Fish tacos at restaurants can be quite pricey. Making them at home is not only cheaper, but you’ll be able to make them as healthy as you want. Last week, Los Angeles returned to its sunny weather and I made these fresh tasting tacos to remind me of summer. Best thing is they cost me less than $10 to make. Tilapia was on sale at Whole Foods for $5 a pound and my friend gave me avocados.
Try this recipe as a base and add or leave out things you don’t like. I never add scallions because I don’t like them. I control the spicyness by removing the seeds and veins of the jalapeno pepper. If you’re in cold weather and are in the mood for warm comfort food, try my tortilla soup recipe or Bargain Babe’s easy turkey chili recipe.
Taco ingredients
¼ cup reduced-fat sour cream
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
coarse salt and ground pepper
2 cups red or green cabbage, thinly shredded
1/2 cup scallions, thinly sliced
1 jalapeno chile, halved lengthwise, one half minced
2 tablespoon olive oil
1 pound tilapia fillets, cut into strips
8 corn tortillas (6-inch)
½ cup fresh cilantro leaves
Red-Cabbage Slaw
½ cup reduced-fat mayonnaise
2 tablespoons cider vinegar
1 small red cabbage
2 medium Granny Smith apples
salt and pepper to taste
Directions
- In a bowl, combine sour cream and lime juice, and season with salt and pepper. Transfer half the mixture to another container and set aside.
- Toss cabbage, scallions, and minced jalapeno with remaining sour-cream mixture.
- In a large skillet, heat the olive oil and remaining jalapeno over medium-high heat.
- Season fish on both sides with salt and pepper and cook fish until golden brown. Approximately 5 to 7 minutes.
- Warm corn tortillas.
- Top tacos with cilantro leaves, slaw and leftover sour cream mixture.
Red-Cabbage Slaw
- In a bowl, whisk together reduced-fat mayonnaise and cider vinegar.
- Core and shred red cabbage.
- Peel and grate apples.
- Season with salt and pepper, and toss in mixture.
- Refrigerate until ready to serve.
This taco recipe serves eight.
Welcome to Bargain Babe! I’m Mara, and I’m so glad you’re here. I am an obsessive bargain hunter and penny pincher, and I am determined to live a full life without EVER paying full price.
Serves 8? One taco per person?
@Marcia We usually have one taco with a side of rice and beans. But you can also just have the tacos on their own.
Yazmin, your basic recipe sounds quite good, and tilapia is a good fish to use for tacos. I’ve also made shrimp tacos, as well as using other fish such as salmon. I also like a bit of cumin in the taco dressing, and a bit more lime juice, plus some of the zest to really enhance the other flavors. Also, I use less mayo and a bit more vinegar (2 parts mayo, 1 part vinegar), as well as a bit of lime juice and some cumin. However, I omit the apple, as I prefer less sweetness in the overall taste. But, as you said, to each his own with ingredients. I don’t usually serve mine with rice, but do like frijoles de la olla (kidney, black or Cuban style beans) on the side. Adds a nice flavor/texture contrast to the tacos.