Baja Fish Tacos with Jalapeño Cilantro Sauce

5 from 4 votes

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The most delicious Baja beer battered fish tacos drizzled with a jalapeño cilantro sauce. A spice-filled batter is fried with halibut and served with a simple slaw and the most delicious spicy and tangy cilantro sauce. Cue’ the last meals of summer, and I’m obsessed. Check out our Chicken Tinga Tacos, and Braised Lamb Tacos with Charred Tomato Salsa for more taco inspiration!

What are Baja fish tacos?

These fried fish tacos are from Baja, California. The tacos are a classic west coast dish made of beer-battered white flaky fish on corn tortillas. They are oftentimes served with crema and cabbage.

Beer Battered Fish Tacos with Jalapeño Cilantro Sauce

Ingredients You Need for Fried Fish Tacos

What fish is best for fish tacos? White flaky fish! We are using halibut for this recipe, but you can opt to use any flaky white fish available to you, such as cod, mahi mahi, grouper, or tilapia. The fish is cut into strips, placed in the batter and fried. We love to season the fish in a copious amount of spices (see recipe below!)

Beer: A beer-battered fish really brings on the flaky, tender beer batter for the perfect fried fish filled with flavor!

Neutral oil, for frying: Use any neutral oil to fry the fish, such as canola oil, vegetable oil, or grapeseed oil.

For the slaw: A simple mix of shredded cabbage, fresh lime juice, cilantro, oil, kosher salt, and black pepper.

Creamy Jalapeño Cilantro Sauce: Mayo, sour cream, lime juice, chipotle chili powder (or cayenne pepper), vinegar, jalapeño, cilantro, garlic, kosher salt, and black pepper are blended until completely smooth and creamy! The best crema!

For serving: Serve with any of your favorite condiments and garnishes, such a radish, and more lime juice with warmed corn tortillas.

Beer Battered Fish Tacos with Jalapeño Cilantro Sauce

Steps To Make These Baja Fish Tacos with Jalapeño Cilantro Sauce

Make the batter for your fish: In a large bowl, add in your flour and all your spices. Mix until combined. Slowly start adding in your beer, and mix until all the clumps are mixed together. Chill batter in the fridge for 20-30 minutes.

Next, slice your halibut in strands or desired cuts, season with salt and pepper.
Make your slaw. Thinly slice/shred cabbage and toss in a bowl with lime, cilantro, olive oil and salt and pepper. Mix well and set aside in the fridge to marinate until ready to eat.

Make your sauce. In a blender or food processor, blend mayo, sour cream, lime juice, chili powder, vinegar, jalapeño, cilantro, garlic and salt and pepper.

Fry: Now that you have all your components ready, let’s fry our fish! Heat your oil in a deep pot or dutch oven until about 360 degrees. Take your fish, and coat in your batter. Fry until golden brown and deep golden. About 5-6 minutes. Drain the fish on paper towels. Season with salt.

Heat your tortillas and assemble your tacos by adding on your sauce on your tortillas, the beer battered fish, slaw, more sauce, top with cilantro and pickled red onions (optional). Plate with a lime squeeze. Serve and enjoy!

Beer Battered Fish Tacos with Jalapeño Cilantro Sauce

Some ideas and inspiration to serve with these fried fish tacos

Looking for more fish and seafood ideas? Check Out The Below Recipes!

If you do make this Baja Fish Tacos recipe Don’t forget to tag me on Instagram and through social media so I can be sure to see what you’re making! If you’d like to stay in touch and get the latest to your inbox, sign up for our Newsletter here as well!

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Beer Battered Fish Tacos with Jalapeño Cilantro Sauce
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Fish tacos with slaw, jalapeño sauce, and lime wedges on a tortilla.
5 from 4 votes

Baja Fish Tacos with Jalapeño Cilantro Sauce

The most delicious Baja beer battered fish tacos drizzled with a jalapeño cilantro sauce. A spice-filled batter is fried with halibut.
Prep: 15 minutes
Cook: 30 minutes
Total: 45 minutes
Servings: 4

Ingredients 

For Your Tacos

  • 1 pound halibut, skins removed, seasoned with salt and pepper
  • 1 cup flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon chipotle chili powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon paprika
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 cup beer
  • 3 cups neutral oil for frying, vegetable, canola or safflower are options
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • top tacos with with lime juice, cilantro, and pickled red onion
  • corn tortillas, warmed, to serve

For Your Slaw

  • 4 cups green cabbage, thinly sliced
  • juice of 1 large lime
  • 2 tablespoons finely chopped cilantro
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • salt and pepper to taste

For Your Jalapeño Cilantro Sauce

  • 1/4 cup mayo
  • 1/4 cup sour cream or Crème Fraîche
  • juice of 1 large lime
  • 1/4 teaspoon chipotle chili powder
  • 1 teaspoon vinegar
  • 1/2 jalapeno, deseeded if you want it less spicy
  • 1/2 cup handful cilantro
  • 1 garlic clove
  • salt and pepper

Instructions 

  • Make the batter for your fish. In a large bowl, add in your flour and all your spices. Mix until combined. Slowly start adding in your beer, and mix until all the clumps are mixed together. Chill batter in the fridge for 20-30 minutes.
  • Next, slice your halibut in strands or desired cuts, season with salt and pepper.
  • Make your slaw. Thinly slice/shred cabbage and toss in a bowl with lime, cilantro, olive oil and salt and pepper. Mix well and set aside in the fridge to marinate until ready to eat.
  • Next, make your sauce. In a blender or food processor, blend mayo, sour cream, lime juice, chili powder, vinegar, jalapeño, cilantro, garlic and salt and pepper.
  • Now that you have all your components ready, let's fry our fish! Heat your oil in a deep pot or dutch oven until about 360 degrees. Take your fish, and coat in your batter. Fry until golden brown and deep golden. About 5-6 minutes. Drain the fish on paper towels. Season with salt.
  • Heat your tortillas and assemble your tacos by adding on your sauce on your tortillas, the beer battered fish, slaw, more sauce, top with cilantro and pickled red onions (optional). Plate with a lime squeeze. Serve and enjoy!

Nutrition

Calories: 393kcal, Carbohydrates: 31g, Protein: 26g, Fat: 16g, Saturated Fat: 3g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 7g, Monounsaturated Fat: 6g, Trans Fat: 0.03g, Cholesterol: 61mg, Sodium: 277mg, Potassium: 696mg, Fiber: 3g, Sugar: 3g, Vitamin A: 494IU, Vitamin C: 26mg, Calcium: 79mg, Iron: 2mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

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