These mouth-watering fish tacos are seasoned with a crispy coating of savory ancho chili, garlic powder and coriander spice then folded into lightly charred corn tortillas with sweet and juicy pineapple and cabbage slaw.
Total carbs 15g, net carbs 12g per taco
We love fish tacos! To cut carbs skip the beer batter and breading by making this recipe with a spice crust. This taco recipe is dairy-free. And since this recipe uses corn tortillas instead of wheat flour, it is also gluten-free.
Equipment you’ll need
A large skillet for frying fish, a long spatula (fish spatula), and a skillet for charring tortillas. A cast iron skillet is ideal for this.
Ingredients you'll need
fish
You'll need 4 fish fillets about 6 ounces each. You can use any firm-fleshed white fish such as catfish, tilapia, barramundi, or mahi mahi. Try to buy high-quality fish to avoid contamination. The Monterey Bay Aquarium Seafood Watch website maintains an updated list of recommended best choices for seafood. https://www.seafoodwatch.org/
corn tortillas
Although high in carbs, you can enjoy corn tortillas on a low-carb budget as long as you limit your portion to two tortillas per meal. Soft corn tortillas are also naturally gluten-free. If you are following a keto diet, swap these with cabbage leaves.
cabbage
Use red or green cabbage for the slaw.
pineapple
For surfy Hawaiian vibes, I love to add a bit of pineapple to the slaw. Skip this ingredient if you are on a keto diet since it is a high-glycemic fruit. Not only is it delicious, but pineapples have antioxidants and nutritional benefits along with bromelain, which aids the digestion of protein.
taco flavorings
Garlic, lime, fresh cilantro leaves, fresh red chili pepper.
spices for the seasoning mix
Ancho chili adds a touch of heat and rich, deep flavor.
Salt, unless you are on a salt restricted diet. This is a necessary ingredient to bring out the flavors.
Black pepper is the gold standard of seasonings.
Garlic powder is indispensable as a savory seasoning ingredient.
Ground coriander seeds. I love this spice for a touch of citrusy, spicy-sweetness. These are the seeds of the cilantro plant and have a very different flavor from the leafy herb. In this case they are paired together.
"creamy white sauce" (optional)
The secret recipe for "creamy white sauce" is sour cream or mayonnaise. I left these ingredients out of mine to keep it dairy-free, but add them if you prefer creamy fish tacos.
Carb counter tips
Each small corn tortilla has about 10 grams of carbs. If your carb budget is 30 grams of carbs per meal you can eat 2 fish tacos made with corn tortillas.
If you are following a keto diet, then use raw cabbage leaf wraps instead of tortillas and leave out the pineapple. The total carbs for 2 tacos made with cabbage leaf wrappers will be only 10 grams.
Make ahead
You can prep the slaw ahead of time and store it covered in the fridge a day or two ahead. You can prep the spice mix and store it covered at room temperature. When ready to eat fish tacos, coat the fish in seasoning and fry it just before serving. Toast the tortillas just before serving. This only takes a few minutes. Fish is best eaten fresh so don't wait too many days before eating it.
Frequently Asked Questions
Any firm-fleshed white fish fillet such as catfish, tilapia, barramundi, or mahi mahi.
The basic recipe is fish fillets (either grilled, fried or baked), a slaw (usually made of shredded cabbage, lime juice, garlic or onion, and an herb like cilantro) and tortillas.
Fish is done when the flesh easily flakes apart.
Fish tacos with pineapple cabbage slaw
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 8 tacos 1x
- Diet: Diabetic
Description
These mouth-watering fish tacos are seasoned with a crispy coating of savory ancho chili, garlic powder and coriander spice then folded into lightly charred corn tortillas with refreshingly sweet and juicy pineapple cabbage slaw.
Ingredients
the slaw
¼ cup fresh pineapple, diced
1 cup red or green cabbage, shredded
1 clove garlic, minced
¼ cup cilantro leaves
1 tablespoon lime juice (about ½ a lime)
1 tablespoon olive oil
½ teaspoon kosher salt
1 red chili pepper, seeded and minced (optional: I would add it for myself, but leave it out when serving this to children)
the seasoning
1 tablespoon ancho chili powder
1 tablespoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon coriander, ground
½ teaspoon kosher salt
¼ teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
the fish
4 fish fillets about 6 ounces each (you can use any firm-fleshed white fish such as tilapia, barramundi, mahi mahi or cod, etc.)
3 tablespoons canola oil
the garnishes
8 lime wedges (1 lime)
1 red chili, sliced
extra cilantro sprigs
a squirt of sour cream or mayonnaise (optional)
the tortillas
8 (6 inch) corn tortillas
Instructions
- In a medium mixing bowl prepare pineapple slaw by combining pineapple, cabbage, garlic, cilantro, lime juice, olive oil and salt. Keep in fridge until ready to serve.
- In a small bowl combine ancho chili powder, garlic powder, coriander, salt, and pepper. Mix thoroughly.
- Pat fish dry with paper towels and season fillets on both sides with enough seasoning mix to completely coat the fillets.
- Heat canola oil over medium heat. When oil is ready (it should shimmer), fry fish for 3 minutes on one side. Don’t move the fish. Let it form a crisp surface before you flip the fish over. Fish is ready to flip over when edges become opaque. Flip the fish onto the other side and cook 3 more minutes. Once the fish is cooked, gently transfer to a plate covered with paper towels to drain excess oil.
- Heat a cast-iron skillet for a few minutes over high heat until smoking hot. Toast corn tortillas directly in the skillet, one by one for 10 seconds on each side. Set each tortilla aside in a stack. Cover with a clean cloth to keep warm.
- Assemble fish tacos by placing a couple of spoonfuls of slaw down the center of each tortilla. Use your fingers to break fish fillets into bite-sized pieces and arrange over slaw. Top with garnishes. Serve with a wedge of fresh lime.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Lunch
- Method: Fried
- Cuisine: American
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