The Best Cod Fish Tacos Recipe

 The Best Cod Fish Tacos Recipe with flaky, melt-in-your-mouth baked cod, creamy avocado tartar sauce, and crispy onions. Easy, fresh, and so delicious.

These crispy, baked cod fish tacos are flavor and texture-packed. The flaky cod is perfect with the creamy avocado tartar sauce and fried onions. Everything sits on top of a warm tortilla – the whole thing is just so good! 

You will love how super easy these baked cod fish tacos are to make, and the result is restaurant-quality.

If you’re looking for other recipes like this cod taco recipe, try my Fish Taco Bowls, this Barbacoa Tacos Recipe and my Caesar Chicken Smash Tacos.

WHY YOU’LL LOVE THIS RECIPE

Firstly, this is an easy weeknight cod fish tacos recipe. It may look kind of fancy, but it’s actually super simple.

I love that the result is super juicy, tender fish. Cod recipe can sometimes turn out dry, but not this one. I love to make this when friends are coming over for dinner or for a date-night at home. 

INGREDIENTS

These fish tacos are made with fresh cod fillets – choose plump cod fillets that are preferably fresh, not frozen. Frozen fillets are fine, too, but you will need to thaw them “slowly” in the refrigerator overnight and pat them dry before working with them.

Use ripe and creamy avocados for the avocado tartar sauce for fish tacos. This is key to getting a velvety consistency.

My top ingredient tip is to use the best quality ingredients you can find to make this the Best Cod Fish Tacos Recipe.

HOW TO MAKE THE BEST COD FISH TACOS

Here is exactly how to make my Best Cod Fish Tacos Recipe:

Prepare the cod

Dry the cod fillets by patting them down gently with kitchen paper. Season both sides with salt and pepper. Pop the fillets onto a baking sheet.

Bake the cod

Bake the cod for 12–15 minutes.  You’ll know it’s ready when the fish is opaque and flakes easily with a fork. Set aside.

Make the crispy onion topping

Heat about 1 inch of oil in a pan over medium heat. Add the sliced onions and fry for 8–10 minutes. Stir them occasionally, until golden and crispy. Remove and drain the excess oil on a paper towel-lined plate. Season with a little salt while still hot.

Make the avocado tartar sauce

In a small bowl, mash the avocado until it is smooth. Mix in the mayonnaise, lemon juice, dill pickle relish, capers, Dijon mustard, minced shallot, and chopped parsley. Season with salt and pepper and mix well.

Warm the tortillas

Heat the tortillas in a dry skillet over medium heat on both sides until warm and pliable.

Assemble the tacosBreak the baked cod into bite-sized pieces. Top each tortilla with some avocado tartar sauce, and then add the baked cod pieces on top. Lastly, add the crispy onions and serve your easy fish tacos recipe.

SUBSTITUTIONS AND VARIATIONS

Here are a couple of swaps you can make in my Best Cod Fish Tacos Recipe.

• Cod: You can make a similar version of this recipe with other fish like tilapia, halibut or another white, mild fish. Look for fish with a similar flaky structure. 
• Avocado: A really thick Greek yogurt version of the tartar sauce will work well.
• Capers: Swap these with finely chopped green olives.
• Shallots: Use red onion instead.
• Tortillas: Use gluten free or corn tortillas.

STORAGE AND MAKE AHEAD

You can make the avocado tartar sauce a few hours ahead and keep it stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator. You can also make the crispy onions a day or two ahead and keep them in airtight containers at room temperature.

If you have leftovers of the Best Cod Fish Tacos Recipe (doubtful), keep them stored in separate airtight containers.

To reheat the cod taco recipe, warm it in the oven at around 300°F. I don’t recommend freezing leftovers, as freezing and thawing can alter the texture.

BEST SIDE DISHES FOR FISH TACOS BAKED

Serve it with a side of my Air Fried Elote Mexican Street Corn! This just adds such a pretty pop of color and crunchy texture.

You can also pair my Best Cod Fish Tacos Recipe with some fresh mango or pineapple salsa or a crunchy salad. Cabbage slaw is also great and you could also make a simple cilantro and lime rice.

TIPS FOR MAKING THE BEST COD FISH TACOS

Don’t overbake the cod: Go easy, friends. Bake it until the fish flakes easily with a fork. Overbaking can dry it out – if your fillets are thin, check them at the 10-minute mark.

Pat the fish dry, first: Before baking your cod, dry it off. This just prevents any steaming. 

Use a thermometer: For the most precise results, consider using an internal meat thermometer. Check that your cooked fish has reached an internal temperature of 145°F.

Fry onions evenly: Stir the onions every few minutes to ensure they cook evenly. Keep an eye on them so they don’t burn.

PROBLEM-SOLVING

This recipe is simple, but here are a few troubleshooting tips you might find helpful.

If your cod turns out watery, it’s probably because:

1. It needed to be patted dry before cooking.
2. It was frozen and didn’t thaw properly. 

If the onions turned out a little soggy, they probably needed to be cooked for longer. They can become soggy if they are stored while warm.

Avocado tartar sauce turning brown? It’s because the avocado is exposed to air. Store it in an airtight container and press a piece of plastic wrap directly onto the sauce’s surface before closing the container.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

OTHER TASTY FISH AND SEAFOOD RECIPES TO TRY

Garlic Lemon Shrimp Pasta

Guacamole and Shrimp Tostadas

Quick and Easy Air Fried Salmon Poke Bowls

Blackened Shrimp Caesar Salad Tacos

Easy Shrimp Sandwiches

The Best Cod Fish Tacos Recipe

Taylor Jackzen

Honestly, this is the Best Cod Fish Tacos recipe I've ever tried. The cod fish comes out perfectly flaky and is propped up on a creamy base of avocado tartar sauce. Served with crispy onions and warm tortillas, they're irresistible.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Cook Time 20 minutes mins

Total Time 40 minutes mins

Course Main Course

Servings 2

Ingredients

  

For the Fish

• 2 cod fillets
• Salt and pepper to taste

For the Avocado Tartar Sauce

• 1 ripe avocado peeled and pitted
• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon dill pickle relish or finely chopped dill pickles
• 1 tablespoon capers drained and chopped
• 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
• 1 small shallot finely minced
• 1 tablespoon fresh parsley finely chopped
• Salt and black pepper to taste

For the Crispy Onions

• 1 sweet onion thinly sliced
• Enough neutral oil to cover 1” of a pan

For the Tacos

• 4 flour tortillas

Instructions

 

• Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C) and lightly grease a baking sheet.
• Pat the cod fillets dry with paper towels, season with salt and pepper, and place on the baking sheet.
• Bake for 12-15 minutes, or until the fish is opaque and flakes easily with a fork. Set aside.
• Heat up about an inch of oil in a pan over medium heat. Once hot, add the onion and allow them to fry until browned and crispy (about 8-10 minutes). Stir occasionally to make sure they’re frying evenly.
• Remove onions from heat and place on a paper towel lined plate then sprinkle immediately with salt.
• In a bowl, mash the avocado until smooth.
• Add mayonnaise, lemon juice, dill pickle relish, capers, Dijon mustard, minced shallot, and fresh parsley. Mix well.
• Season with salt and black pepper to taste.
• Heat the tortillas in a dry skillet over medium heat for about 30 seconds on each side, or until warm and pliable.
• Break the baked cod fillets into bite-sized pieces.
• Spread a generous amount of avocado tartar sauce on each tortilla then add pieces of baked cod on top.
• Top with crispy onions and serve immediately.