If you are looking for an easy weeknight dinner that tastes great, these blackened tilapia fish tacos with slaw are a great option. They taste amazing and are a great way to get in your weekly seafood servings.
Ingredients for Blackened Fish Tacos
Before making this recipe, make sure you have all the ingredients you need. Alternatives and swaps are listed below next to each individual ingredient.
For the blackened tilapia fish tacos:
- Tilapia: Alternatives are listed later in this article.
- Cumin: I wouldn’t recommend swapping out this spice, but you can omit it if you don’t have any.
- Brown sugar: You can substitute with white sugar, honey, maple syrup or agave nectar.
- Garlic powder: Fresh or jarred minced garlic can be used as an alternative.
- Dried oregano: You can also use chopped fresh oregano.
- Chili powder: Cayenne pepper or red pepper flakes can be substituted.
- Paprika: Or double the amount of chili powder used.
- Salt and pepper: To taste, I recommend freshly ground black pepper.
- Olive oil: You can also use canola, vegetable, sunflower or avocado oil.
- Corn tortillas: If you prefer flour, those will work as well.
For the slaw:
- Cabbage: Green, red or mixed cabbage are fine.
- Carrots: You can always double up on cabbage instead of carrots.
- Red onion: White, yellow or sweet onion can be used as an alternative.
- Cilantro: Adds a lot of flavor to the slaw, I wouldn’t recommend swapping this. If you don’t have any, you can always just omit it from the recipe.
- Lime juice: Any citrus juice can be substituted, such as lemon or orange juice.
- Salt: I prefer kosher salt but sea salt or pink himalayan salt is fine.
How to make Blackened Fish Tacos
First, light pat your tilapia filets dry with a paper towel. In a small bowl combine the cumin, brown sugar, garlic powder, dried oregano, chili powder, paprika, salt and pepper. Coat the tilapia in the seasonings and rub into the filets.
In a large skillet over medium heat, add olive oil. Once hot, add seasoned tilapia filets. Cook for several minutes on each side until the fish reaches an internal temperature of 145 degrees Fahrenheit.
While the fish is cooking, prepare the slaw. In a large bowl, add the shredded cabbage and carrots, diced onions, chopped cilantro, lime juice and salt. Toss together or combine and set aside.
Once the tilapia is finished cooking, transfer to a plate and use the skillet to warm up your corn tortillas. On a plate, place your tortillas and layer with tilapia and slaw. Drizzle with a spicy mayo if desired and enjoy.
Swaps for tilapia
If you don’t have any tilapia or can’t find any at the store, you can use any kind of white fish you desire. Here are a few options that would work well in this recipe:
- Cod
- Haddock
- Bass
- Grouper
- Catfish
- Snapper
- Pollock
- Hake
Where to find tilapia
You can find tilapia at most grocery stores in the seafood section. I like purchasing my tilapia frozen and defrosting it in the refrigerator overnight since it’s typically cheaper that way. Alternatively, if you have a local farmer’s market, you can possibly find fresh tilapia there, which is likely going to be the best quality.
If you are unable to find any fresh or frozen tilapia at your local grocery store or farmer’s market, there are several online stores that can ship tilapia to your place of residence. These stores include Fulton Fish Market, Pike Place Fish Market and Wild Fork Foods.
Is tilapia good for you?
Yes! Tilapia is a nutritious source of protein and is low in mercury. Four ounces of tilapia is around 150 calories and provides almost 30 grams of protein. It’s a good source of B vitamins, especially vitamin B12, vitamin D, magnesium, potassium and selenium.
Plus, it’s low in saturated fat and contains omega-3 fatty acids, meaning it’s a healthy source of fat. Overall, it’s a great lean source of protein that is beneficial for your overall health.
What to serve this with
The fish tacos themselves can be a whole meal. But, you can also add a few sides to make this dish a more filling and satisfying meal. An example would be adding a side of spanish rice and a side salad or bowl of stewed beans. A carb-rich side dish and vegetable side dish would work well with these tacos.
How to store the leftovers
If you have leftovers, I would recommend storing each component separate to avoid any part getting soggy. The tilapia, slaw and corn tortillas can be stored in separate containers and assembled together once you are ready to eat the leftovers. They should last in the refrigerator for about 2-3 days.
When heating up the leftovers, I would recommend leaving the slaw out. The flavor and texture will change once warmed. Simply heat the tortillas and tilapia, then add the cold slaw on top afterwards.
Similar Recipes
Blacked Tilapia Fish Tacos with Slaw
Ingredients
- 1 lb tilapia
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1 tsp brown sugar
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1/2 tsp chili powder
- 1/2 tsp paprika
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 8 corn tortillas
Slaw
- 1 cup cabbage shredded
- 1/2 cup carrots shredded
- 1/2 red onion diced
- 2 tbsp cilantro chopped
- 1 tbsp lime juice
- salt to taste
Instructions
- First, light pat your tilapia filets dry with a paper towel. In a small bowl combine the cumin, brown sugar, garlic powder, dried oregano, chili powder, paprika, salt and pepper. Coat the tilapia in the seasonings and rub into the filets.
- In a large skillet over medium heat, add olive oil. Once hot, add seasoned tilapia filets. Cook for several minutes on each side until the fish reaches an internal temperature of 145 degrees Fahrenheit.
- While the fish is cooking, prepare the slaw. In a large bowl, add the shredded cabbage and carrots, diced onions, chopped cilantro, lime juice and salt. Toss together or combine and set aside.
- Once the tilapia is finished cooking, transfer to a plate and use the skillet to warm up your corn tortillas.
- On a plate, place your tortillas and layer with tilapia and slaw. Drizzle with a spicy mayo if desired and enjoy.
