Blackened Tilapia Tacos Recipe

These delicious blackened tilapia tacos are an awesome weeknight meal! They're full of flavor and easy to make.

Serve them with a zesty crunchy slaw and your favorite tortillas for an exciting and healthy meal.

Jump to:

• Ingredients
• Instructions
• Substitutions & Variations
• Tips for Making this Recipe
• How to Choose the Best Tilapia
• Storage
• FAQs
• What to Serve with Blackened Tilapia Tacos
• More Delicious Fish Dishes
• Blackened Tilapia Tacos

Fish tacos are always a family favorite, and these ones have a little bit of heat and are topped with a delicious slaw.

You'll cook the fish with blackening seasoning which is similar to Cajun or Creole seasoning and has a little spicy kick to it.

Tilapia is an easy fish to cook - it's hard to mess up and has a wonderful flaky texture.

These blackened fish tacos will be your new favorite way to enjoy taco night!

Ingredients

• Tilapia fillets - Fresh tilapia is best. If you don't have tilapia, you can use another fresh fish. Choose a firm and flaky white fish, like mahi mahi, haddock, or grouper. Frozen fish fillets will work in a pinch. Just thaw them overnight in the refrigerator before using them. 
• Blackening (or blackened) seasoning - Use your favorite blackening seasoning blend. If you don't have any, I have an easy recipe to make a batch. You can use it as a spice rub and for all kinds of meats and vegetables.  
• Cooking oil - Use a neutral oil, like avocado, olive oil, or vegetable oil. 
• Tortillas - I prefer corn tortillas in this recipe, but you can use flour if you'd like. 

Slaw Ingredients

• Shredded cabbage - Crunchy cabbage adds a nice texture to these tacos. You'll use a bit of green and purple or red cabbage. 
• Cilantro - You'll need fresh cilantro in this slaw.  
• Mayonnaise - Use whatever mayo you have on hand. Just make sure you like the flavor. 
• Green onions - I prefer the subtle taste of green onions in this recipe but you can substitute red onion or white onion if you prefer.  
• Lime juice - Fresh lime juice works best in this recipe. You can typically find limes in the grocery store year-round. You'll need one or two limes for the amount of juice needed. 
• Seasonings - I keep the slaw seasonings really simple with sea salt, ground black pepper, and ground cumin. 

Instructions

1. Rub the tilapia fillets with the blackening seasoning on both sides.
2. Heat the cooking oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
3. Cook the tilapia fillets for 2 to 3 minutes on each side, till flaky and the crust is golden brown.
4. Remove the fish from the heat and using a fork, flake the fish apart into smaller pieces. Spread the fish evenly between the tortillas.
5. To make the slaw - combine the cabbage, cilantro, mayonnaise, green onions, lime juice, sea salt, cumin, and black pepper in a large bowl. Stir till fully incorporated and all the cabbage is covered.
6. Top each taco with a scoop of slaw and serve immediately. 

Substitutions & Variations

If you want to make blackened shrimp tacos, you can use this recipe with about a pound of peeled and deveined shrimp.

Feel free to add an avocado, avocado crema, or your favorite salsa as a topping. Mango salsa, fresh pico de gallo, or grilled pineapple salsa would be delicious. 

Tips for Making this Recipe

Cooking Tip - You can substitute any white fish for the tilapia in this recipe. Just make sure you cook it to an internal temperature of 145 degrees F. Tilapia tends to be a thinner fillet. It's inexpensive and easy to cook, but haddock, grouper, or other white fish would work just as well!

Alternate Cooking Methods - You can grill the fish instead of sautéing it if you'd prefer. Cook it over medium-high heat on the grill for 3 minutes on each side.

Prep Tip - Use a kitchen or paper towel to dry fish before coating it with the seasoning mix for the best flavor. 

How to Choose the Best Tilapia

If you have a local fish market, it's always best to buy fish there. Look for firm fish with translucent white flesh. They shouldn't have a strong odor and should look moist. 

Storage

If you want to make this recipe ahead of time, you can cook the fish and make the slaw but refrigerate them separately and reheat the fish before serving. Store each of them in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. 

FAQs

Here are some frequently asked questions about blackened tilapia tacos. 

What is tilapia?

Tilapia is a delicious fresh water white fish native to Africa and the Middle East, but in the US they are typically imported from Latin America and Asia. Tilapia has a mild, slightly sweet flavor with a firm and flaky texture.

Is tilapia good for you?

With its high protein and high omega 3 and 6 fatty acids, tilapia is typically considered to be healthy and good for you. 

What is blackening seasoning?

Blackening seasoning is a blend of spices similar to a cajun seasoning, but is not as spicy, and is popular with cajun and creole cuisine. Ingredients can vary, but typically consists of a mix of paprika, onion powder, garlic powder, cayenne pepper, thyme, oregano and salt and pepper. It adds a wonderful flavor to meat, fish and vegetables.

What to Serve with Blackened Tilapia Tacos

• Mexican Watermelon Salad - This Mexican watermelon salad recipe with tajin, Cotija cheese, and cilantro is a delightful, refreshing dish!
• Grilled Corn in the Husk - This recipe is a delicious way to enjoy one of summer's tastiest vegetables. This is the best corn recipe, because it showcases the true flavor of corn.
• Corn Feta Salad - This fantastic and fresh corn feta salad recipe is a great simple side dish! You'll combine sweet corn, fresh herbs, jalapeno, and crumbly feta for a fantastic salad recipe.
• Mexican Veggie Soup - This awesome Mexican veggie soup is full of healthy, hearty ingredients, like tomatoes, onions, black beans, red bell pepper, corn, and chipotle chilis.

More Delicious Fish Dishes

If you love seafood recipes, check out some of my other favorites (that are easy to make and quick to cook)!

• Crispy Baked Haddock - A fantastic meal that's ready in minutes. The panko and parmesan crust on this fish is perfection.
• Baked Salmon with Lemon - An easy salmon recipe with a citrusy butter sauce.
• Coconut Crusted Tilapia - A tasty white fish recipe with a crispy coconut crust.
• Thai Fish Curry - This delicious creamy red Thai curry with coconut milk is the best.

If you try these blackened tilapia tacos, let us know! Connect with us on Instagram and share your photos, or leave us a rating.