Air Fryer Baja Style Fish Tacos

MINI-RECIPE

Air Fryer Baja Style Fish Tacos

Fish tacos are a staple here in San Diego. Most famously served breaded and fried on soft corn tortillas and loaded with cabbage, crema, fresh pico de Gallo and lime. It’s easy to turn this into a healthier weeknight staple with a few shortcuts like frozen fish, bagged coleslaw veggies and cilantro dressing. Air frying or baking cuts back on extra calories but still gives that delicious golden crispiness. Pair it with a quick side of black or refried beans for a little extra fiber and protein to level up dinner.

Check out our mini-recipe that lets you select your own portions and cooking method. Then, get creative with our Mix + Match Ideas to really customize your meal!

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Ingredients:

1. Frozen breaded fish fillets (we like Trader Joe’s)*

2. Quick Tomatillo Sauce (2 Tbsp Green Salsa + 1 Tbsp Plain Nonfat Greek Yogurt)

3. Corn tortillas

4. Shredded coleslaw veggies (not the kind that comes with dressing)

5. Diced Roma tomato

6. Diced avocado

7. Lime wedges

8. Refried beans (canned for the shortcut)

If you’re not a fan of fish or have kiddos with refined (aka picky😉) preferences, frozen breaded fish is a great way to try it out. Eventually, you can work up to unbreaded options. Look for sustainable, wild-caught choices without a lot of ingredients.

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Instructions:

1. Bake fish in an air fryer according to directions on the box (or in the oven if you don’t have an air fryer)

2. Stir sauce ingredients together

3. Warm tortillas to make them soft and foldable (heat in a dry skillet or comal or wrap in paper towels and heat in the microwave in 20-30 second intervals)

4. Build your tacos: tortilla + fish + coleslaw veggies + sauce + tomato + avocado + squeeze of lime

5. Serve with warm refried beans

Mix + Match Ideas

Choose your favorites from the categories below:

• Frozen Fish

  Easy to keep on hand in the freezer for last-minute meal ideas!

  • Wild caught and sustainable are the best choices for our planet

  • Mahi or Salmon (defrost and sprinkle with blackened seasoning or Tiajin)

  • Breaded cod, pollock, halibut or tilapia typically have a milder taste

• Tortillas

  • Best with corn tortillas (aka secret source of whole grains and fiber)

  • Warm corn tortillas first to make them soft and foldable

  • Whole wheat tortillas also work well (and you still get the bonus from whole grains)

• Greens

  Traditional-style fish tacos use fresh, crisp shredded cabbage. Try one of these shortcuts:

  • Shredded coleslaw veggies (without dressing)

  • Shredded cabbage (green or purple)

  • Shredded green-leaf lettuce (if cabbage isn’t your thing)

• Toppings

  An easy way to get a few more veggies (and color) into the meal. Serve diy-style and let everyone build their own tacos.

  • Pico de Gallo or Salsa Verde (found in the refrigerator section of the store)

  • Freshly diced tomato or white onion

  • Diced or mashed avocado

  • Fresh cilantro (whole leaves or chopped)

  • Radish (fresh or quickly pickled in apple cider vingear)

  • Lime wedges (goes with all types of fish)

• Sauces

  A good creamy sauce balances out the flavor of fish tacos. Make a quick version using a couple of pantry staples or use your favorite store-bought version.

  • Quick Creamy Tomatillo Sauce

  • Quick Chipotle Mayo

  • Quick Chipotle Crema