Baja Fish Tacos – Laylita’s Recipes

These mouthwatering Baja Fish tacos combine light and airy strips of battered and fried cod fish, crunchy coleslaw, and a bright cilantro lime crema sauce for perfect quick meal that leaves you satisfied and refreshed.

Baja Fish Tacos originated in the area of the Baja California Peninsula in Mexico. One of the main factors that distinguish them from other variations of fish tacos, is that the fish component is battered and fried. They are usually served with a creamy sauce, can be mayonnaise or sour cream based, as well as a crunch salad (lettuce or cabbage). I served these with a simple coleslaw style mix on top.

These beer battered cod fish tacos will make you feel like you are having a tasty lunch on a warm sunny day next to the beach. Especially if you have them with a cold beer, a refreshing mango passion fruit margarita or a glass of homemade strawberry lemonade. Fish tacos are full of vibrant flavors, textures and color. The cilantro lime crema adds that perfect finishing touch, but if you want a spicier finish you can replace it a creamy chipotle sauce.

Why you’ll love this recipe

• It’s quick: Because the fish is cut into smaller pieces, it cooks quickly.
• It feeds a crowd: You can even double this recipe for parties.
• It’s budget-friendly: Taking a more premium ingredient like fresh fish and adding it to tacos makes the fish stretch, so you can feed more people with less.

Ingredients Needed

• Cod Fish: Cod is traditional for this type of recipe, but you can use any type of firm white fish. I also love this recipe with mahi-mahi, halibut, red snapper, tilapia.
• Self-rising Flour: If you don’t have self-rising flour on hand, you can DIY it by combining 2 cups of all-purpose flour with 3 teaspoons of baking powder and ½ teaspoon of salt.
• Garlic Powder: I like garlic powder for frying better than fresh garlic because it can withstand the heat without burning.
• Onion Powder: Add subtle onion flavor to the batter.
• Chili Powder: This will give your fish a nice smoky flavor. You can also use smoked paprika for a similar flavor without the kick.
• Mexican Beer: If you don’t want to use beer, you can use seltzer water or lemon lime soda for a sweeter batter.
• Neutral Oil: Any oil that can withstand high heat works. I like vegetable or avocado oil, but you can use sunflower, corn, canola, or peanut oil.
• Cilantro: If you don’t like cilantro, substitute it with green onions or parsley.
• Mexican Crema or Sour Cream: If you use sour cream, you may want to thin it slightly with a splash of water until you get the consistency that you like.
• Limes: Fresh lime juice gives a refreshing touch of acidity to the crema sauce. You can also serve the tacos with additional lime wedges.
• Coleslaw or Mexican salad mix: Premade salad mixes from the produce section of your grocery store can save a ton of time while adding a lot of flavor and crunch. Add a light dressing (or just lime, olive oil and salt). You can also use your favorite coleslaw recipe.
• Corn Tortillas: I like to char them slightly over an open flame on the stovetop or grill, you can also use a griddle pan. While corn tortillas are traditional, you can also use flour tortillas.
• Avocado: This is optional, but it adds another creamy and fresh component that goes great with this dish. You could serve these with diced avocado or homemade guacamole.
• Salt / Pepper

Recommended equipment used to prepare these fish tacos

• Cast-iron skillet or Dutch oven: Any heavy-bottom pan will work. I used an 11-inch cast-iron skillet and worked in batches.
• Baking sheet: You can line the bottom of the baking sheet with paper towels to make clean-up easier, too.
• Wire rack: Using the wire rack keeps the fish elevated so it doesn’t steam on the bottom and stays crispy all around.
• Sharp knife: A sharp knife is always safer than a dull one.
• Paper towels: Patting the fish dry helps it to fry up extra crispy.
• Mixing bowl: For seasoning the fish and making your batter.
• Whisk: To mix your batter.
• Tongs: For turning the fish in the oil.
• Spoon: For stirring the lime crema sauce.

Variations you can try

• Air Fried or Grilled: Lighten up taco night by air frying the fish or grilling it in a grill pan on the stove or on the grill outdoors instead of frying it.
• Blackened: Season your fish with blackened or Cajun seasoning and pan fry it in about a tablespoon of oil. You’ll get perfectly seasoned, smokey, fish every time.
• With Shrimp: You can easily swap the fish in this recipe with large or jumbo shrimp. Make sure you peel and devein the shrimp (or you can ask them to do this at the store you buy them from) and remove the tails for easy eating.
• Vegetarian: Batter and fry mushrooms or tofu for a vegetarian version of this dish or keep it vegan by using coconut milk instead of the crema.

What to serve with Baja fish tacos

Baja fish tacos are great on their own or paired with Mexican-inspired side dishes. Here are a few of my favorites:

Tips and recommendations for preparing the most delicious fish tacos

• Pat the fish dry: Drying your fish will help you get a better crust on the fish and make sure the batter adheres to the fish and doesn’t just slide off after you cook it.
• Make sure you have even pieces of fish: Cutting the fish evenly will make sure that all the fish fry at the same time.
• Let your oil get hot enough: I like to use a thermometer to make sure that my oil is somewhere between 350°F and 375°F. Keeping in this window will ensure that the fish is cooked and the outside is crispy and golden. If your oil is not hot enough, it will make the fish soggy and oily rather than crisp and light.
• Fry in batches if you need to: The fish needs some room to move about the pan. Adding too much at the same time takes away that space and lowers the temperature of the oil, which can make your fish less crisp.
• Season the fish with salt immediately after it comes out of the oil: The salt will stick to the residual oil, and the fish will be perfectly seasoned. 

Why this recipe works

• Firm white fish. Choosing a firm white fish that will withstand handling and frying without falling apart. Because of its mild flavor, it won’t compete with the batter or toppings, leaving you with a perfectly balanced dish.
• Beer: The carbonation in the beer creates a light, crisp batter and gives it a slight flavor. You can use any type of beer that you like for this batter, but I tend to lean towards light lagers or ales, rather than a strong, hoppy, or dark beer, so it can enhance rather than overpower the fish.
• Corn vs. flour tortillas: Authentic recipes use corn tortillas because they can withstand the heavier toppings and bold flavors of this taco. Flour tortillas are great, but they can get soggy and fall apart if you use a lot of crema or additional lime squeezed on top.
• Cabbage slaw: This adds a ton of crunch and extra flavor with a bright, fresh component to balance the fried fish.
• Crema: Another element of texture to surprise your mouth and a hit of acid, which makes the fried fish feel light rather than weighing you down. The crema is smooth and light, while the lime and cilantro add freshness.  

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I store my Baja fish tacos?

If you have leftover Baja fish tacos, you can keep them in the refrigerator for 2-3 days. After that, they’ll start to get soggy. To keep the fish crisp, allow it to cool completely before moving it to an airtight container and storing it separately from the toppings. To reheat, place a wire cooling rack on top of a baking tray and bake at 350°F for 7-10 minutes or cook for 5-6 minutes in the airfryer at 360°F.

Can I make this ahead of time and freeze it?

Yes! You can make the fish ahead of time and keep it in the freezer so you can have it on hand for quick dinners on busy nights. Cook the fish and allow it to cool to room temperature before placing it onto a baking sheet and freezing it for 1 hour. Transfer the frozen fish to a resealable plastic bag and label it with the date. It will last 3-4 months in the freezer.

• 4 filets of cod about 2 pounds
• 1 ¼ cups self-rising flour
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt divided
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• ½ teaspoon chili powder
• 1 12-ounce bottle of Mexican beer
• 2 cups neutral oil for frying canola, vegetable, avocado etc.

For the lime crema sauce:

• 2 tablespoons cilantro chopped
• Zest and juice of 1 small lime about 1 ½ tablespoons juice
• ½ cup Mexican crema or sour cream

To serve and assemble the tacos:

• Corn tortillas
• 1 bag Coleslaw mix or Mexican-style premade cabbage salad mix lightly dressed with lime, olive oil and salt
• Chopped avocado or guacamole optional

• In a cast-iron skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat, add 2 cups of oil and let it sit until it reaches 350°F. Meanwhile, line a baking pan with a wire rack and set aside.

• While the oil warms, use a sharp knife to cut each cod filet into 3 strips. Try to keep them all the same size so they cook evenly.

• Pat dry with a paper towel and set aside.

• In a medium bowl, combine the self-rising flour, salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, and chili powder and whisk to combine.

• Dip each piece of cod into the flour mixture, shake off the excess back into the bowl, and set aside.

• Add the beer to the flour mixture and whisk until there are no more lumps. The mixture will bubble and foam a lot.

• Working in small batches, add the fish to the batter, allowing the excess to drip off, and then place directly into the oil.

• Fry each side of the fish for 1-2 minutes until golden brown and immediately season with additional salt before setting aside on your wire rack lined baking sheet.

• To make the lime crema sauce, in a small bowl combine your Mexican crema or sour cream with the lime zest, lime juice, and cilantro, and stir to combine. Set aside.

• Warm up and char the corn tortillas, you can do this over an open flame on the stovetop/grill or on a griddle pan. Place them in tortilla warmer or wrap them in clean kitchen towel to keep them warm and soft.

• To assemble your tacos, lay a toasted corn tortilla flat and add a piece of the fried cod fish, the slaw, and a drizzle of your cilantro lime crema, and serve immediately.

Photos of the step by step preparation process for Baja Fish Tacos:

Additional recipes to try:

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