I’m not sure if it is possible for me to be more excited to share this brand new Cod Fish Taco recipe with you. It’s going to be your new go-to fish recipe for family weeknight meals. It comes together in only 20 minutes. Everyone in the family will agree the blackened fish and avocado crema are amazing together! 

two cod fish tacos on a plate

Table of contents

Why You’ll Love These 20 Minute Cod Fish Tacos

I have these Cod Fish Tacos here for you today and I am bursting with anticipation for your reviews to start coming in. I think you’re going to be really psyched with how easy they are to make.

If you are looking for a 20-minute seafood dinner that your whole family will love, this is the recipe! My daughter who said before that she doesn’t like cod loved these tacos and now says that she likes cod!

They are not too spicy for the little ones, but with a little hot sauce can be made peppy enough for spice lovers! That means they will be great for taco night, or if you want to go all out and have a Mexican Fiesta for Cinco de Mayo or another special occasion, these will be a hit with everyone!

Key Ingredient Notes For Cod Fish Tacos

ingredients for fish tacos

Tortillas

Traditional Mexican fish tacos are served in corn tortillas, which is the way I prefer them. If you family likes flour tortillas, they work too, just look for the taco sized ones. I also like the Siete grain free tortillas, but they do fall apart pretty easily.

Cod filet

You can use either fresh or previously frozen cod fillet for this recipe. If you do not like cod, or prefer another fish, you can use that instead. Some other white fish that would be good are mahi mahi, swordfish, catfish or tilapia.

No doubt, fresh off the boat fish is best if you have access to it. If you don’t have access, you can use frozen and thawed fish.

The good news is that frozen fish is actually just as good as fresh in many ways, and actually better for sustainability reasons.

Butter and Cajun Seasoning

I opted for butter and Cajun seasoning to give these fish tacos a non-traditional blacked flair.

Typically fish tacos are made with fish that has been battered and fried in oil and seasoned with chilies. I like the flavor that cod has with Cajun seasoning and cooked in butter. It adds so much spicy richness to the lean fish. Try our Blackened Cod Fish if you need further convincing! With this simple tweak, you can get away with using less fat overall and skip the batter (which absorbs the oil.)

I like Teeny Tiny Spice Company brand Cajun seasoning, but there are several on the market that are great. Just keep an eye out for those with added salt. You’ll want to scale back on the added salt on the fish in that case.

For less spicy tacos, use paprika or chili powder (American chili powder.)

How to Make This Recipe For Cod Fish Tacos

warmed tortillas and crema

1. Warm Tortillas

Wrap tortillas in aluminum foil and place in oven set at 300 degrees. They will take 10 to 15 minutes to warm through. Alternatively, just before serving, warm the tortillas in a microwave, wrapped in a damp paper towel.

2. Make Avocado Crema

This healthy riff on Mexican crema, is not cream at all, but pureed yogurt, avocado and lime. It is much lower in calories, doesn’t have high amounts of saturated fat, and it is tangy and delicious. I added in a decent amount of cilantro, garlic and salt to really give it a flavorful kick. It’s a lovely foil to the spicy buttery fish.

saute the cod with seasoning and then assemble the tacos

3. Season & Cook Cod

Make sure your fish is dry before you start working with it. Water will prevent it from browning, and the spices won’t taste as deliciously toasty.

Cut the fish into pieces that are about 1 inch cubes. The fish will start to flake as it cooks, so don’t worry if your cubes are a little largeSprinkle the fish with Cajun seasoning. Use clean hands to toss the fish chunks with the seasoning to coat it.

Instead of oil, I used melted and browned butter instead. This is a pretty typical way to blacken fish, so I felt that it was appropriate here. Not only that, cod is so very lean that I think the browned butter really makes the tacos taste rich and buttery.

4. Assemble The Tacos

All that’s left is assembling the Cod Fish Tacos. You can use warm Corn Tortillas, or try my favorite Paleo Tortillas to make this taco recipe Grain-Free!

An overhead view of a table with a tray of cod fish tacos and a plate with two tacos on it.

Expert Tips and FAQs

Best Toppings For Fish Tacos

Cabbage:

I love to put shredded cabbage on fish tacos. I love the contrasting crispy crunchy texture and bright purple color it adds to the tacos. If you’re busy and don’t have time to cut cabbage by hand, feel free to use bagged coleslaw instead!

Pico De Gallo:

The acidity of the Pico de Gallo really goes well with the flavor of the cod. You can make your own pico de gallo from scratch or you can purchase it in the refrigerated deli section of your supermarket. Look for those without preservatives and check the date for freshness.

Crema, cilantro and Lime:

Dollop on the avocado crema and add on more cilantro if you like for added color. And I like to serve fresh lime wedges with the cod fish tacos for folks who want a little more pep.

Pickled Onions

Traditional Mexican tacos often are accompanied with pickled onions. We like to make our pickled onions with maple instead of sugar.

Why buy frozen fish instead of fresh:

  1. Often times frozen fish is less expensive than fresh.
  2. Fish is frozen when it is at its peak of freshness.
  3. Cod is fished seasonally, so frozen stores of cod fish decreases waste and makes it available year round.
  4. Frozen fish is often packaged with much more information about where and how it is fished. The packaging will also include easy to identify certifications of sustainability like that from the Marine Stewardship Council.
What is the best way to thaw frozen cod?

Make sure you take it out of the cryovac bag or grocery store paper and set it on a plate or platter. I like to put a couple layers of paper towel under it too to absorb the liquid as it thaws. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate it overnight. It will let off a bit of liquid, so pat it dry before cooking it.

Is cod a sustainable seafood choice?

Yes it absolutely can be, but you’ll have to make sure you’re buying sustainable cod by checking Seafood Watch first. Unfortunately, because cod is so popular, it is often overfished, therefore, there are many more sources of cod to avoid than to choose, so make sure you check before you buy. 

Can this recipe be used for meal prep?

Unfortunately, leftover cooked cod is not great, so I recommend prepping the fish the night you’ll eat it. And eating this the night you cook it. But you can do meal prep for this recipe and have it ready even faster!
Crema: The Crema can be made up to 3 days ahead and it won’t change color. Just store it in a sealed container in the fridge and stir well before serving.
Cabbage: You can pre-shred the cabbage (or as I said, buy it in a bag) up to 4 days ahead. Store it in a resealable plastic bag.

Serving Suggestions

More Taco Recipes

a tray filled with fish tacos from overhead

One more thing! This recipe is part of my Meal Prep Menu which includes five make ahead dinners! In this plan, I give you the prep list, shopping list and plan to prep on the weekend, so you can have all your weeknight meals ready to go with 20 minutes (or less) of time in the kitchen! 

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And if you make this recipe, please come back and leave a star rating and review! 

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several tacos on a tray

20 Minute Cod Fish Tacos

  • Author: Katie Webster
  • Prep Time: 10
  • Cook Time: 10
  • Total Time: 20
  • Yield: 8 tacos 1x
  • Category: Entree
  • Method: Stove top
  • Cuisine: Mexican

★★★★★

4.9 from 26 reviews
Print Recipe

Description

Cod fish tacos with easy cajun seasoned blackened cod, healthy avocado crema made with yogurt, and shredded cabbage. A super easy 20 minute dinner the whole family will adore!

Scale

Ingredients

8 corn tortillas, or grain free tortillas if desired

1 avocado

1 clove garlic, minced

2 limes, divided

½ cup chopped cilantro

½ cup plain yogurt (not Greek)

1 teaspoon salt, divided

1 pound sustainably sourced cod filet

1 tablespoon Cajun seasoning, see ingredient note

2 tablespoons butter

1 1/2 cups freshly sliced or bagged shredded cabbage

Pico de gallo, optional

Instructions

  1. Warm Tortillas: Wrap tortillas in aluminum foil and place in oven set at 300 degrees. Alternatively, just before serving, warm the tortillas in a microwave, wrapped in a damp paper towel.
  2. Make Avocado Crema: Puree avocado, garlic, juice from one lime, cilantro, yogurt and ½ teaspoon salt in a mini prep or food processor until smooth and creamy.
  3. Cut and Season Cod: Cut cod into cubes (about ¾-inch to 1 inch) and spread out on a plate. Sprinkle with Cajun seasoning and salt. Toss to coat with the spices.
  4. Cook Fish: Heat butter in a large non-stick skillet over high heat. When butter is melted and just starting to brown, add in the cod. Let cook, stirring once or twice until cooked through, about 6 minutes. Remove from the heat.
  5. Assemble Tacos: Divide the cod among the tortillas, top with cabbage and avocado cream. Cut the remaining lime into wedges. Serve the tacos with lime and pico de gallo.

Notes

Ingredient Note:

I like Teeny Tiny Spice Company organic Cajun seasoning, but there are several on the market that are also great. Just keep an eye out for those with extra added salt. You’ll want to scale back on the added salt on the fish in that case.

TO MEAL PREP THIS RECIPE

Unfortunately, leftover cooked cod is not great, so I recommend prepping the fish the night you’ll eat it. And eating this the night you cook it. But you can do meal prep for this recipe and have it ready even faster!

Crema: The Crema can be made up to 3 days ahead and it won’t change color. Just store it in a sealed container in the fridge and stir well before serving.

Cabbage: You can pre-shred the cabbage (or as I said, buy it in a bag) up to 4 days ahead. Store it in a resealable plastic bag.

If you make follow these steps, you can have these cod fish tacos on the table in less than 15 minutes flat.

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 2 tacos
  • Calories: 326
  • Sugar: 5 g
  • Fat: 17 g
  • Saturated Fat: 5 g
  • Carbohydrates: 30 g
  • Fiber: 7 g
  • Protein: 19 g