Salmon Tacos
Posted: 09/09/2022
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Try salmon tacos with creamy avocado slaw for dinner tonight. It’s an easy meal that’s packed with nutrition but feels like a special occasion dinner!
Recipe Overview
Why you’ll love it: If you like salmon, you’ll love these fish tacos! The avocado slaw is good on its own but it really shines on the tacos.
How long it takes: about a half hour to prep but allow an extra hour to chill the slaw
Equipment you’ll need: oven safe skillet, large bowl
Servings: 4 (makes at least 8 tacos)
Table of Contents
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Chipotle spiced salmon is wrapped in warm corn tortillas and topped with creamy avocado coleslaw. This is good eating, and healthy too.
Fish tacos are one of my favorite things to order when I go out. Every restaurant seems to have their own variation and I love them all. But really, you don’t have to go out to enjoy fish tacos. They aren’t that difficult to make.
You may be familiar with my fish tacos recipe with blood orange salsa. I usually choose cod for fish tacos or another firm-fleshed fish. Sometimes I cheat and use frozen breaded fish fillets which are actually a pretty good substitute.
We also love these shrimp tacos with avocado, mango, and pineapple slaw. You could actually put that slaw on pretty much anything and it would taste great. It’s tangy, juicy and bursting with flavor.
But what about salmon on a taco? It’s firm fleshed, easy to prepare, and so flavorful. Salmon tacos are perfect for a quick dinner; it can be on the table in about 15 minutes. You’re going to love these fish tacos!
About Salmon Tacos
The beauty of these tacos is the avocado slaw. It has the most gorgeous green hue. It’s a healthy choice because the blended dressing is made with an avocado, lime juice, cilantro, and a jalapeño pepper. The end result is an ultra- creamy dressing without any mayo or dairy. Add it to a bag of shredded cabbage and thinly sliced red onion to make the easy coleslaw.
The bonus is that the coleslaw can be prepped ahead and sit in the refrigerator until you’re ready to use it; in fact, it’s better if it has a chance to chill for an hour or so
The salmon is seared on the stove, flipped, and then the skillet is popped into a preheated oven to finish cooking. You’ll love this cooking method because the salmon gets a nice “crust” on the top but doesn’t burn or smoke. I use the same technique for my BBQ salmon.
I’ll run through the basics of the recipe here but look for the printable recipe card near the end of the post for complete instructions, measurements, and nutrition information.
What you’ll need
- Avocado: The recipe calls for half of a large avocado. One small avocado would be about right, too. Look for a ripe avocado. It should be dark in color and feel slightly soft when you press the outside with your finger.
- Jalapeño Pepper: These narrow bright green peppers can vary quite a bit in heat. Removing the seeds and membranes will eliminate some of the spiciness.
- Cilantro: Use fresh cilantro for the dressing. Wash it thoroughly. Small stems are fine. Save a bit for garnishing too.
- Lime: Zest the lime before you squeeze it for the juice. You’ll need 2 limes. The juice thins the dressing and adds great flavor.
- Cabbage/Coleslaw Mix: Shred your own cabbage or keep it easy with a bag of pre-made coleslaw mix.
- Red Onion: Other types of onion will work too, especially scallions (green onions).
- Salmon: Skin on salmon is fine. The skin will detach easily once the salmon is cooked.
- Seasoning Blend: The salmon is well seasoned with chili powder, chipotle chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, salt.
- Tortillas: Corn tortillas are a good choice for tacos because they taste great and they are made with only corn so they are gluten-free. Flour tortillas are fine if you prefer those.
- Cotija Cheese (or Queso Fresco): Either of these two Mexican cheeses make a great topping. You could easily skip the cheese if you wanted to make these tacos non-dairy, or choose a different type of cheese if you prefer.
- Tomatoes, Pickled Red Onions, Optional: Like any taco, toppings are totally up to you. For these salmon tacos, we lean toward colorful tomatoes and pickled red onions. A few sprigs of cilantro are nice too.
How to make Salmon Tacos
Make the avocado slaw: Since coleslaw tastes best if it has a chance to marinate an hour or so, make that first. It can be refrigerated for a few hours, no problem. It’s really simple to make.
You’ll need a small food processor or blender. Add the avocado, lime zest, lime juice, salt, jalapeño, and cilantro to the bowl of the food processor, along with a tablespoon of water.
Process until the dressing is smooth and creamy. If it seems too thick, add a bit more water or lime juice. Taste it and add more salt, if needed.
Put the coleslaw mix and sliced red onion in a large bowl. Add the dressing and stir well until the cabbage is coated with dressing. Cover the bowl and refrigerate.
Prep salmon: Remove the salmon from the fridge ten minutes before you’re ready to cook it so it has a chance to warm up a bit. Turn the oven on to preheat.
In a small bowl, combine the seasonings: chili powder, chipotle chili powder, ground cumin, garlic powder, and salt.
Rinse the salmon fillet, if desired, and pat it dry with paper towels. Sprinkle the seasoning on the flesh side of the salmon; rub it in with your fingertips.
Sear salmon in skillet: You’ll need an oven safe skillet. Heat a bit of olive oil over medium-high heat. When the pan and oil are hot, put the salmon into the pan, flesh side down. Sear the salmon without flipping for 3 to 4 minutes, or until it’s browned. Flip it over; it should release from the pan fairly easily.
Finish cooking the salmon in the oven. Pop the skillet into the preheated oven and bake the salmon for 8 to 10 minutes, depending on the thickness of the fillets. The internal temperature should be 145°F or pretty close to it. If you test it with a fork, the meat should flake easily. Remove the pan from the oven. Remember to use an oven mitt!
Warm the tortillas: While the salmon is baking, warm the corn tortillas using your preferred method. I like to char them a bit over my gas burners on the stove.
Serve: Serve the salmon wrapped in corn tortillas and topped with the avocado coleslaw.
FAQs
What kind of fish is best for tacos?
Any firm-fleshed fish is great for tacos: salmon, cod, tilapia, halibut, or whatever happens to be available in your neck of the woods. Shrimp is always popular, and like I mentioned above, frozen breaded fish fillets are a good alternative, too.
Don’t be afraid to experiment to find the fish that works best for you!
What goes well with fish tacos?
Fish tacos usually are served with a tangy coleslaw or salsa topping. Serve your fish tacos with Mexican rice, refried beans, or homemade baked tortilla chips with chipotle salsa. Mexican corn dip or Mexican street corn pasta salad are good side dishes that go well with fish tacos.
For a festive occasions, serve your tacos with strawberry margarita punch or spicy Palomas.
Make It Your Own
- Alternative toppings: Love the idea of the salmon but not crazy about avocados? Substitute citrus salsa, vinegar coleslaw, or traditional taco toppings such as salsa, sour cream, shredded cheese, tomatoes, or lettuce.
- Substitute another type of fish or shrimp: Any firm-fleshed fish can be substituted for the salmon. Shrimp works great too, and doesn’t require baking time, just a couple of minutes in a hot skillet.
- Omit the tortillas: This salmon recipe isn’t just for tacos. If you aren’t in the mood for tacos, just make the salmon as directed and serve it with the avocado coleslaw, or with any side you like.
More Taco Fillings
If you’re not into salmon tacos, I have lots of taco filling ideas for you.
- Healthy ground turkey tacos
- Slow cooker pork tacos
- Crispy sweet potato tacos (vegan)
- Crockpot chicken tacos – 3 ingredients!
- Instant Pot Carnitas – tender shredded pork
- Cauliflower tacos with chickpeas (vegetarian)
Make Ahead Ideas
Make the coleslaw ahead. It actually tastes better if it has a chance to marinate a bit in the refrigerator. The avocado dressing will keep for a couple of days and it’s good on other salads, too. P.S. The lime juice prevents the avocado from discoloring.
Storage & Reheating Suggestions
If you have leftover salmon or slaw, store them in separate containers. They’ll keep for up to two days.
Reheat the salmon gently in the microwave until it’s warmed up. It’s actually pretty good served cold, too.
Did you make this? Be sure to leave a review below and tag me @rachelcooksblog on Facebook, Instagram, or Pinterest!
servings
Try salmon tacos with creamy avocado slaw for dinner tonight. It's an easy meal that's packed with nutrition but feels like a special occasion dinner!
Ingredients
For the slaw:
- ½ large avocado, peeled and pitted
- ½ jalapeño pepper, seeds and ribs removed (or to taste)
- ¼ cup tightly packed cilantro, additional for garnish
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon lime zest (from ½ lime)
- ¼ cup freshly squeezed lime juice (from 2 limes)
- 1 tablespoon water
- 3 cups shredded cabbage or coleslaw mix
- ½ cup thinly sliced red onion (cut into thin quarter moons)
For the salmon:
- 1 pound salmon fillets
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- ¾ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon chipotle chili powder
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
For the tacos:
- 8 corn tortillas (or flour tortillas)
- ½ cup cotija cheese, crumbled (or queso fresco)
- Optional toppings: squeeze of lime, chopped tomatoes, pickled red onions
Instructions
- For the slaw: In a small blender or food processor, blend together avocado, jalapeno, cilantro, salt, lime zest, lime juice, and water. Dressing should be smooth and creamy.
- Pour dressing over cabbage and onion; stir to combine. Cover bowl and refrigerate. Slaw is best refrigerated for at least an hour but will be fine sooner too.
- For the salmon: Remove salmon from fridge about 10 minutes before cooking. Preheat oven to 400°F.
- Meanwhile, prepare rub. Combine chili powder, salt, chipotle chile powder, cumin, and garlic powder.
- Rinse salmon with cold water if desired and pat dry with paper towel. Sprinkle seasoning on flesh side of salmon; lightly rub seasoning in.
- Heat oil in a large oven-safe skillet over medium-high heat. Cook fish flesh side down (skin side up) for 3-4 minutes or until browned. Remove from heat and flip fillets over. Salmon should release fairly easily from pan. Place skillet with salmon in preheated oven and bake for 8-10 minutes (until internal temperature reaches 145°F or desired temperature).
- Let salmon rest for 2-3 minutes before flaking flesh into bite-sized pieces and placing in warmed tortillas with slaw, cheese, and other toppings.
Notes
- Avocado dressing can be made ahead. Refrigerate in a tightly covered container for up to two days.
- If preferred, a different type of fish can be substituted for the salmon. Shrimp is fine, too, and doesn’t require baking time, just a couple of minutes in a hot skillet.
- Nutrition information is calculated for corn tortillas and does not include optional toppings.
Nutrition Information
Calories: 425kcal, Carbohydrates: 33g, Protein: 30g, Fat: 20g, Saturated Fat: 5g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g, Monounsaturated Fat: 9g, Cholesterol: 79mg, Sodium: 894mg, Potassium: 956mg, Fiber: 7g, Sugar: 4g, Vitamin A: 534IU, Vitamin C: 30mg, Calcium: 185mg, Iron: 2mg
This website provides approximate nutrition information for convenience and as a courtesy only. Nutrition data is gathered primarily from the USDA Food Composition Database, whenever available, or otherwise other online calculators.
Denise says
yummy
Rachel Gurk says
Thanks!