Pescatarian seafood fajitas
Quick, smoky seafood fajitas with king prawns and cod, charred peppers, avocado and soured cream — 30 minutes start to finish.
Seafood fajitas are a brilliant weeknight upgrade — quick, smoky and lighter than their beefy cousins. This version uses king prawns and cod for a pleasing mix of textures, with charred peppers, cooling soured cream and plenty of lime to brighten the plate.
They come together in about 30 minutes, which makes them perfect for a midweek dinner or a casual weekend supper. Serve family-style and let everyone build their own — messy hands are encouraged.
Ingredients
- 500 g cod fillets — skinless, cut into large bite-sized chunks
- 300 g fresh king prawns — peeled and deveined
- 1 red pepper — thinly sliced
- 1 yellow pepper — thinly sliced
- 1 brown onion — thinly sliced
- 3 garlic cloves — crushed
- 8 soft flour tortillas — medium size
- 40 ml olive oil
- 10 ml smoked paprika
- 10 ml ground cumin
- 5 ml chilli powder
- 5 ml dried oregano
- 5 ml sea salt
- 5 ml black pepper — freshly ground
- 2 lime — zest and juice of one for marinade, extra for serving
- 20 g fresh coriander — roughly chopped
- 150 g soured cream
- 1 ripe avocado — sliced
- 1 baby gem lettuce — shredded
Instructions
Make the spice marinade: in a large bowl combine smoked paprika, ground cumin, chilli powder, dried oregano, sea salt and black pepper with the zest and juice of one lime, crushed garlic and 25 ml olive oil. Stir to a loose paste.
Add the cod fillets and fresh king prawns to the bowl and turn gently so all pieces are coated. Cover and leave to marinate in the fridge for 20 minutes.
Heat a large frying pan over a medium–high heat. Add 10 ml olive oil, then the sliced red pepper, yellow pepper and brown onion. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the veg are nicely charred at the edges and softened, about 8 minutes. Season with a pinches of sea salt.
Push the veg to the side of the pan, increase the heat to high and add the remaining 15 ml olive oil. Add the marinated cod pieces in a single layer and sear for 2–3 minutes without moving, then carefully turn and cook a further 2–3 minutes until the fish flakes but still holds together. Add the marinated prawns around the fish and cook for 2–3 minutes until they are opaque and pink.
While the seafood finishes, warm the soft flour tortillas in a dry frying pan over a medium heat for about 20–30 seconds each side, or wrap in foil and warm in a low oven for 5 minutes.
Assemble: divide the charred veg between the tortillas, top with pieces of cod and prawns. Add slices of ripe avocado, shredded baby gem lettuce, a spoonful of soured cream and a scattering of fresh coriander. Finish with a squeeze of the remaining lime and serve immediately.
Tips
- Cut the fish into similar-sized chunks so everything cooks at the same rate; very thick pieces will take longer and risk drying out.
- If you prefer corn tortillas for gluten-free guests, warm them briefly in a dry pan and keep them covered to stop them cracking.
- To speed up the veg stage, slice peppers and onion thinner but be careful not to overdo it or they’ll become floppy.
- Make the spice mix ahead and store in a jar for up to 2 weeks — handy for quick marinades or sprinkling on roasted veg.
- Leftovers keep in the fridge for 24 hours; reheat gently in a pan with a splash of water to avoid drying the seafood, or eat cold in a salad the next day.
Substitutions
cod fillets → haddock fillets, same weight
Stays closefresh king prawns → squid rings, same weight
Noticeably differentsoft flour tortillas → corn tortillas, same quantity
Noticeably differentsoured cream → natural yoghurt, same weight
Stays close
Nutrition
Per serving · estimated
- 680
- Calories
- 40 g
- Protein
- 58 g
- Carbs
- 32 g
- Fat
- 7 g
- Fibre
- 6 g
- Sugar
- 700 mg
- Sodium
FAQ
Can I make these ahead?
You can marinate the seafood up to 1 hour ahead (no longer), and slice the veg earlier. Cooked fajita filling is best served immediately; leftovers keep 24 hours.
How can I tell when the prawns and fish are cooked?
Prawns are done when they’re opaque, pink and have a gentle curl. Fish should flake when pressed with a fork but still be moist — remove from the pan as soon as that happens.
Are these gluten-free?
As written they are not (soft flour tortillas contain gluten). Use corn tortillas or gluten-free wraps to make them gluten-free.
Can I swap the seafood for vegetables to make it vegetarian?
Yes — use thick aubergine slices, sliced courgette and halloumi instead of the fish and prawns; cooking times will change and the result will be noticeably different.
Community Photos
No photos yet
Be the first to share your creation!