Flaky white fish and a crunchy cabbage slaw dressed in a spicy, tangy dressing make these Cod Fish Tacos a perfectly delicious weeknight dinner that’s also fast to assemble.

Cod fish tacos with slaw in a red bowl with a side of tortilla chips and salsa verde and a dark beer with a colorful serape napkin

When it comes to feeding my family, I’m all about bold flavors, nutritious ingredients, and quick assembly. These cod fish tacos hit the trifecta!

Why I Love This Recipe

Fish tacos are one of my favorite weeknight meals. Not only does my entire family love them, they’re also quick to make. As an added bonus, this particular recipe doesn’t call for any fussy breading or battering. All you have to do is pan fry the fish for a few minutes on either side, using just a bit of Land O Lakes® Butter with Canola Oil.

This recipe calls for cod, which is a lovely lean and delicately flavored fish. To enhance the flavor without adding too much fat, I love using Land O Lakes® Butter with Canola Oil. It ups the flavor quotient of delicate cod, making these fish tacos taste rich and buttery.

Since Land O Lakes® Butter with Canola Oil is made with just three simple ingredients – sweet cream, canola oil, and salt – I can feel good knowing that I’m feeding my family real, good food.

The addictive cabbage slaw is another reason to love this meal. Not only does it add fiber and nutrients, but is also incredibly simple to make. Simply blend the dressing ingredients together and toss with shredded cabbage and carrot. It’s a snap!

TIP: Running short on time or patience? Buy a bag of coleslaw mix from the store. It’ll save you an extra 5 to 10 minutes of prep, depending on your knife skills.

I also lightened up the slaw dressing by using yogurt in addition to the traditional mayonnaise. Not only does the yogurt lend a creamy, tangy flavor to the slaw, it also just so happens to cut back on calories and fat as well.

How to Make Fish Tacos

You’ll be amazed at how quickly these yummy cod fish tacos come together. Once you try this recipe, I have a feeling they’ll become a part of your weekly menu!

First, make the slaw. In a blender, add yogurt, mayonnaise, lime juice, salt, cilantro, chile pepper, and garlic. Blend until smooth.

hand holding a mason jar and pouring dressing in a bowl of cabbage and shredded carrot to make a slaw

Place cabbage and carrot in a bowl, then pour blended sauce and combine. Refrigerate until ready to use.

homemade coleslaw in a beige bowl under a colorful striped napkin

Next, simply season the fish with salt, smoked paprika, and Tajin. 

a tub of land o lakes butter and four cod fillets sprinkled with spice on parchment paper

Place fish fillets in a preheated skillet with 1 tablespoon of Land O Lakes® Butter with Canola Oil and cook for 4 to 5 minutes on each side, or just until the fish is just opaque and lightly charred.

cod fish being cooked on a skillet with butter

Break up into chunks.

cooked cod broken up into chunks on a black slate board

For a bit of added flavor, I like to warm the tortillas in the skillet where the fish was cooked. They’ll soak up the remaining juices and get lightly seasoned in the process. If the pan looks dry or your tortillas are sticking, add the remaining Land O Lakes® Butter with Canola Oil to the skillet.

Now you’re ready to assemble your fish tacos. Place fish on the bottom of each tortilla, top with slaw, and add your favorite toppings. Enjoy!

Topping Ideas

While these simply adorned fish tacos are perfect as is, you know I love adding extra toppings to my tacos. In our house, we usually add salsa verde, fresh lime, and thin slices of jalapeño, but you can add other toppings to your liking. Here are some ideas to get you started:

Feel free to get as creative as you like. If you come up with a winning fish taco topping combination, I’d love to hear about it in the comments below!

close up photo of fish tacos topped with slices of jalapeño with chips and salsa in the background

Frequently asked questions

What is the best fish for fish tacos?

I love using cod for this simple recipe. Not only is it economical, but it is also easy to find. If you can’t get your hands on it, try swapping in either snapper fillet or mahi mahi. As a side note, I should also mention that fresh fish is generally better than frozen.

Can I use frozen fish?

Yes! While I typically try to use fresh fish (I think it tastes better), you can easily use frozen instead. Just be sure to defrost it in the refrigerator prior to use.

Can I use flour tortillas instead?

Sure! These are your tacos, so make them how you like. I happen to prefer corn tortillas for fish tacos because they add some nice texture, but that is purely a personal preference.

Love fish tacos as much as we do?

Try these other yummy seafood recipes:

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three fish tacos with coleslaw in a red plate and chips and salsa on the side
overhead shot of a round red platter with three cod fish tacos, a side of tortilla chips, salsa verde and sliced limes

Cod Fish Tacos with Cabbage Slaw

4.86 (7 ratings)
Flaky white fish and a crunchy cabbage slaw dressed in a spicy, tangy dressing make these Cod Fish Tacos a perfectly delicious weeknight dinner that’s also fast to assemble.
Print Pin Rate
Yield: 4
Prep Time: 10 mins
Cook Time: 10 mins
Total Time: 20 mins

Ingredients

Slaw

  • 1/2 cup Greek or plain yogurt
  • 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
  • 1 lime, juiced
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/4 cup chopped cilantro
  • 1 jalapeño or serrano pepper, stemmed and roughly chopped
  • 1 garlic clove
  • 1 cup green cabbage, sliced
  • 1 cup purple cabbage, sliced
  • 1 carrot, shredded

Fish

  • 4 (4-ounce) skinless cod fillets
  • 3/4 teaspoon chile-lime seasoning, such as Tajin
  • 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 2 tablespoons Land O Lakes® Butter with Canola Oil, divided
  • 8 corn tortillas

Instructions 

  • In a blender, add yogurt, mayonnaise, lime juice, salt, cilantro, chile pepper, and garlic. Blend until smooth.
  • Place cabbage and carrot in a bowl, then pour blended sauce and combine. Refrigerate until ready to use. 
  • Season fish with Tajin, smoked paprika, and salt. 
  • Place fish fillets in preheated skillet with 1 tablespoon of Land O Lakes® Butter with Canola Oil and cook 4 to 5 minutes on each side until fish is just opaque and lightly charred. Break up into chunks.
  • Warm tortillas on skillet where fish was cooked. Add remaining Butter with Canola Oil to skillet, if necessary.
  • Assemble tacos. Place fish on the bottom of each tortilla, top with slaw and drizzle with your favorite toppings.

Notes

If you can’t find cod, try swapping snapper or mahi mahi (fresh is generally better than frozen).
Slaw
  • Buy packaged coleslaw to save time in place of cabbage and carrot.
Topping options
Calories: 253kcal, Carbohydrates: 31g, Protein: 7g, Fat: 13g, Saturated Fat: 5g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g, Monounsaturated Fat: 3g, Trans Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 20mg, Sodium: 777mg, Potassium: 314mg, Fiber: 5g, Sugar: 4g, Vitamin A: 3227IU, Vitamin C: 30mg, Calcium: 103mg, Iron: 1mg
Author: Yvette Marquez
Course: Dinner, Main Course
Cuisine: Mexican

Photography by Jenna Sparks 

This post is in partnership with Land O Lakes. As always, thank you for reading and for supporting companies I partner with, which allows me to create more unique content and recipes for you. All opinions are always my own.