Blackened fish tacos on a wooden board and a glass of beer in the background

These blackened fish tacos come together in under 30 minutes and make a delicious weeknight meal. Spiced white fish is folded into warm tortillas, topped with shredded red cabbage and drizzled with a creamy avocado sauce.

You can make fish tacos with any firm white fish you prefer: tilapia, cod, mahi mahi, snapper, etc. I used Tilapia, it’s inexpensive, easy to cook and light in flavor.

To blackened the fish, rub it with spices and then sear it briefly at high heat until the outside just starts to blacken. The fish will be slightly crispy on the outside, moist, tender and flaky on the inside.

After seasoning the fish, let it sit for a while and prepare the rest of the ingredients before you start cooking it, because it cooks fast. It took only 4-5 minutes per side to cook my fish.

Feel free to add whatever toppings you’d like. I kept the toppings pretty simple. The avocado sauce is nothing more than mixing avocado with lime juice, Greek yogurt and cilantro.

For the cabbage slaw, I used a mixture of green and purple cabbage, which I lightly tossed in lime juice. You can add some mayo if you wish.

If you’ve never tried blackened fish tacos,  this is a great recipe – it’s quick, easy and delicious! I’m sure you’ll love them!

Blackened fish tacos and lime wedges in a basket
Close-up of delicious blackened fish tacos with avocado sauce, showcasing the perfectly cooked fish, soft tortillas, and flavorful toppings.
Print Recipe

How To Make It: Blackened Fish Tacos with Avocado Sauce

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 25 minutes
Servings: 6 small tacos
(5 stars) 6 ratings
These blackened fish tacos come together in under 30 minutes and make a delicious weeknight meal. 

Ingredients

For the blackened fish tacos:

  • 14 oz. (400 g) tilapia fillets
  • 1 ½ teaspoon paprika
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • ¾ teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • ½ teaspoon cumin
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon brown sugar
  • 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
  • 6 small corn tortillas

For the slaw:

  • ¼ red cabbage thinly sliced
  • ¼ green cabbage thinly sliced
  • ½ medium onion thinly sliced
  • ¼ cup (15 g) chopped cilantro
  • the juice of 1 lime

For the avocado sauce:

  • ¼ cup (70 g) Greek yogurt I used 0% fat Greek yogurt
  • ½ ripe avocado pitted and skinned
  • 1 tablespoon chopped cilantro
  • the juice of ½ lime
  • 1 tablespoon water
  • salt to taste

Instructions

Prepare the blackening spice mix:

  • In a small bowl, combine the paprika, dried oregano, garlic powder, cayenne pepper, cumin, salt and sugar.

Season the tilapia fillets:

  •  Pat the tilapia fillets dry on both sides with paper towels and liberally sprinkle on the blackening spice mix. Flip the fillets over and repeat so both sides are well coated.
  • Prepare the avocado sauce:
  • Blend all the ingredients in a food processor until your desired consistency is reached. Add a little more water if needed.

To make the cabbage slaw

  • Toss all ingredients together in a large bowl.

Cook the fish:

  •  Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a large skillet on medium-high heat. Add the fish and cook for 4-5 minutes on each side, or until the outside is blackened and the fish flakes apart easily.Transfer to a serving dish.

Assemble the tacos:

  • Start with 1 tortilla, layer the cabbage slaw first, then about 1/2 of a tilapia filet, some more slaw, cilantro, and drizzle with avocado sauce. Serve with a lemon wedge and your favorite beer!
  • Enjoy!

Nutrition

Calories: 212 kcal, Carbohydrates: 17.4 g, Protein: 16.2 g, Fat: 9.4 g, Saturated Fat: 1.6 g, Cholesterol: 32 mg, Sodium: 242 mg, Fiber: 3.7 g, Sugar: 3.7 g
Did you make this recipe?Leave a comment or share a photo on Instagram with the hashtag #aseasyasapplepie. We’d love to see what you come up with!
Author: Elena Tomasi
Course: Dinner/ Fish
Cuisine: Mexican
Blackened fish tacos on a wooden board