Crispy Fish Tacos with Cilantro Lime Slaw

Nothing says summer like fish tacos – crunchy, fried fish with fresh vegetables, cheese, and a spicy sauce. This has been a restaurant staple of mine for the last few years, if it was on the menu somewhere I was probably ordering it. After much trial and error, I’ve come up with a foolproof recipe for homemade, beer battered fish tacos, complete with a tangy slaw and a kickin sauce. It’s perfect for entertaining and will impress even the biggest taco snob in your life.

You can’t have a fish taco without slaw. This one is simple and light, without any heavy cream dressing. To start, chop up half of a red cabbage into thin slices. Then, add a big handful of roughly chopped cilantro. Squeeze in the juice of two limes, then drizzle in a few tablespoons of olive oil and apple cider vinegar. Toss it altogether, and throw it in the fridge.

Now for the fish. Cod is my go to for these tacos. You want something solid, not flaky, or your fried fish nuggets will fall apart and you’ll be stuck with a big battered mess. Halibut would also be a good choice. If you have to use frozen fish, no worries! Just be sure to blot the fish well after it’s thawed, or the excess moisture will cause major grease splattering. Trust me, I’ve been there. About a pound of cod will serve 4-6 people. You’ll want to cut it into small, few inch nuggets.

Heat a half inch of vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium heat. You’ll want the oil around 360-375 degrees. While your oil is heating up, you can start in on your batter.

You’ll need just two ingredients, beer and flour. I used Dos Equis this time, but I’ve also used Belgian wheat beers as well. Any kind will do. Start with a cup of flour and start whisking in your beer. You’ll need about a cup. Drink the rest (duh).

Season the batter with salt and pepper, then start coating your cod. When your oil is up to temp, drop in your cod a few pieces at a time. Fry for 4-5 minutes, turning once or twice. Remove them when they’re golden brown, and drain on paper towels.

Warm up some tortillas, then make yourself a little taco bar. My personal favorite toppings for these are slaw, feta cheese, avocado, and chipotle mayo.  Finish it with a squeeze of lime, and these are tough to beat.

Recipe: Crispy Fish Tacos with Cilantro Lime Slaw

For the slaw:

Half a red cabbage, thinly sliced
A handful of cilantro, roughly chopped
1-2 tablespoons olive oil
1-2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
Juice of 2 limes

Mix all of the ingredients together in a large bowl. Refrigerate until needed.

For the tacos:

1 pound cod, cut into few inch nuggets
Vegetable oil, for frying
1 cup flour
1 cup beer
Salt and pepper to season

Coat a large, heavy bottomed skillet with half an inch of vegetable oil. Heat over medium high heat, keeping an eye on the oil. You’ll want it to be about 360-370 degrees.

Put flour in a large bowl, and whisk in beer. The batter should be thick enough to drizzle off a spoon, about the consistency of thin pancake batter. Drop in your fish, coating evenly, then place them a few at a time into the hot oil. Turn once or twice, until all sides are golden brown. Drain on paper towels.

Heat tortillas for the tacos. Top fish with slaw and desired toppings, such as pico, guacamole, feta cheese, and chipotle mayonnaise (I just blend mayo, chipotles in adobo, and minced garlic together). Enjoy!