Crispy Pescatarian Fish Tacos with Lime Slaw
Crispy battered cod, tangy lime slaw and avocado in warm corn tortillas — bright, quick and perfect for a midweek feast.
Crispy fish tacos are a brilliant way to get dinner on the table with punchy flavours and minimal faff. This pescatarian version uses battered cod, a zippy lime slaw and a cooling yoghurt crema for balance.
They work brilliantly for a relaxed midweek meal or a weekend gathering — everyone assembles their own, and they come together in about 45 minutes. Keep flour, cornflour and sparkling water in the batter for extra crunch.
Ingredients
- 400 g cod fillets
- 80 g plain flour
- 20 g cornflour
- 5 ml baking powder
- 5 ml smoked paprika
- 5 ml ground cumin
- 5 ml sea salt — plus extra to taste
- 5 ml black pepper
- 150 ml cold sparkling water — very cold
- 250 ml sunflower oil — for frying
- 8 corn tortillas — small, 15–18 cm
- 200 g red cabbage — finely shredded
- 1 carrot — medium, grated
- 2 spring onions — thinly sliced
- 15 g fresh coriander — leaves roughly chopped, some reserved for garnish
- 2 lime — one for slaw and crema, one for wedges
- 150 g Greek yoghurt
- 30 ml mayonnaise
- 1 avocado — ripe, sliced
- 15 ml olive oil
- 5 ml sugar
Equipment
- probe thermometer (optional)
- grater
Instructions
Make the slaw: in a large bowl combine the shredded red cabbage, grated carrot, spring onions and roughly chopped fresh coriander. Add the juice of one lime, olive oil, sugar, a generous pinch of sea salt and a grind of black pepper. Toss until evenly dressed and leave to rest so the cabbage softens and the flavours meld.
Make the lime crema: in a small bowl whisk together Greek yoghurt, mayonnaise and the juice of half a lime. Season with a small pinch of sea salt and black pepper. Chill in the fridge until needed.
Prepare the batter: sift plain flour, cornflour and baking powder into a bowl. Stir in smoked paprika, ground cumin, sea salt and black pepper. Whisk in the cold sparkling water to make a batter the thickness of single cream — lumps are fine. Leave the batter to rest; this helps crispness.
Prep the fish: cut the cod fillets into 8 roughly equal strips. Pat dry with kitchen paper and season lightly with sea salt and black pepper.
Heat the oil: pour sunflower oil into a wide frying pan to a depth of about 1.5 cm and warm until very hot — around 180°C if using a probe thermometer. If you don't have a thermometer, test with a piece of batter: it should sizzle energetically and float up.
Coat and fry the fish: dip each seasoned cod strip into the batter, letting excess drip off, then add to the hot oil in a single layer (work in batches to avoid overcrowding). Fry for 2–3 minutes per side until golden and cooked through. Transfer to a plate lined with kitchen paper to drain.
Warm the tortillas: heat a clean frying pan over a medium heat and warm each corn tortilla for about 30 seconds per side until soft and slightly charred; keep them wrapped in a tea towel to stay warm.
Assemble the tacos: divide the slaw between the warmed tortillas, add a piece or two of fried cod, sliced avocado, a spoonful of lime crema and scatter over reserved fresh coriander. Serve with lime wedges to squeeze over.
Tips
- Pat the fish dry before seasoning — a dry surface helps the batter cling and crisp.
- If you don't have a thermometer, test oil heat with a little batter; it should sizzle immediately and float.
- Make the slaw up to 2 hours ahead and keep chilled — the cabbage softens and the flavours develop.
- To keep tortillas warm, stack and wrap them in a clean tea towel while you finish frying the last batch.
- Leftover fried fish is best eaten the same day; reheat briefly under a grill at 180°C fan/200°C conventional to crisp the coating.
Substitutions
cod fillets → haddock or pollock, same weight
Stays closecorn tortillas → small flour tortillas, same quantity
Stays closeGreek yoghurt → soured cream, same weight
Stays closesunflower oil → rapeseed oil, same quantity
Stays close
Nutrition
Per serving · estimated
- 580
- Calories
- 24 g
- Protein
- 50 g
- Carbs
- 32 g
- Fat
- 7 g
- Fibre
- 6 g
- Sugar
- 700 mg
- Sodium
FAQ
Can I bake the fish instead of frying?
Yes — brush the battered fish lightly with oil and bake on a baking tray at 200°C fan/220°C conventional for about 12–15 minutes, flipping once; it will be lighter but less crunchy than frying.
Can I use frozen fish?
Thawed, firm white fish is fine; make sure it is fully defrosted and thoroughly patted dry before seasoning and battering.
How do I make this gluten-free?
Use a gluten-free plain flour blend in place of plain flour and check that your corn tortillas are certified gluten-free. Baking powder should also be gluten-free.
How long will leftovers keep?
Store slaw and crema in separate airtight containers in the fridge for up to 3 days. Fried fish is best same day; if kept, reheat briefly in the oven to refresh the coating.
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