These crispy fish tacos are one of my favorite easy dinners when I want something fresh, flavorful, and fast. Tender flaky white fish gets coated and baked until crisp, then tucked into warm tortillas and topped with a sweet, tangy mango salsa that makes every bite pop. They're ready in under 30 minutes, making them perfect for busy weeknights, casual summer dinners, or taco night when you want something a little different.
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Growing up on Cape Cod, fresh white fish like cod and haddock were always easy to come by, so simple fish dinners were just part of everyday life. That's probably why I love recipes like these fish tacos so much. They are fresh, easy, and full of flavor without being complicated. The sweet salsa brings an elevated flavor profile that enhances the fresh fish. If you love easy seafood dinners, you can also try my cod fish tacos with taco sauce and 20-minute panko crusted haddock next.
Key Ingredients
- White fish: I prefer using haddock or cod because it's pretty easy to find, especially in the Northeast. Mahi Mahi is a great choice if you like a meatier fish.
- Mango: Fresh mango is great when it's ripe and in season, but thawed frozen mango works well and keeps prep easy.
See the recipe card below for the remaining ingredients and quantities.
How to Make Crispy Fish Tacos
Step 1: Set up an assembly line. Add the flour with spice, breadcrumbs and eggs to their own separate bowls.
Step 2: Dip a piece of fish into the flour mixture and coat on all sides. Shake off the excess.
Step 3: Next, dip the fish in the egg bowl.
Step 4: Finally, dip the fish in the breadcrumbs, pressing down on all sides to coat, then transfer it to a plate. Repeat the process with the remaining fish.
Step 5: Place the fish on a baking sheet topped with a cooling rack. Bake at 400 degrees F for about 10 minutes, until flaky.
Step 6: While the fish is cooking, add all of the salsa ingredients to a bowl. Serve the fish in tortillas with lettuce, topped with the mango salsa.
Tips for the Best Fish Tacos
- Pat the fish dry before breading so the coating sticks better and crisps up nicely in the oven.
- Cod and haddock are both great choices for fish tacos because they're mild, flaky, and easy to cook.
- Warm your tortillas before assembling the tacos. I like to char mine lightly over a gas flame, but a dry skillet or microwave works too.
- For the freshest texture, assemble the tacos just before serving and keep the fish and mango salsa separate until ready to eat.
Serving Suggestions
These fish tacos are great on their own, but I usually serve them with a simple side that keeps dinner easy. Rice, chips and salsa, a crunchy slaw, or black beans all work really well. If you want more ideas, check out my What to Serve with Fish Tacos post for easy sides, sauces, and extra toppings.
Storage & Reheating
These tacos are best assembled fresh, so I recommend storing the fish, tortillas, and mango salsa separately. If you have leftover fish, store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 2-3 days. Reheat in the oven at 400 degrees F for 10-15 minutes.
Did you make this recipe? Leave a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating and a comment below-I'd love to hear how it turned out! THANK YOU!
Fish Tacos with Mango Salsa
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Ingredients
Fish
- 1 ½ pounds white fish, such as cod or halibut, cut into 2-inch pieces
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- ½ teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- salt and pepper, to taste
- 2 eggs, whisked
- 1 cup panko breadcrumbs
- cooking oil spray
Mango Salsa
- 1 mango, peeled and diced or 2 cups frozen mango, defrosted
- ¼ red onion, diced
- 1 avocado, peeled and diced
- ¼ cup cilantro, roughly chopped
- ½ lime, juiced
- ½ teaspoon salt
Taco Assembly
- 8 corn or flour tortillas, warmed
- 8 pieces green leaf or butter lettuce
- cilantro, optional
- lime wedges, optional
Instructions
Fish
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
- Set up an assembly line: combine flour in a medium-sized bowl with the spices and mix to combine. Whisk eggs in a separate bowl and add breadcrumbs to their own medium-sized bowl.½ cup all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon paprika, 1 teaspoon chili powder, ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper, ½ teaspoon cumin, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, salt and pepper, 2 eggs, 1 cup panko breadcrumbs
- Dip a piece of fish in the flour mixture until it is coated on all sides, then dip the fish in the egg bowl, again coating on all sides. Finally, dip the piece of fish in the breadcrumbs and press down until it is fully coated. Transfer to a plate, then repeat the process with the remaining fish.1 ½ pounds white fish, such as cod or halibut
- Place fish on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet or a cooling rack on top of a baking sheet, lightly spray with cooking oil and bake for 10-12 minutes or until the fish easily flakes with a fork and is opaque inside.cooking oil spray
Mango Salsa
- Add mango, red onion and avocado to a bowl. Squeeze in lime juice and sprinkle with salt and cilantro. Stir until combined.1 mango, ¼ red onion, 1 avocado, ¼ cup cilantro, ½ lime, ½ teaspoon salt
Taco Assembly
- Fill a tortilla with lettuce, a few pieces of fish and top with the mango salsa. Serve with lime wedges squeezed on top and cilantro. Enjoy!8 corn or flour tortillas, 8 pieces green leaf or butter lettuce, cilantro, lime wedges
Sarah's Tips
- Cod, haddock, or mahi mahi all work well here.
- Pat the fish dry with paper towels before breading so it sticks better.
- Fresh or thawed frozen mango both work for the salsa.
- Warm the tortillas before serving for the best texture.
David Holt says
great idea and quick and tasty
Lilly says
So much flavor, so fresh, and so good! We will definitely be making again!
Marianne Adriana Brooks says
This is maybe one of my favourite dishes. I normally make black bean tacos for my vegetarian daughter, but as she isn't eating with us anymore (tears), I thought, why not! I've eaten them in Washington D.C., Tamil Nadu, and Altrincham market, I love fish tacos. Love. So I think I never made them because I didn't want to be disappointed. I wasn't. This baked idea made them subtle and perfect. They hold their form, they look beautiful, and the salsa offsets them jut delicious. I used shop bought corn tortillas, which I wouldn't normally do, but I couldn't cope with both things on my first attempt, I thought the fish might be time consuming and cause me to be distracted from the tortillas, but once they are in the oven, you have a good fifteen minutes or so to get your tortillas fried, I'm copying this into my recipe book, and that is hallowed ground!
Sarah Hill says
This is such a sweet comment, thank you so much!!
Linda Maud Wynne says
If I halve the ingredients do I halve the cooking time?
Sarah Hill says
Hi Linda, no the cooking time for the fish will stay the same no matter how many servings you make.