Tacos de Pescado (Ensenada Fish Tacos)

Three Tacos de Pescado on a wooden board, topped with pickled onions, shredded cabbage, and salsa. Two lime wedges are on the side. A bowl of salsa and a plate of fried fish are nearby.

4.95 from 38 votes

Tacos de Pescado (Ensenada Fish Tacos)

These Tacos de Pescado are made with crispy beer-battered fish, warm corn tortillas, crunchy cabbage, chipotle mayo, fresh pico de gallo, and pickled red onions. Finish them with fresh lime for the perfect Baja-style taco.

Prep Time15

Cook Time20

Total Time35

Course: Dinner

Cuisine: Mexican

Servings: tacos

Calories: 249kcal

Author: Maggie Unzueta

Ingredients

For the Batter:

1 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 egg
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon garlic powder
⅛ teaspoon ground oregano (pinch)
1 teaspoon yellow mustard
½ teaspoon black pepper (pinch)
1 cup beer

Also Need:

2 ½ lb firm white fish (such as cod, mahi mahi, haddock, or sea bass)
1 cup flour (to coat fish)
½ teaspoon salt

For the Tacos:

2 cups vegetable oil (or corn oil) for frying
15 corn tortillas
2 cups shredded cabbage (topping)
½ cup chipotle mayo sauce (topping)
½ cup pico de gallo (topping)
¼ cup pickled red onion (topping)

Instructions

For the Batter:

Put all the batter ingredients in a blender.
Blend until smooth. About 2 minutes.

How to Cook the Fish:

Cut the fish into strips or into small pieces.
Rinse and pat dry the fish with a kitchen paper towel.
Use a firm, white fish like cod, bass, halibut.
On a plate, add 1 cup flour and ½ teaspoon salt. Mix to combine.
Coat the fish pieces with the flour + salt mixture.
Shake to remove the excess.
Place the flour-coated fish in the batter.
Coat the fish completely with the batter. Set aside.
Continue coating the rest of the fish.
Heat the oil in a deep saucepan or fryer.
Once the oil is hot, place some of the coated fish strips in the pan.
Fry for 2 minutes on each side, until golden brown.
Remove from the pan.
Drain any excess of oil by placing on a plate with a paper kitchen towel.
Repeat until all the fish are cooked.

How to Assemble the Tacos:

Heat the tortillas on a hot griddle.
Spread some of the mayo on a warm tortilla.
To the center, add a few pieces of the fried fish.
Add desired toppings - shredded cabbage, pico de gallo, and pickled onions.
Serve with salsa and a cold beer!

Notes

You can use your favorite beer to make the batter. A mild beer works well without overpowering the flavor of the fish.

How to Choose Fish:

Choose a firm and mild-flavored fish such as fresh cod, haddock, or mahi mahi
Look for fresh fish with clear eyes, firm flesh, and a pleasant ocean smell
Avoid fish with slimy or discolored skin, or a strong fishy odor
Ask your fish market person for their recommended fish for making fish tacos

Baking Instructions:

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees F
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or lightly grease it with cooking spray. Arrange the coated fish fillets (per instructions).
Bake for about 15-20 minutes on the baking sheet.

Nutrition