Grilled Fish Tacos with Southwestern Slaw

Grilled Fish Tacos with Southwestern Slaw are a delicious twist on traditional tacos and are bursting with fresh flavor. They’re the perfect lighter meal for your next Taco Tuesday.

Making the Fish Tacos is Easy!

If you’re a fan of fish tacos, you are going to love this fresh and flavorful take on them. The tilapia is mild and flaky, a southwest slaw adds great texture and tangy flavor, a homemade pico de gallo also adds more flavor and charred tortillas add a slightly smoky dimension.

The fish couldn’t be easier to make. It’s seasoned with a spice mixture consisting of chili powder, cumin oregano, salt and pepper. Once that’s done, they’re quickly cooked on the grill for about 6 minutes.

After the fish is cooked it’s shredded into bite size pieces. Then you top it off with the slaw and the pico and you’re ready for a real taste treat.

The Southwestern Slaw Takes it Over the Top!

The southwestern slaw is also very easy to prepare. It’s got an easy list of ingredients, starting with a bagged coleslaw mix. You know the one! It’s got green cabbage, red cabbage and carrots.

In addition to the bagged mix, you add a jalapeno, red onion, tomatoes, black beans and cilantro. It gets dressed very simply with a combination of lime juice, honey, a tiny bit of oil, a little vinegar and some spices.

That’s all there is to it. It adds great tangy flavor to the tacos along with a nice crunch. And, I realize the black beans may sound like an odd addition to coleslaw, but they add great flavor along with an interesting texture. If you’d like to add a second slaw to serve with these tacos, this mango slaw is also a great option.

Short Ingredient List – Still Big Flavor

I also like to add homemade pico de gallo and guacamole to finish off these tacos. You certainly can use store bought pico or salsa, but the homemade version really makes a difference.

It’s actually quite easy to make and has a relatively short ingredient list. All you need are tomatoes, red onion, jalapeno, cilantro, lime, salt and pepper. It’s that simple.

But while it may be simple, it packs some amazing fresh flavor. It’s also amazing as a dip for tortilla chips.

Definitely Char the Tortillas

The final piece to these grilled fish tacos is taking the step to char the tortillas. It’s really easy to do and adds a slightly smoky depth to the tacos.

Since you already have the fish on the grill you can char the tortillas on the grill. They go very quickly, so it’s best to do one or two at a time and watch them very closely, you just want them to get a little char on them, not burn.

Another option, if you have a gas stove is to char them directly on the burner. Again, make sure you watch them very closely so they don’t go too far.

Once they’re charred, I suggest wrapping them in slightly damp paper towels. This will help keep them soft along with keeping them warm.

So what are you waiting for?  Go make yourself some grilled fish tacos tonight!

Ingredients Needed to Make Grilled Fish Tacos with Southwestern Slaw

Full instructions can be found below in the recipe card

• Tilapia or other white flaky fish
• Spices
• Flour tortillas
• Southwestern slaw
• Pico de gallo
• Limes

Making the Grilled Fish Tacos

• Start by seasoning the fish fillets and coating with cooking spray so they don’t stick to the grill.
• Make the southwestern slaw and pico de gallo.
• Grill fish just until flaky. I cooked them on the outdoor grill, but an indoor grill pan or a skillet also works just fine.
• Shred cooked fish before serving.
• Char tortillas on the grill or over a gas burner to give them extra flavor.