Baja Fish Tacos
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Crispy beer-battered cod tucked into corn tortillas and topped with slaw and a smoky chipotle sauce, Baja fish tacos are the perfect summer meal.
Photo by Alexandra Grablewski (Chronicle Books, 2018)
Many years ago, Michael and I rented a convertible and drove up the California coast. One of our favorite stops was La Jolla, where we strolled around town and stumbled upon a Mexican restaurant with great food and breathtaking views of the Pacific ocean. I don’t know if it was the scenery, the margaritas, or the fact that we were on vacation, but the Baja fish tacos were out of this world. To recreate them at home, I came up with this version made with crispy beer-battered cod tucked into corn tortillas with a cabbage slaw and smoky chipotle sauce. I’m happy to say they come pretty darn close. To complete the meal, pair the tacos with chips, salsa, and guacamole.
“I have made these so many times – now my friends a family are all making them as well. The chipotle sauce is the star!”
What You’ll Need To Make Baja Fish Tacos
Most of the ingredients are pretty straightforward, except maybe the canned chipotle peppers in adobo sauce. If you’ve never had them, get ready to add a new staple to your pantry! They’re small peppers (usually red jalapeños) that have been dried and smoked, and they come in a spicy tomato sauce that has a smoky flavor. You can find them in the Latin section of most supermarkets, and I have many recipes that incorporate them.
How To Make Baja Fish Tacos
Begin by making the slaw, which is a combination of shredded red cabbage, chopped red onions, cilantro, apple cider vinegar, oil and salt.
Next, make the chipotle sauce by combining the chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, mayonnaise, lime juice and garlic in a mini food processor or blender. I use three peppers for a spicy sauce; of course, use less if you prefer a milder sauce.
When you’re ready to fry the fish, prepare the beer batter by whisking together the flour, salt and pepper in a small bowl.
Slowly pour in the beer, whisking all the while.
Cut the cod into 1-inch wide x 4-inch long strips.
Then dip the fish into the beer batter.
Pan-fry the fish until golden brown, about 2 minutes per side. As you can see, there’s no need to deep fry the fish. I use about a 1/2 inch of oil, which is plenty as long as you flip the fish midway through.
If you’re wondering if you can skip the beer batter and frying altogether and just grill or pan-sear the fish, the answer is yes but the tacos won’t be nearly as good. Fried fish has a wonderfully crispy texture and depth of flavor that really can’t be achieved any other way. It’s worth it! Plus, even with the fried fish, these tacos are still amazingly light and fresh.
When the fish is golden brown, drain on a plate lined with paper towels.
Warm up the corn tortillas (I do it in the microwave), then assemble the tacos with a generous amount of chipotle sauce, a heap of cabbage slaw and a piece of crispy cod. Serve with lime wedges, lots of napkins and enjoy!
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Baja Fish Tacos
Crispy beer-battered cod tucked into corn tortillas and topped with slaw and a smoky chipotle sauce, Baja fish tacos are the perfect summer meal.
Ingredients
For the Cabbage Slaw
- 5 cups (or one 10-ounce bag) shredded red cabbage
- 3 tablespoons minced red onion
- ½ cup fresh chopped cilantro
- 3 tablespoons cider vinegar
- 1½ teaspoons vegetable oil
- ½ teaspoon salt
For the Chipotle Sauce
- ¾ cup mayonnaise, best quality such as Hellmann's
- 2 tablespoons lime juice, from one lime
- 2-3 chipotle chiles in adobo sauce (canned), roughly chopped, plus 1-2 teaspoons sauce (see note below)
- 1 large garlic clove, roughly chopped
For the Beer Batter
- 1 cup all purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 cup beer
For the Fish and Tortillas
- 1½ pounds skinless cod, cut into 1-inch wide x 4-inch long strips
- Vegetable oil, for frying
- 12 (6-inch) soft corn tortillas, warmed
- Lime wedges, for serving
Instructions
- Toss the cabbage, red onion, cilantro, vinegar, oil and salt together in a medium bowl and set aside.
- Combine the mayonnaise, lime juice, chipotle chiles with sauce and garlic in a blender or mini food processor and blend until smooth. Set aside.
- Mix the flour, salt and pepper together in a medium bowl. Gradually add the beer, whisking until the batter is smooth with no lumps. Set aside.
- In a medium skillet, over medium heat, add enough oil to reach a depth of ½-inch. Heat the oil until a deep-fry thermometer registers 350 degrees F, or when the end of a wooden spoon sizzles when dipped into the oil.
- Working in batches so as not to crowd the pan, dip the fish strips in the beer batter and coat on both sides. Let the excess batter drip off, then fry the fish in the hot oil until golden brown and cooked through, about 2 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate lined with paper towels to drain.
- Smear each tortilla with a generous amount of the chipotle sauce, then top with the cabbage slaw. Lay one piece of fish inside each tortilla and serve with lime wedges.
- Note: 3 chipotle peppers and 2 teaspoons sauce will give you a spicy sauce. Use less for a milder sauce. You can freeze any leftover chipotle peppers from the can.
- Note: Nutritional information was calculated assuming that approximately 3 tablespoons of oil are absorbed into the fish when fried.
- Note: Nutritional Information does not include the chipotle sauce.
Pair with
Nutrition Information
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- Per serving (4 servings)
- Calories: 577
- Fat: 16 g
- Saturated fat: 1 g
- Carbohydrates: 66 g
- Sugar: 4 g
- Fiber: 7 g
- Protein: 39 g
- Sodium: 1025 mg
- Cholesterol: 73 mg
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
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Hi Jenn,
I’m not one to usually leave reviews on cooking sites (or any sites, for the matter). But these tacos were outrageously good. I’ve always been disappointed with homemade tacos, mainly because I find store-bought flour tortillas to be kind of dull. So one thing I did differently was actually cook the tortillas a bit on a buttered/oiled pan until they were bubbling, slightly charred and crunchy. It made a world of a difference. I live in NYC and there is pretty good food around here, but these were legitimately the best fish tacos I’ve ever tasted. Girlfriend agrees. Thanks, and keep up the good work.
Delicious! I cheated and baked batter fish from Wegman’s (regional northeast grocery store). I’ve made it twice now and it’s been a hit both times.
My only issue is the corn tortillas I bought fell apart. I bought them refrigerated and then heated them in the microwave wrapped in wet paper towels. I like conr tortillas much more than flour tortillas – any suggestions on how to make them more pliable?
Hi Elizabeth – that’s the method I use. What brand are you using?
Corn tortillas are the far superior choice for Tacos; the only authentic choice for that matter!
The best way to warm them is in a hot skillet with a touch of oil. flip them often. At the point of maximum softness or pliability, fold them gently in half, and continue to warm them (folded) until slightly toasted. They will tend to maintain that ideal shape for tacos…
This fish tacos are amazing!! I can eat this every day 🙂 Thanks for the great recipe!
Fast, easy, and delicious! Thank you for another top notch recipe Jenn!
Absolutely fabulous. Even my fish sauce loathing son had seconds. Served them with your guacamole and bean and corn salad. Will do this for a dinner party in a few weeks.
Love love love these!!! So delicious!! Any chance you would know what the sauce used on the fried fish tacos at Berryhill Grill in Texas is? It’s a sweet sauce.. trying to replicate it!
Glad you like these! Unfortunately, I don’t know what the sauce is from the restaurant you mentioned – sorry!
We ordered fish tacos from a mexican restaurant last week and it was not good. I had this recipe on my mind when i promised my hubby that I am going to make him the best fish tacos he will ever have and it didnt disappoint. This is so Delicious. Hands down the best fish tacos we’ve ever had !
Could you substitute Mahi Mahi for the cod? Any adjustments in cooking time?
I am anxiously awaiting the arrival of your cookbook today, and hope to see you in Rockville, MD. on May 24th! Wishing you lots of success with your new book.
Hi Rita, Mahi Mahi should work just fine with no modifications needed. Thanks for your support with the cookbook — I hope to get to meet you face to face on May 24th! 🙂
I’m going to make this tonight, only with a jicama/apple slaw. I’m certain it will be a hit!
These fish tacos were a major hit with my family who came to dinner last night. Easy make-ahead cabbage slaw. The chipotle sauce was a winner and any leftovers could easily be used for sandwiches. Even the fish can be done in advance and kept warm in the oven without forfeiting the crunch! Another “keeper”! Thanks Jenn!