These Baja Fish Tacos are one of my favorite handheld meals. Soft tortillas packed full of beer battered fish, pico de gallo, avocado and chipotle mayo.
They’re a fun weekend meal or a great dish to serve to guests. I can have my taco bar on the table in about 20 minutes.
Is there any more fun meal than tacos? We eat them all the time. Some staples in our home are Ground Beef Tacos and Grilled Chicken Tacos. And when I want a real treat, it’s hard to beat my Birria Tacos.
Today, I am going the fish route. These are some seriously tasty tacos! They are very similar to our Baja Shrimp Tacos.
Baja Fish Tacos
Fish tacos are said to have first originated in the state of Baja California in Mexico.
In the States, they are most associated with southern California. A spring breaker encountered fish tacos in Mexico and ended up opening a taco stand in San Diego.
Now, that stand has evolved into a restaurant, Rubio’s Coastal Grill, which has over 200 locations. That’s how good fish tacos are!
Ingredients Needed
You will find exact ingredient amounts in the recipe card at the end of this post. Here are the things you will need:
- Fish – Mild, flaky white fish is the best choice for Baja fish tacos. Think cod, haddock, mahi mahi, grouper, halibut, or snapper. Cut the fillets into strips or bite-sized pieces so they fit easily into the tortillas.
- All-purpose flour – Forms the base of the beer batter and creates that light, crispy coating.
- Baking powder – This is the secret to an extra light, airy beer batter. It creates tiny bubbles as the fish fries, giving the coating a crisp, delicate texture. Make sure your baking powder is fresh, as older baking powder won’t give the same lift.
- Beer – A light lager is ideal because it keeps the batter airy and crisp without adding a strong flavor. If you’d rather not cook with beer, substitute cold club soda, ginger ale, or even Sprite for similar results.
- Seasonings – Chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, salt and pepper.
- Pico de Gallo – Homemade Pico de Gallo is always my first choice, but store-bought works when you’re short on time.
- Chipotle mayo – The smoky, creamy sauce that ties everything together. Check our Chipotle Mayo recipe, it’s very easy.
- Avocado – Adds creamy richness and a cool contrast to the crispy fish.
- Tortillas – I usually use soft flour tortillas, but corn tortillas are great too. Warm them before serving so they’re soft and pliable.
How to Make Baja Fish Tacos
Make batter: In a bowl, mix together the dry ingredients: flour, baking powder and seasonings. Then pour in the beer and whisk everything together until smooth.
Fry fish: When it’s time to cook, I dredge the fish in the beer batter and fry them in preheated oil for about 2-3 minutes per side, until they’re golden brown. Once done, I transfer them to a paper towel-lined plate to drain off any excess oil.
Warm tortillas: Heat up an ungreased skillet and warm your tortillas for a few seconds on each side.
Assemble: Finally, I load up my tortillas with the fried fish, avocado slices, Pico de Gallo, and a good drizzle of chipotle mayo, and dig in!
Other Topping Ideas
They’re your tacos, so feel free to substitute your favorite toppings. Try some Guacamole or Mango Salsa.
If you like some heat, try our spicy Salsa Taquera or Habanero Salsa.
For a different flavor profile and more crunch, replace the pico and avocado with Coleslaw.
Jason’s Tips
- You can make your pico and chipotle mayo ahead of time, but make sure to fry your fish right before serving.
- Don’t overcrowd the pan. Fry the fish in batches if necessary.
- I give my tortillas a quick sear in an ungreased nonstick pan. Though this step is optional, it heats them up and the char marks add flavor.
- Cold beer (or club soda) helps create a lighter, crunchier coating. I like to mix the batter just before frying for the best texture.
Don’t wait for Tuesday, make these fish tacos tonight. You’re going to keep on coming back to these tacos, so be sure to save this recipe.
These Baja fish tacos just may go in your weekly rotation, they’re that good. Let me know how you like them. And be sure to subscribe to GypsyPlate, we’re always cooking up new easy recipes for you!
Baja Fish Tacos, on our Gypsy Plate… enjoy!
More great taco recipes:
Ground Turkey Tacos
Tacos Gobernador
Steak Tacos
Big Mac Tacos
Salmon Tacos
Recipe Video
Baja Fish Tacos (Recipe + Video)
These Baja Fish Tacos are one of our new favorite handheld meals. Soft tortillas packed full of beer battered fish, pico de gallo, avocado and chipotle mayo. Serious YUM!
Ingredients
- 1 cup flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon chili powder
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon cumin
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 cup beer
- 1 pound white fish, cut into 1"x2" strips
- oil, for frying
- tortillas
- 1 avocado
- pico de gallo
- chipotle mayo
Instructions
- Mix together flour, baking powder, chili powder, garlic powder, cumin, salt and pepper in a bowl. Pour in beer and whisk until smooth.
- Add about ½ inch of oil to a skillet and preheat over medium high heat. Heat until instant read thermometer reads 350 degrees.
- Dredge the the fish in batter, then fry in preheated oil for about 2-3 minutes per side, till nicely golden brown, then remove to a paper towel lined plate. Work in batches, do not overcrowd pan.
- Warm tortillas in a hot, ungreased skillet.
- Load up tortillas with fish, diced avocado, pico de gallo and a drizzle of chipotle mayo.
Notes
- You can make your pico and chipotle mayo ahead of time, but make sure to fry your fish right before serving.
- Make sure you are using cold beer for optimal batter crispness.
Nutrition Information
Yield 4 Serving Size 1Amount Per Serving Calories 516Total Fat 15gSaturated Fat 2gUnsaturated Fat 13gCholesterol 89mgSodium 527mgCarbohydrates 55gFiber 4gSugar 0gProtein 35g
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
This post was originally published April 3, 2022. It has been updated with additional information, images and video.
Welcome to GypsyPlate! I'm Alpana, former worldwide tour manager and professional caterer, now full time blogger. I love exploring cuisines from around the world, and my recipes have been featured on sites such as MSN, Parade, Brit + Co, CNET and AOL. You can explore my entire collection of sortable recipes in my Recipe Index or learn more about me here.
Get griddling! Try these Blackstone Recipes!
Never miss a recipe!
Join the GypsyPlate mailing list and get easy dinner recipes right in your mailbox. From homestyle comfort food to exotic dishes from around the world.
