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I made these on Monday night- WOW WOW WOW!! What a creative take on the fish taco – officially added to our rotation of recipes. THANK YOU!!
Kristin T.
Holy delicious!
These Spicy Fish Taco Bowls with Cilantro Lime Slaw started out as a new, updated take on these wayyyy old Fish Taco Bowls (plus a little bit of inspiration from these Shrimp Tacos and their delicious slaw) but they ended up as so much more.
Like, new favorite meal. Dinner every night. February 2016 food obsession.
You know those times when cooking is just HARD? Lately – like, since two seconds ago when I returned from an epic girls’ weekend trip – cooking has been hard. Not hard like it’s difficult – more hard like I’d rather eat a bowl of Fruity Cheerios with Almond Breeze coconut almond milk (I know, I’m a child, but the combination is srsly mind blowing) or order sushi or just generally be a couch-and-Netflix bum than go through the work of planning recipes, grocery shopping and cooking the food.
I mean, what it really comes down to is the eating. I just want to do the eating part. You know, the part where I load my plate up with light and crispy fish, quinoa, cilantro lime slaw, and avocados and just GO. WILD.
This recipe is just a simple, updated, re-fresh-ed take on these old Spicy Fish Taco Bowls that I posted 800 years ago. It’s the first dish I made after I got home for our trip, and now I have a new problem: can’t stop won’t stop. This is a “bowl” aka plate aka combination platter that is full of nutrition, color, and flavor. Because we don’t take anything less, right, team? POWER to the BOWL.
We have many good ol’ friends in the lineup:
- quinoa
- cilantro lime slaw
- cod or other white fish, dredged in a spicy flour mixture and pan-fried to light, crispy, flaky goodness
- pepitas
- avocado slices
- lime wedges
SPICY FISH TACO BOWLS EXTRA STUFF:
First: I like to use cod for fish tacos because it’s a white fish that’s a little firmer and won’t completely fall apart on you, and also because it seems to be easier to find cod that is either wild caught or sustainably raised. I found some frozen cod at our local mainstream grocery store that was wild caught in Iceland. Seems legit, right? Icelandic cod. It’s just too picture perfect.
Secondly: If you are comfortable frying things, you should make these Crispy Fish Tacos with Jalapeño Sauce (which are actually TACO tacos and they are DELICIOUS but could also be converted into bowl form if that’s more your style).
Thirdly: I am happy for you that you’re going to eat this soon. 🎉 That is all.
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Spicy Fish Taco Bowls with Cilantro Lime Slaw
- Total Time: 50 minutes
- Yield: 4 1x
Description
Spicy Fish Taco Bowls with cilantro lime slaw – crispy, fresh, and SO yummy! quinoa, slaw, avocado, and crispy fish!
Ingredients
For the Slaw:
- ¼ cup oil
- ¼ cup water
- ½ cup chopped green onions
- ½ cup cilantro leaves
- 1–2 cloves garlic
- ½ teaspoon salt
- juice of 2 limes
- ½ cup sour cream, Greek yogurt, or mayo
- 3–4 cups shredded purple and green cabbage
For the Fish Taco Bowls:
- 1 cup quinoa
- 1 lb. cod or other white fish
- 1/2 cup flour
- 2 teaspoons EACH cumin and chili powder
- 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper (this is what makes it spicy so adjust to taste)
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon EACH butter and olive oil
- avocado, pepitas, cotija cheese, lime wedges, or other extras for serving
Instructions
- SLAW: Pulse the slaw ingredients (in order, starting with oil and ending with lime juice) until chopped/chunky. Add the sour cream and pulse again until just combined (you don’t want it totally smooth green – just like an herb-loaded creamy sauce). Toss the sauce with the cabbage. Let it sit in the fridge while you prep the other ingredients.
- QUINOA: Prepare the quinoa according to package directions.
- FISH: Pat the cod dry with paper towels and cut into bite-sized pieces. Combine the flour, spices, and salt in a shallow dish. Heat the oil and butter in a large skillet over medium high heat. Dredge each piece of fish in the flour and add to the hot pan, frying for a few minutes on each side. When the fish is golden brown, remove from pan and sprinkle with the salt.
- SERVING: Plate each dish with a scoop of quinoa, a few pieces of fish, a scoop of cilantro lime slaw, and avocado or any other extra toppings you like. Serve with lime wedges and additional salt as needed.
Notes
You will probably have extra sauce – I just saved that for future slaw and/or to drizzle of the bowls. Nutrition is based off 4 servings using half the sauce amount and half the flour mixture for the fish, since you will still have some left in the bowl when you’re done.
- Prep Time: 20 mins
- Cook Time: 30 mins
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Fry
- Cuisine: Mexican-Inspired
Keywords: fish taco bowls, fried fish, fish tacos, fish taco slaw, bowl recipe
One More Thing!
This recipe is part of our collection of best taco recipes. Check it out!
OMG these sound amazing AND simple! Like something I would actually make. So excited =)
Thanks Kelly! I hope you like them!
Omg!! This recipe is amazing. Made them using shrimp and it was easy to make and had so much flavor. My partner and I topped the tacos with the coleslaw, quinoa, avocado, cheese, and takis. Sooo good! Saved this recipe to have for life. No substitikns were needed, only on the change of protein.
So happy to hear this, Dani!
I love how golden the fish looks! And the coating sounds like it’d be super light. But I’m with you on that lazy mode- right now I’d rather just eat than cook and clean up!
Been looking forward to this recipe since the snap <3 I need all that color in my life and if those are the plates you mentioned from that girl's Etsy shop then I need to get my hands on 'em!
I swear, I say this about ALL of your recipes – but I CAN’T WAIT TO MAKE THIS!!! This is so up my alley. Yum yum yum!!!
xoxo,
Lauren | https://www.lakeshorelady.com/
Fish tacos are my mom’s favorite dish. I may have to make these for Mother’s Day!
Kari
http://www.sweetteasweetie.com
YAAAAASSSSSS Lindsay! These look incredible. I could eat fish everyday. Fish + cilantro + cumin (my fave!) + avocado (obviously) = dinner heaven. I might add one some black beans for good measure 🙂 Thanks!
I always love your beautiful bowls! One-bowl meals are my favourite 🙂
ohhhmyyygoodnesss fish tacos are my weakness so I’m already obsessing over these bowls! Totally making them this weekend!
Yummy! I’ve never had fish tacos before, and don’t eat much fish, but all these flavors!! When I picture the taste in my mind, it’s amazingness! Question: that quinoa pic looks phenomenal! All your photography is stunning, but that picture in particular blew me away. Are you using a new lens? Beautiful no matter what…
Hi,
Can I use a blender for the slaw sauce or does it have to be a food processor? Thank you =)
Yep! Blender works great too! 🙂
This sounds so good. Thank you.
Love the idea of these fish taco bowls, but today I’m here for something else. Two things actually. First: I’ve stopped getting your emails as soon as you publish. They now come to me almost half a day late. Why? Second: Have you stopped posting your nutrition labels? Didn’t see one for this recipe 🙁
Hey Richa! Not sure what the change is all about with email other than that I’ve been posting a little later (more like 10am) so it’s possible that they’re not published in time to have them send in the morning. Do you want to send Jenna an email about that and she can look at it? [email protected] — and as for the nutrition labels, I didn’t stop! I just was rushing around the morning I published this one and didn’t get a label done. I’ll add one now! 🙂
Sure thing, I’ll drop Jenna an email in case there is a delay with the next one!
I am a vegetarian, so I will not be able to enjoy the tastes of this recipe but I liked the photography and the presentation of your recipe very much!!!
Delicious! Love the accompanying slaw. Always a must with fish tacos!
Looks so delicious!!
Kisses from http://poshnessary.com ❤
Sounds amazing. I am loving that super close up pic of the quinoa. Gorgeous!
Thanks Emily! Had to bust out the macro for that one 😀
Can I just say, I’m so in LOVE with your blog! This recipe looks incredible. I’m sitting here, drooling over these fish taco bowls instead of cleaning. I find myself coming to your blog often for inspiration and improving pictures on my own blog. Thank you!
Thanks Sadiya! That’s so nice to hear 🙂
Like Hannah said above, that photo of the quinoa is incredible! So striking and dramatic. Another drool worthy recipe with equally amazing photos 🙂
I had to scroll up to see that quinoa pic. First time around I didn’t quite process what it was, but knowing it’s quinoa…it’s such a cool pic!
Thanks Krista! 🙂 XO
My hubs is allergic to fish and seafood of any kind.. BUMMER. Espesh because we live in Florida! Do you have a meat swap suggestion? I’m thinking maybe pork chops (cut into bite size pieces) instead of plain ole’ chicken..?
Hm, yeah, I think that could work! I might even go meatless – is that something you’re open to? Maybe some spicy roasted cauliflower florets or a big scoop of chipotle black beans in place of the fish or something?
Yes, please! I think this may have to be dinner tonight!
Lindsay, I TOTALLY know what you mean when you said that sometimes cooking is hard. My goodness, I have those days… Or months, let’s be honest. It gets tough, guuuuurl. Don’t even get me started!
P.S. I love that you updated this recipe from “800 years ago.” LOLOL. Taco bowls + cilantro lime slaw = heaven. YUM. I mean, pinch of yum. 😉
Thanks Demeter! 🙂 Appreciate that!
“Like, new favorite meal. Dinner every night. February 2016 food obsession.” — YES. YES. AND YES!!
yes great i like it
I know what I’m making for dinner Friday 😀 #lent
Boom. one and done.
I made this tonight for dinner and it was amazing! Thank you.
Thanks Ginny! So great to hear!!