It seems lately I’m ever so slightly bordering on obsessed with fish tacos. I’ve pinned ump-teen recipes to my Pinterest board, I’ve bookmarked a bunch in my favorites bar, and I’ve cooked them…a lot…recently. If there’s any kind of taco I’m happy to eat, it’s fish. Don’t get me wrong. It would be my worst nightmare to be served up a plate of Rubio’s fish tacos and ordered to eat! First, it’s a chain restaurant and fast food, at that. Second, while I understand it’s a popular place for fast (see above) fish tacos, crunch the numbers on the Original Fish Taco (2 taco plate) and you’ll devour 620 calories, 360 or which are from fat, 40 grams of fat, 50 mg of cholesterol, and 780 mg of sodium. Which is why I make them myself.
Being able to control portion size and ingredients is a huge deal. And, believe me, it doesn’t have to be breaded and deep-fried in artery-clogging oil to taste good. This recipe is the perfect example of how a variety of spices and minimal oil can come together to create a mouth-watering meal without all the fat and calories that come standard at your local fast food taco joint. This recipe went together really fast. I made the rub ahead of time and refrigerated it for a couple of hours. The recipe doesn’t say you need to do that, but I thought the fish had a truly developed flavor because it had been resting in the spices for a longer period of time.
The salsa was bright and lively, too. I threw on some fresh cilantro from our garden just before serving, and gave an extra squeeze of lime juice, too. Low-fat and delicious. So much better than fast food. Enjoy!
Tilapia Tacos with Fresh Tomato Salsa (recipe courtesy ActivewearUSA)
Taco Ingredients:
- 4 tortillas
- ½ pound tilapia fillets
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
- 1/4 teaspoon paprika
- 1/4 teaspoon chili powder
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- ¼ teaspoon dried oregano
- Pinch of salt and pepper
- ½ onion, roughly chopped
- ¼ cup sweet corn (fresh or frozen)
- 1 clove garlic, minced
Salsa Ingredients:
- 3 medium tomatoes
- 1/4 onion
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- Juice of half a lime
- 1 teaspoon red wine vinegar
- ¼ cup fresh cilantro
- Salt and pepper to taste
Directions:
- Combine the paprika, chili powder, garlic powder, onion powder, cumin, oregano, salt and pepper in a small bowl. Pour the herb and spice mix into a resealable plastic bag. Add the tilapia fillets and shake until the fish is completely covered. Set aside to infuse with flavor.
- Pour 1 teaspoon of olive oil into a pan over medium heat and add the onion and corn. Cook for around 10 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking, or until the onion is soft and the corn begins to blacken.
- Stir in the garlic and cook for 1 minute or until fragrant. Be careful not to scorch.
- Remove the tilapia fillets from the Ziploc bag and place them into the pan, using a spatula or spoon to divide the fish into bite-sized pieces as the fish cooks. Place a lid on top of the pan and cook for 10 to 15 minutes, stirring half way through.
- While the fish is cooking, prepare the salsa by roughly chopping the tomatoes and onion into small pieces. Add them to a bowl with the minced garlic, lime juice, and red wine vinegar, stirring until well combined. Add salt and pepper to taste.
- When the fish is solid white and flaky, warm the tortillas in the oven or microwave.
- Divide the tilapia, onion and corn mixture evenly between them. Top with fresh cilantro. Serve immediately with salsa for topping.