Baked Cod Fish Tacos (Printable)
Flaky baked cod with crisp slaw and tangy cilantro lime cream in warm tortillas
# What You'll Need:
→ Baked Cod
01 - 1 lb skinless cod fillets
02 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
03 - 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
04 - 1 teaspoon ground cumin
05 - ½ teaspoon garlic powder
06 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
07 - Juice of ½ lime
→ Creamy Cilantro Lime Sauce
08 - ½ cup sour cream or Greek yogurt
09 - 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
10 - 1 small garlic clove, minced
11 - 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
12 - Zest of 1 lime
13 - ¼ cup fresh cilantro, chopped
14 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
→ Fresh Slaw
15 - 2 cups shredded red or green cabbage
16 - 1 small carrot, julienned or grated
17 - 1 tablespoon lime juice
18 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
19 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
→ For Serving
20 - 8 small corn or flour tortillas, warmed
21 - Extra fresh cilantro, for garnish
22 - Lime wedges
# Directions:
01 - Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
02 - Pat the cod fillets dry and arrange on the prepared baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil, then sprinkle evenly with smoked paprika, cumin, garlic powder, salt, pepper, and lime juice. Gently rub the seasoning to coat the fish on all sides.
03 - Bake for 12–15 minutes, or until the cod flakes easily when tested with a fork and reaches an internal temperature of 145°F.
04 - While the cod bakes, combine the sour cream (or Greek yogurt), mayonnaise, minced garlic, lime juice, lime zest, chopped cilantro, salt, and pepper in a small bowl. Whisk until smooth and well blended. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
05 - In a separate mixing bowl, toss the shredded cabbage and julienned carrot with lime juice, olive oil, salt, and pepper. Stir until the vegetables are evenly coated. Set aside.
06 - Warm the tortillas in a dry skillet over medium heat for about 30 seconds per side, or microwave in a damp paper towel for 20–30 seconds until soft and pliable.
07 - Remove the cod from the oven and gently flake into large, bite-sized chunks using a fork.
08 - Layer flaked cod pieces onto each warm tortilla. Top with a generous portion of slaw and drizzle with the creamy cilantro lime sauce. Garnish with additional fresh cilantro and serve immediately with lime wedges alongside.
# Helpful Tips:
01 -
- Baking the cod instead of frying keeps things light but you still get those bold taco flavors everyone craves.
- The cilantro lime sauce is so good you will want to put it on everything from rice bowls to roasted vegetables by the end of the week.
02 -
- Do not overbake the cod because it goes from perfectly flaky to rubbery in just a couple of minutes, so start checking at the 12 minute mark.
- Letting the sauce sit in the fridge for even ten minutes makes a noticeable difference in how the flavors come together.
03 -
- Corn tortillas warmed over an open gas flame for a few seconds per side get slightly charred edges that taste incredible and take almost no extra effort.
- Double the cilantro lime sauce because it disappears faster than you expect and it keeps well in the fridge for up to three days.