2 limes
- Salt
- Pepper
Taco Building
Then your tacos are ready to be constructed. I start by adding a little oil on the skillet to crisp the tortillas. I like to put it on medium high heat to get it going and then I will lower the temperature if it gets too hot. You can hand make tortillas and still cook them the same way to have a crisper tortilla. Feel free to opt out of the oil for a softer taco.
Start with a crispy tortilla then add some limey cabbage. Next just place some warm flaky fish right on top of the cabbage. Finish it off with the homemade sauce, and add cilantro for garnish. Not only does it make the tacos look so vibrant in color, the combination of flavors are spectacular. It’s the perfect combination of crunchy and soft, with a limey flavorful touch .
Are you a fan of tacos too, if so I’d love to know if you will recreate this recipe. It is a staple in my kitchen because you’ll have the kids asking for more.
xo
