Blackened Baja Fish Tacos
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Delicious blackened spiced tilapia is wrapped in a flour tortilla with cheese, sour cream sauce, and avocado for a tasty taco.
For years I would never eat fish. I would go fishing with my dad and I enjoyed it but I wouldn’t ever actually try it.
After being with my husband for several years he finally got me to eat fish. While I would eat fish I wasn’t really big on making it.
A year later I was cooking fish. One of my favorites is No Fail Beer Battered Fish. I also really enjoy Korean Style Barbecue Salmon. As a snack or a meal Tuna Croquettes are great and kid friendly too. For something different and elegant, I like Deviled Breadcrumb Fish with Bacon, Leeks, and Tomatoes.
So when my husband started asking for fish tacos I was ready to fine a good recipe for one. I found one in an older issue of Cooking Light for blackened tilapia.
What spices are in blackened seasoning?
Blackened spice is a flavorful, aromatic blend used in Cajun and Creole cooking to create a charred, flavorful crust on meat, especially fish or chicken. The key spices and herbs typically found in a blackened spice mix include paprika, cayenne pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, oregano, salt and black pepper, and sugar.
It looked fairly simple and there was a sour cream sauce made from spicy jalapenos and tart lime juice that goes on top of the tacos. It sounded delicious with the blackened spices.
Do I have to use Tilapia?
No! You can use any mild white fish in this recipe. Other fish that would be good for this recipe include cod, flounder, or halibut.
I thought the tilapia was easy to cook, cooked quickly, and was a mild slate for the blackened spices. It worked really well for these tacos.
Ingredients:
- sour cream (you can also use Greek yogurt if you prefer)
- fresh cilantro (don’t add if you don’t like this flavor)
- lime juice
- jalapeno pepper (I tend to use the jarred ones because they aren’t as spicy!)
- onion (I used sweet onion but use your favorite type)
- paprika
- brown sugar (make sure to use brown sugar, it works best in blackened seasoning)
- oregano
- garlic powder
- ground cumin
- black pepper
- tilapia fillets (or other mild white fish)
- olive oil
- flour tortillas (or corn tortillas if you prefer)
To make the tacos first make the dry rub by combining the paprika, brown sugar, oregano, garlic powder, cumin, and black pepper in a bowl. It will be a nice red color and smell both sweet and spicy. Rub it all over the front and back of the fish fillets.
Heat olive oil in a skillet. Add the fish and cook for 2-3 minutes per side or until cooked through. Remove from pan and cut into pieces.
To make the sour cream sauce combine the sour cream, cilantro, lime juice, jalapenos, and onions in a food processor and process until smooth.
Place the fish, cheese, avocado, and sour cream sauce on a tortilla. Add any extra toppings you may want.
The fish cooked easily and was a pretty deep red color. It tasted amazing, especially paired with the jalapeno sauce, avocado, and cheese.
My husband and I thought these fish tacos were really good and can’t wait to have them again soon! I love finding new ways to eat fish!
How do you store fish tacos?
Fish tacos are best enjoyed the day they are made. However, if you have leftover fish you can put it in an air tight container in the refrigerator for up to one day. The sour cream sauce will last in the refrigerator up to 5 days.
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1/4 c. sour cream
- 2 Tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
- 1 Tablespoon lime juice
- 1 jalapeno pepper seeded and chopped
- 1/4 c. onion chopped
- 2 teaspoons paprika
- 2 teaspoons brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon oregano
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 4 tilapia fillets about 1 pound
- 1 Tablespoon olive oil
- 8 flour tortillas
- 1/2 avocado peeled and sliced
- Cheese and salsa for topping
Instructions
- In a food processor combine the sour cream, cilantro, lime juice, jalapeno pepper, and onion. Process until smooth. Pour into a small bowl and put in the refrigerator.
- In a separate small bowl combine the paprika, brown sugar, oregano, garlic powder, cumin, red pepper, and black pepper. Stir to combine.
- Heat the olive oil in a large skillet. Cover the tilapia fillets with the paprika mixture pressing into the fish to cover. Add the fish to the pan and cook 3-4 minutes on each side.
- Remove from heat, cut into strips, and serve in a tortilla with sour cream mixture, avocado, and toppings.
Notes
yummy! i’m making these this week. you should try this version too… so easy. http://homesandbabies.blogspot.com/2011/04/fish-tacos.htmlNew follower http://homesandbabies.blogspot.com
I really like fish tacos but finding fresh fish is not easy around here. I may use this recipe for blackened chicken tacos! Thanks for sharing.
When I saw you post this on TK I bookmarked it – all those spices…YUM!
These look delicious, I bookmarked them!