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An overhead view of three fish tacos sitting on a green platter next to lime wedges and a bowl of pico de gallo.

Baja Fish Tacos

Course: Lunch / Dinner
Cuisine: CalMex, Mexican
Keyword: best BAja fish tacos, Fish Tacos, fried fish tacos recipe
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Chill time for Baja Sauce: 1 hour
Total Time: 35 minutes
Servings: 4 people
Calories: 610kcal
These Baja Fish Tacos are the bomb! This version uses fresh cod, quickly fried, for a nice yummy crunch. Serve with avocado, pico de gallo, cabbage, homemade tortillas, and hot sauce. Oh wow, these are good.
Print Recipe

Equipment

  • Deep fryer, of sturdy skillet/pot with 1 to 2 inches of vegetable oil

Ingredients

FOR THE BAJA SAUCE

  • ½ cup plain yogurt
  • ½ cup mayonnaise
  • ½ tsp cumin ground
  • ½ tsp dill dried
  • ½ tsp Cayenne pepper
  • 1 tbsp lime juice from 1 lime
  • ¼ tsp salt or to taste

FOR THE TACOS

  • vegetable oil for frying
  • 12 corn tortillas
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 tsp salt
  • ½ tsp garlic powder
  • ½ tsp Adobo all-purpose seasoning
  • ½ tsp dry mustard
  • 1 cup beer not dark
  • 1 lb cod fillet cut into bite-size pieces

GARNISHES

  • 2 cups cabbage shredded, red and green, or lettuce
  • 1 avocado sliced
  • Fresh pico de gallo
  • Lime wedges
  • hot sauce optional

Instructions

  • Mix together the ingredients for the Baja sauce and place in the fridge for at least 1 hour. 
  • Heat deep-fryer, or 1 to 2 inches of oil in a 10-inch heavy pot (2 to 3 inches deep). Bring temp to 365°F.
  • Meanwhile, use a pair of tongs to slightly char the tortillas over a glass flame. Then wrap them in foil and keep warm in the oven at 250°F. If you don't have a gas flame, just place in foil and warm them in the oven.
  • Stir together the flour with the salt, garlic powder, all-purpose seasoning, and dry mustard in a bowl. Stir in the beer until fully incorporated. The batter will be thick.
  • Gently stir fish into the batter to coat.
  • Fry fish in batches, turning once or twice, until nice and golden, about 5 minutes. Drain on a plate lined with paper towels.
  • Assemble tacos with the warm tortillas, smeared with the Baja sauce, a slice of avocado, fried fish, pico de gallo, cabbage, and a squeeze of fresh lime. Add hot sauce to liking.

Video

Notes

The Baja sauce can be made up to 2 days in advance and kept in an air-tight container in the fridge.
We use an amber beer, but you go with whatever is your favorite.  Blonde and lager beers work well.  We don't recommend going with a dark stout or flavored beer.  Non-alcoholic beer will work, too.
Corn tortillas are traditional for Baja fish tacos, and we like going with white corn.  But yellow corn is delicious, too.  And if you prefer flour tortillas, they'll be just fine, as well. 
Although we do recommend serving these soon after the fish has been fried, however, you can keep them warm on a baking rack over a baking sheet in a low temp oven (250°F) for an hour or so. 
 

Nutrition

Calories: 610kcal | Carbohydrates: 70g | Protein: 31g | Fat: 24g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Cholesterol: 65mg | Sodium: 1029mg | Potassium: 1013mg | Fiber: 10g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 295IU | Vitamin C: 20mg | Calcium: 143mg | Iron: 4mg