These Fresh Baja Fish Tacos are a perfect Taco Tuesday Mexican recipe for the seafood lovers! A combination of crisp and light flavors inspired by the West coast.
Table of Contents
Why You Will Love This Recipe
Popular in Baja California and San Diego, these Fresh Baja Fish Tacos are a fun and unique way to enjoy taco night! They are filling yet light at the same time and open to a wide variety of toppings.
I tried several variations of a batter for the fish and found this to be the one with the best flavor and texture.
Ingredients
Let’s talk about the ingredients you need for this Baja fresh fish tacos recipe. Full quantities and recipe details can be found in the recipe card at the bottom of the post.
Fresh Fish – I like to use tilapia. You can also use cod or mahi mahi. Frozen fish will also work – just thaw before using.
Light Beer – I like to use something like a Mexican beer. Use anything you like! I prefer to use Corona beer.
Corn Tortillas – or flour tortillas if preferred
Chili Powder
Garlic Powder
Baking Soda – this helps give us a lighter coating!
Salt
Vegetable Oil – for frying, or another neutral oil like avocado oil. You should NOT use olive oil because it has a low smoke point which means it burns easily, plus it is more likely to alter the flavor of the food.
Toppings as desired – I love using avocado, my light Cilantro Lime Cole Slaw (or my Creamy Avocado Cole Slaw), radishes, Chipotle Mayo, and lime wedges.
Instruction Overview
Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add enough oil for it to be 1/2 inch deep.
Make the beer batter: in a large bowl combine the flour, chile powder, garlic powder, baking soda, and beer. Stir to combine.
Make sure your oil is hot enough. It should be 350F or when you put a wood spoon in the oil, it should bubble around it.
Dunk the fish pieces into the beer batter to coat. Place in the skillet with the oil. Do not add too many at once so that the oil temperature does not get too cold.
Cook for 3-4 minutes total, flipping halfway through, until golden brown and cooked through.
Place the cooked fish on a rack above paper towels to drain and lightly season with salt immediately while still hot.
Repeat with all fish.
Assemble your tacos by warming the tortillas to make them more pliable and also make them taste better! I prefer to do this in a skillet over medium heat until they are just picking up some browning.
I like to add some sauce of choice (like this amazing Chipotle Mayo) along the bottom middle followed by the fish and other toppings like my Cilantro Lime Cole Slaw. Serve warm!
Kim’s Tips
To cut the fish, first cut in half lengthwise. Then cut each long piece in two. I like to do this at an angle.
If you want smaller pieces, cut those four pieces in half again.
Watch the oil temp and browning! You might need to slightly adjust the heat up or down as you are cooking.
Place the fish after cooking on rack with paper towels under it to drain off any excess oil. If you put the fish flat on something like a plate, the trapped heat under it will steam and un-crisp the coating.
Lightly sprinkle salt over the fish immediately after cooking while they are still hot so it sticks!
What to Serve with Fish Tacos
Here are just a few ideas of what you can serve with these fresh fish tacos!
Here are some amazing side dishes that are perfect for your Mexican meal!
FAQs
The Baja Fish Tacos come from the Baja peninsula of Mexico underneath California, likely inspired by tempura.
A Baja Fish Taco is a type of taco originating from Baja California, Mexico, known for their crispy, fried white fish, often beer-battered, served in warm tortillas with a crunchy cabbage slaw and a creamy white sauce
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Fresh Baja Fish Tacos
Equipment
- Cooling Rack
- Knife
- Measuring Cups
- Measuring spoons
Ingredients
- 2 pounds tilapia or cod, or mahi-mahi
- 2 cups flour
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 ½ cups Mexican beer (one can) (I like to use Corona)
- vegetable oil for frying (or canola, or avocado oil)
- 16 corn tortillas or flour if preferred
- 1 cup chipotle aioli (1 batch), or other sauce as desired
- 4 cups cilantro lime coleslaw or other slaw of choice (2/3 batch)
Instructions
- Cut your fish into pieces by slicing lengthwise down the filet, then cutting each half into two pieces (for larger pieces) or four pieces (for smaller pieces). I like to cut the fish to still be longer stick-like shapes to fit well in the tortilla, instead of nuggets.2 pounds tilapia
- Preheat a large skillet over medium heat. Add enough oil so that it is 1/2 inch deep. Your oil should be 350℉ (176℃) for cooking.vegetable oil
- Make the beer batter by combining the flour, chili powder, garlic powder, baking soda, salt, and beer together in a large bowl. Whisk to combine.2 cups flour, 1 teaspoon chili powder, ½ teaspoon garlic powder, ½ teaspoon baking soda, ¼ teaspoon salt, 1 ½ cups Mexican beer
- When the oil is hot enough, dredge pieces of fish into the batter and gently place in the oil. When browned, flip over and cook the second side (3-4 minutes total). Do not add too many pieces to the skillet at a time as to not overcrowd and bring the temperature down (I cook about 1/2 pound of fish at a time).
- When the fish is cooked through, remove and place on a cooling rack sitting above paper towels to drain. Immediately lightly sprinkle with salt while hot.
- Repeat with all fish as needed.
Assembly
- Warm your tortillas. I like to do this over a large skillet on medium heat until they are browning a little. It can also be done over an open flame (just keep an eye on them!)16 corn tortillas
- Spread a little sauce down the middle of the tortilla.1 cup chipotle aioli
- Add slaw on top of the sauce.4 cups cilantro lime coleslaw
- Add your fish pieces on top of the slaw.
- Drizzle with more sauce and desired toppings. Serve immediately.
