Our all-time favorite Fish Tacos recipe! These are loaded with fresh ingredients and perfectly seasoned plump fish. Don’t forget to try the best fish taco sauce—a garlic lime crema that you’ll want on all of your tacos!
We always make this recipe when we have family or friends over because it’s easy to make and everyone loves it. These fish tacos are so tasty and filling, but they will also make you feel light and healthy afterward.
This recipe is party sized and can be scaled down to feed a smaller crowd. My brother-in-law Slavik came up with it, and now almost everyone in our family uses it. So many people have asked me to share the recipe, so here it is! It’s an easy and delicious fish taco recipe. Thank you Slavik for sharing your awesome fish tacos with us. I’m pretty sure it’s impossible to ever get tired of this recipe. P. S. They just happen to be gluten free fish tacos!.
Really, though, use a lot of that fish taco sauce! I got the sauce recipe from Kaylee on All Recipes. We simply doubled it because there never seems to be enough of the sauce ;).
Fish tacos are a favorite Tex-Mex dish, with crispy battered fish, cabbage slaw, and a creamy, tangy white sauce drizzled over the top. But what exactly is in this irresistible fish taco sauce that makes it so addictive? As a food blogger and home cook, I was determined to find out.
After researching and testing different recipes I discovered that most fish taco sauces have some key ingredients in common to achieve that creamy mildly spicy flavor. Let’s take a closer look at what goes into this versatile sauce, along with my go-to recipe for homemade fish taco sauce.
The Main Ingredients
The base of most fish taco sauce recipes is a combination of mayonnaise and Greek yogurt. This gives the sauce a rich, creamy texture while still keeping it light and tangy. Sour cream can also be used instead of yogurt
To add flavor, fish taco sauce contains garlic and onion powder, chili powder, ground cumin, and a touch of cayenne pepper. These spices infuse the sauce with aromatic, earthy notes and a slight heat. Fresh lime juice and cilantro also provide brightness.
The mayo or yogurt base gets seasoned and then thinned out slightly with an acid like lime juice or white vinegar. Olive oil or vegetable oil is also used to emulsify the sauce. The result is a smooth, pourable consistency that can be drizzled over tacos.
Key Tips for Making Fish Taco Sauce
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Use full-fat mayo for the richest flavor and creamiest texture. Light mayo can also be used.
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Plain Greek yogurt thickens the sauce without added fat. Make sure it’s not flavored yogurt.
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Mix in the lime juice just before serving or the acidity can cause the sauce to curdle.
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Add the olive oil slowly while whisking to emulsify the ingredients.
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Tailor the spice level by adjusting the amount of cayenne pepper.
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Cilantro adds freshness, but you can leave it out if not a fan of the flavor.
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Thin out the sauce with more lime juice or water if a thinner consistency is desired.
My Favorite Fish Taco Sauce Recipe
After tasting my way through many versions, I developed a go-to fish taco sauce recipe that I think perfectly balances creamy, tangy and spicy flavors.
The ingredients include:
- 1⁄2 cup mayonnaise
- 1⁄4 cup Greek yogurt
- Juice of 1 lime
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 2 tsp chili powder
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1⁄4 tsp cayenne pepper
- 2 Tbsp chopped cilantro
- 1 Tbsp vegetable or olive oil
- Salt and pepper to taste
To make it, just combine all the ingredients except the lime juice in a bowl and whisk together until smooth. Add the lime juice and adjust any seasonings. For best flavor, refrigerate for 30 minutes before using to allow time for the flavors to blend.
This makes enough rich, creamy sauce to top 4-6 fish tacos. It can be stored in the fridge for up to 4 days. The sauce also pairs well with shrimp tacos, chicken tacos, or can even be used as a dip!
What Fish to Use for Tacos
While the fish taco sauce is the star of the show, you also need delicious fish to complete the tacos. The most popular choices are:
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Tilapia: Mild, flaky white fish that fries up crispy. A budget-friendly option.
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Cod: Lightly flavored, moist and tender cod that holds up well to frying or grilling.
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Mahi mahi: Buttery texture and sweet, mild flavor. One of my favorites!
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Shrimp: For a fun twist, peeled shrimp tacos are delicious with the creamy fish sauce too.
No matter what fish you use, coat it with spices like chili powder, cumin, paprika and garlic powder to complement the flavors in the sauce. I like to quickly pan fry fish in oil until golden and crispy on the outside. Then assemble the tacos with shredded cabbage, diced onion, avocado and a generous drizzle of the fish sauce.
More Uses for This Versatile Sauce
A batch of this creamy homemade fish taco sauce doesn’t have to only be used for tacos. Its bold, Mexican-inspired flavors make it perfect for:
- Drizzling over grilled, blackened or baked fish fillets
- Using as a dip for fried fish sticks or nuggets
- Serving alongside grilled shrimp or chicken skewers
- Dolloping onto pulled pork or carnitas
You could even use it on burgers or baked potatoes for a bit of zing. This sauce definitely pushes boring dinners to the next flavor level!
So if you love the tangy pop that fish taco sauce adds to meals, be sure to keep my recipe on hand. It’s easy to mix up and lets you create restaurant-quality fish tacos at home any night of the week. The balance of spicy, herby and cooling flavors is hard to beat.
Ingredients for Fish Tacos:
We used tilapia but you are welcome to use any white fish. Salmon or shrimp would be amazing as well!.
Ingredients for Best Fish Taco Sauce:
For the fish taco sauce, all you need is sour cream, mayo, lime juice, garlic powder and sriracha. The sriracha adds a little heat, and you can change how much you use based on your taste. You can think of this taco sauce as a lime crema. It has just the right amount of sourness and heat (print the recipe below).
How to Make Fish Taco Sauce
How do you make homemade fish taco sauce?
This easy homemade fish taco sauce recipe is the best version ever! It has a special ingredient to set it apart from other ones you’ve tried for a delicious taco night. Add the sauce ingredients to a medium bowl and stir together until smooth. Taste and adjust if needed (e.g. add more lime juice, sriracha, or salt). Refrigerate until needed.
What is fish taco sauce?
This fish taco sauce is creamy, tangy, savory and a little spicy all at once! It’s our favorite way to top flaky fish tacos: with a quick cabbage slaw and squeeze of lime, they’re literal perfection. Don’t like this sauce? Don’t worry: we’ve got a few more ideas for fish taco sauce that might strike your fancy. Let’s get started!
What does fish taco sauce taste like?
The fish taco sauce! It was cool, creamy, and tasted like chipotle peppers. It paired wonderfully with the fresh ingredients and fish over a soft taco shell. We still think about this crema and decided it was time to recreate it.
How do you make taco sauce?
3. Combine all the Taco sauce ingredients: 1/2 cup sour cream, 1/3 cup Mayo, 2 Tbsp lime juice (from 1 medium lime), 1 tsp garlic powder, 1 tsp Sriracha sauce, or to taste in a medium bowl or a large measuring cup and whisk together until well blended. It’s really fun and feels like dining out to serve the sauce in a squeeze bottle like this one.