Blackened Fish Tacos with Creamy Lime Avocado Sauce

These delicious, easy Blackened Fish Tacos start with tender flaky fish fillets that have been seasoned with a flavorful homemade blackening spice, then served with warm corn tortillas, a creamy tangy slaw with lime juice and drizzled with avocado sauce.

There are so many things to love about these fish tacos. The spicy seasoning, the tender and flakey fish fillets, the cool and crispy cabbage slaw! It’s such a great recipe you can have on the table in under 30 minutes! Choose a low carb or gluten-free tortilla for a keto friendly meal.

Easy Blackened Fish Tacos

One of my favorite things about when I lived near the beach in California was scouting out all the places that served the best fish tacos. The first time I had them, they were made with blackened tilapia with mango salsa and were served in soft flour tortillas. They were divine!

But let’s face it, with those ingredients, they aren’t exactly ideal for the carb conscious. So, I set out to find a way to recreate all the same wonderful flavors found in those tilapia fish tacos but with a low carb and healthier spin. I now have a NEW favorite!

This recipe starts by preparing the fish with my own blackening seasoning that’s minus any added sugar or preservatives that you find in store-bought brands. Once the cooked fish is nice and golden brown, the filets are nestled in warm gluten free or low carb corn tortillas and topped with a super flavorful crunchy slaw. These tacos have so much flavor and taste even BETTER than the ones I had at the beach.

Ingredients in this Fish Taco Recipe

For the Fish:

For this recipe you’ll need 18-20 ounces of a firm mild white fish. My personal favorite fish for these tacos is mahi mahi. It holds up really well when cooked and it has a very mild taste that doesn’t compete with the seasonings.

For the Blackening Spice Mixture:

• 1 tbls. onion powder
• 1 tbls. garlic powder
• 1½ tbls. smoked paprika
• 1 tbls. dried thyme
• 1 tbls. dried oregano
• 2 tsp. sea salt
• 1 tsp. black pepper
• ½ – 1 tsp. cayenne pepper

For the Slaw Mix:

• 3 c. green cabbage, thinly sliced
• 1 c. red cabbage, thinly sliced
• 1 large carrot, shredded
• 1/3 c. Greek yogurt
• 1 tbls. apple cider vinegar
• ¾ tsp. ground cumin
• ¾ tsp. spicy Dijon mustard
• 1 tbls. fresh lime juice
• Sea salt and black pepper, to taste

Remaining Ingredients:

• 2 tbls. extra virgin olive oil
• 4-5 large radishes, trimmed and thinly sliced
• 3 tbls. fresh cilantro leaves, chopped
• 8 8-inch corn or gluten-free tortillas

How to Make this Blackened Fish Tacos Recipe:

Combine the ingredients for the Blackened seasoning in a small bowl, stir and set aside.

Generously season both sides of the fish filets with the blackened seasoning and rub to cover the entire fish and to make sure it adheres well. Carefully slice the fish into bite-sized pieces and set aside. (Note: You can season the fish after slicing but it takes longer to coat each piece individually and the blackened flavor will be much stronger if all sides are coated.)

Add a little olive oil to a large cast iron skillet or other large nonstick pan over medium high heat. Once heated, add the seasoned fish and cook until opaque and the fish flakes with a fork. This should take approximately 3-4 minutes per side. Remove from heat and set aside.

To prepare the coleslaw, add the sliced cabbage, and shredded carrot to a large, non-reactive bowl. Whisk the Greek yogurt, apple cider vinegar, ground cumin, Dijon mustard, and lime juice together in a smaller bowl and pour over top of the other vegetables. Season with salt and black pepper, to taste, and toss to combine. Set aside.

To serve, evenly divide the creamy coleslaw and blackened fish between the 8 tortillas. Top with the sliced radishes and fresh cilantro leaves.

What Fish Makes the Best Tacos?

You can use any firm white fish as long as it has a firm texture so it holds up while cooking and tastes mild so it doesn’t overpower the flavors in taco recipes. Some of the most popular choices are mahi-mahi, snapper, grouper, halibut and cod. A great way to save a little money is to just go with what’s on sale at your local fish market or grocery store. They all work great for tacos.

What Can I Serve with Fish Tacos?

You can serve these tacos with any of your favorite toppings. Here are some popular ones to consider:

• Pico de Gallo
• Black beans
• Crumbled queso fresco
• Sliced avocado
• Diced jalapenos
• Sour Cream or a cilantro lime dressing / Creamy Avocado Sauce
• Diced red onion

Tips for the Best Fish Tacos

Time savers: Even though this recipe comes together in minutes, there are some things you can do to save even more time. Make the slaw the night before. Everyone knows that slaw only gets better next day. You can also mix up the seasoning blend in advance so you’ll have it ready when needed. I like to keep extra of this seasoning on hand for chicken tenders like these!

Adjust the heat: If you’re making these for the whole family, you may want to make this homemade spice blend a little milder for the little kids’ taste buds. The simple way to adjust the heat is to cut back or eliminate the cayenne pepper.

Extra texture: One way I love to add extra texture and nutrients to the slaw mix is using about ½ cup finely chopped kale leaves finely chopped.

Freezing the leftovers: If you want to freeze the leftover cooked fish, you can simply it in shallow air tight container. Cooked fish can be stored in the freezer for up to one month.

Want More Low Carb and Keto Recipes?

• Cashew Pork Stir-Fry
• Lemon and Dill Salmon
• Sheet Pan Steak Fajitas
• One Skillet Keto Bacon Cheeseburger Soup
• Apple Fennel Roasted Pork Tenderloin
• Easy Beef Taco Salad