This Asian-Style Fish Taco Recipe Will Revolutionize Taco Tuesday
You’re probably thinking, “Tacos AGAIN?!” (Wait. . .is that even a question that anybody asks?)
But yes, we are featuring tacos yet again as one of our weeknight meals. If it seems like we have a lot of taco recipes, well. . .that’s because we do. Lucky for us, the only complaint we could think of is thinking up different ways to photograph tacos every time they appear on our meal plan.
And even then, the hardest part of having a taco photo shoot is somehow managing to take photos when all we want to do is eat the tacos!
“Taco night just got upgraded. One of my favorite meals on [Cook Smarts]!…Buying slaw mix definitely cut down the prep time on this…This was definitely quick and easy! AND DELICIOUS.”
-Helen
Nevertheless, tacos are one of our mainstays, and we predict that they’re going to stay that way for awhile. Why? They are so darn tasty, quick and easy to make, and are very versatile.
Traditional Mexican tacos are all good, but with all the culinary inspiration out there, you can have taco night everyday of the week and (maybe) not get sick of it. No cuisine and no person is excluded from all the taco possibilities!
Steak gets marinated in nuoc nam and served with cucumber mango salsa for a Thai twist on tacos. You can make Korean-style tacos by stuffing tortillas with pork belly and kimchi. Italian sausage plus cherry tomatoes plus fresh basil plus mozzarella make for an awesome Italian taco.
“This was so good. I’m not usually a fish taco fan, but this combo with the sesame flavor on the fish and the Srichacha mayo and the yummy coleslaw, was the best. Yum!”
-Leanne
Even vegetarians have a variety to choose from, whether it’s a hearty sweet potato and black bean filling, or tacos stuffed with tofu, eggplant, peppers, and a flavorful herb sauce. And don’t forget breakfast tacos made with chorizo, scrambled eggs, and avocado!
Whoa, there. We’re getting hungry just thinking of all the taco possibilities! Which brings us to these Asian-inspired tacos today. We took an oldie-but-goodie, our Panko-Crusted Fish Tacos, and gave it an Asian twist by enjoying them with a crunchy slaw tossed in soy-vinegar dressing, and topped with a spicy Sriracha mayo.
While you won’t find these tacos in traditional restaurants in China, they’ll most likely be popping up on your dinner table more often than not!
Ideas for Leftovers:
Another reason why tacos are the best is that they are perfect for repurposing leftovers. They didn’t make it on our Guide to Repurposing Leftovers for no reason! It’s so easy to toss whatever leftovers you have into a tortilla, and it’s a great way to reduce food waste.We’ve come up with a lot of delicious combos this way, but we would like to know, what kind of tacos do you like to make at home? We’re always on the lookout for more taco options, so let us know in the comments below.
Cooking Smarts:
When we originally featured this recipe, we made our own slaw from scratch. However, coleslaw mix is a perfect little shortcut! It cuts down on prep time, making it faster to get dinner on the table, and the shredded cabbage and carrots keep well.
If you have some cabbage and carrots (or even bell pepper) sitting in your fridge, though, you can definitely shred / grate them instead.
Prepping Smarts:
Make sure fish is properly rinsed and dried before you coat them in the panko mixture. Here’s how:
How to Rinse and Dry Fish
See how easy it is to quickly get fish ready for cooking.
If you’re making your own slaw instead of using coleslaw mix, you can either use a food processor or a knife. Check out how we prep these veggies with these videos:
How to Slice Cabbage
See how easy it is to break down a head of cabbage for slaws and soups.
How to Grate Carrots
Learn how to use a food processor to quickly grate carrots.
Equipment Smarts:
Spread the fish out into a single layer on a sheet pan to ensure that they all get perfectly golden and crispy.
For more kitchen and equipment and tool smarts, visit our ‘Essential Kitchen Cookware and Tools’
Ingredients
- Garlic - 1 clove, minced
- Mayo - 1/2 cup
- Lemon juice - 1 tsp
- Sriracha - to taste (~1 tsp is a good heat level)
- Fish Tacos:
- Tilapia - 1 lb, chopped into bite-sized pieces (sub red snapper)
- Eggs - 1, whisked
- Panko - 2/3 cup
- Salt - 1/4 tsp
- Garlic powder - 3/4 tsp
- White pepper - 1/2 tsp (sub black pepper)
- Toasted sesame oil - 1 Tbsp
- Cooking oil (opt) - for brushing
- Tortillas - 8
- Limes - 1/2, sliced into wedges
- Asian-Style Coleslaw:
- Green onions - 2 stalks, sliced thinly
- Coleslaw mix (or sub with shredded cabbage and carrots) - 8 oz
- Soy sauce - 1 1/2 Tbsp
- Rice vinegar - 1 1/2 Tbsp
- Brown sugar - 2 tsp
- Cooking oil - 2 Tbsp
Instructions
Prep
- Green onions – Prep as directed. (Can be done up to 3 days ahead)
- Dress slaw – Toss coleslaw mix with green onions, soy sauce, rice vinegar, brown sugar, and cooking oil. (Can be done up to 5 days ahead)
- Fish – Rinse and dry. Slice into bite-sized pieces. Toss with some salt and pepper.
- Prep breading stations – Whisk egg in a bowl large enough to fit all the fish. Combine panko, salt, garlic powder, white pepper, and toasted sesame oil in a Ziploc bag or in a Tupperware container that can fit all the fish.
- For Sriracha Mayo | Garlic – Prep as directed. (Can be done up to 3 days ahead)
- Make Sriracha mayo – Mix together minced garlic, mayo, and lemon juice, and season to taste with Sriracha. (Can be done up to 5 days ahead)
Make
- Heat oven to 400F (204C) degrees.
- Coat fish with whisked egg. Then transfer to bag or container with breading. Shake until fish is coated.
- Spread breaded fish out into one even layer on a sheet pan. If you want the final product to be more golden, brush the fish with some oil. Bake for 9 to 11 minutes.
- Warm tortillas according to package instructions.
- Slice limes into wedges.
- Taste slaw and season to taste with salt and pepper. Enjoy fish tacos with lime wedges topped with slaw and Sriracha mayo.
