Baked Puffy Fish Tacos

4.2
(6)
5 Reviews
1 Photo

I'm showing you how to make amazing, puffy tacos baked in the oven. These are very easy, and I think, the best way to make fish tacos, as you get crispiness in every bite.

By
John Mitzewich
Chef John
John Mitzewich
John Mitzewich — aka Chef John — has produced more than 1,500 cooking videos for Allrecipes. He's the actor, director, and screenwriter whose hands and voice confidently walk you through techniques.
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Updated on August 7, 2023
1
Baked puffy fish tacos on a white plate.
Prep Time:
15 mins
Cook Time:
10 mins
Marinate Time:
15 mins
Total Time:
40 mins
Servings:
4
Yield:
4 tacos
Jump to Nutrition Facts

I had to cheat and use flour tortillas, and some might argue this is closer to a tostada, but in my world, if it's on a tortilla, and you can fold it, it's a taco. So, with all that said, I will proclaim this to be the best fish taco ever, baked or otherwise.

This will work with any similar type of fish, but you have to make sure you're cutting it into the same finger-sized strips seen in the video. Thanks to lots of exhaustive testing, I found that two 1.5-ounce pieces were the perfect portion, since that took almost exactly the same amount of time to cook through, as the tortillas did to puff up and get crispy.

Your results may vary. So feel free to do some "exhaustive" (aka, fun and delicious) testing on your own. As far as the toppings go, I generally add as many things to a taco as humanly possible, but in this case, I was uncharacteristically reserved, and really don't think anything else would've made it better. A slice or two of avocado might have been nice, but I couldn't have been happier with how this came out, which is why I hope you give this a try soon.

Ingredients

For the Sauce:

  • ¼ cup sour cream

  • ¼ cup mayonnaise

  • ¼ teaspoon ground chipotle pepper

  • 1 pinch salt

  • 1 dash hot sauce, or to taste

  • 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice, or to taste

For the Fish:

  • ¾ pound rockfish

  • 2 teaspoons olive oil

  • ½ teaspoon kosher salt

  • ⅛ teaspoon cumin

  • ⅛ teaspoon ground chipotle pepper

  • ¼ teaspoon chili powder

For the Cabbage:

  • 2 cups very thinly sliced green cabbage

  • ¼ teaspoon kosher salt

  • 2 teaspoons fresh lime juice

  • 1 pinch dried Mexican oregano

For the Tacos:

  • 4 (6 inch) flour tortillas

  • 2 teaspoons olive oil, divided

  • 2 tablespoons thinly sliced radishes

  • 1 tablespoon thinly sliced jalapeno pepper (Optional)

  • 2 tablespoons torn cilantro leaves

  • 1 medium lime, cut into wedges

Directions

  1. Gather all ingredients.

    Various bowls and plates filled with ingredients to make baked puffy fish tacos.

    ALLRECIPES / NELLY CUANALO

  2. Whisk sour cream, mayonnaise, chipotle powder, salt, hot sauce, and lime juice for sauce in a bowl until smooth. Taste and adjust as needed. Refrigerate until needed.

    Mayonnaise sauce in a glass bowl.

    ALLRECIPES / NELLY CUANALO

  3. Cut fish into eight 1 ½-inch pieces.

    Uncooked fish pieces on a wood cutting board.

    ALLRECIPES / NELLY CUANALO

  4. Transfer fish to a bowl; add olive oil, salt, cumin, chipotle pepper, and chili powder. Toss with tongs, thoroughly but gently, until coated. Let fish marinate in the refrigerator for 15 minutes.

    Seasoned fish pieces in a glass bowl.

    ALLRECIPES / NELLY CUANALO

  5. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 500 degrees F (260 degrees C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Toss cabbage, salt, lime juice, and dried oregano together in a bowl with your hands until coated.

    Shredded cabbage in a glass bowl.

    ALLRECIPES / NELLY CUANALO

  6. Place 2 tortillas on the prepared baking sheet and coat lightly on both sides with some olive oil. Place 3 ounces of sliced fish on each tortilla, on only one side so that you can fold the tacos after baking.

    Two tortilla shells with pieces of seasoned fish on a parchment line baking sheet.

    ALLRECIPES / NELLY CUANALO

  7. Bake in the center of the preheated oven until fish flakes easily with a fork and tortillas are browned and puffy, 7 to 8 minutes.

    Baked fish on tortilla shells.

    ALLRECIPES / NELLY CUANALO

  8. Fold tacos in the center of each tortilla to crease. Top with cabbage, followed by jalapenos, radishes, and sauce. Sprinkle with cilantro and serve with lime wedges to squeeze over. Repeat for remaining 2 tacos.

    Baked fish topped with vegetables on tortilla shells.

    ALLRECIPES / NELLY CUANALO

  9. Serve and enjoy!

    Baked puffy fish tacos on a white plate.

    ALLRECIPES / NELLY CUANALO

Chef's Note:

You can use bass, tilapia, or other mild white fish instead of rock cod.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)

371 Calories
23g Fat
23g Carbs
20g Protein
Nutrition Facts
Servings Per Recipe 4
Calories 371
% Daily Value *
Total Fat 23g 29%
Saturated Fat 5g 26%
Cholesterol 41mg 14%
Sodium 758mg 33%
Total Carbohydrate 23g 8%
Dietary Fiber 3g 10%
Protein 20g 40%
Potassium 533mg 11%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.

** Nutrient information is not available for all ingredients. Amount is based on available nutrient data.

(-) Information is not currently available for this nutrient. If you are following a medically restrictive diet, please consult your doctor or registered dietitian before preparing this recipe for personal consumption.

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