These simple salmon tacos come together in minutes! Make the cabbage slaw, season and cook the salmon, then stuff them into warm corn tortillas along with your favorite taco toppings for a dinner that’s easy enough for even the busiest weeknights.
This recipe yields four servings, but feel free to double the amount of salmon and seasonings to feed a larger crowd. Since the slaw recipe yields a generous amount, you can eyeball whether or not you need to make more. And for more taco recipes, try my steak tacos, ground beef tacos, and birria tacos.
Ingredients
Taco Slaw — for the fresh, crunchy taco slaw, you need shredded cabbage, lime juice, salt, and chopped cilantro.
Seasonings — cumin, chili powder, garlic powder, salt, and ground black pepper impart plenty of flavor to the salmon fillets for the best salmon tacos.
Oil — olive oil helps the spices cling to the salmon and brown the fish nicely in the pan
Salmon — if you use frozen salmon, thaw it completely and pat it dry with paper towels before seasoning.
Tortillas — I like using small corn tortillas, warmed up, to make salmon tacos.
How To Make Salmon Tacos
1. Make the taco slaw by adding the cabbage, lime juice, salt, and cilantro to a medium bowl. Stir and set aside, stirring again every now and then while you prepare the fish.
2. In a small bowl, combine the salmon seasoning: cumin, chili powder, garlic powder, salt, and ground black pepper.
3. Brush 1 tablespoon of oil all over the salmon fillets.
4. Sprinkle the spice mixture evenly all over the filets. If the salmon still has the skin on, you don’t need to season the skin side since you’ll discard the skin later.
5. Heat the remaining oil in a large non-stick skillet over medium heat. Cook the salmon for about 4 minutes or until golden brown. Flip and cook for another 4 minutes or until browned and the internal temperature reaches 145°F in the thicket portion of each filet. If the filets are thick and haven’t reached temperature after 4 minutes, you can cover the skillet and continue to cook the filets for 2 to 5 more minutes.
6. Remove the salmon from the heat and flake the filets with a fork, discarding any skin. Assemble tacos in the soft taco shells with flaked salmon, slaw, and additional toppings of your choice (ideas just below). Serve with lime wedges on the side.
What To Serve With Salmon Tacos
Here are some topping ideas to load onto your tacos:
- Cheese like crumbled queso fresco or shredded cheddar cheese
- Sour cream
- Diced red onion or pickled onions
- Diced avocado or guacamole
- Diced mango or pineapple, or try my mango salsa or pineapple salsa!
- Pico de gallo
- Sauce like Mexican crema or chipotle mayo
- Thinly sliced radish
- Finely chopped cilantro
- A squeeze of fresh lime juice
While salmon tacos are a satisfying meal on their own, feel free to add a side like elote, creamy coleslaw, queso dip, or corn salad.
Can I Make This With A Different Type Of Fish?
Yes, you can. A thick, flaky fish like halibut or sea bass would be delicious. Or try my fish tacos or shrimp tacos if you want a different seafood taco!
Pro Tips For Making This Recipe
- Make a creamy slaw. Add sour cream, mayonnaise, or chipotle mayonnaise to the slaw if you prefer it creamier. I typically add 2 to 3 tablespoons, but you can add as much or as little as you like.
- Use purple cabbage. Shredded purple cabbage would be great used in the slaw on its own or mixed with green cabbage. The color contrasts beautifully with the orange salmon.
- If you buy a head of cabbage to make the slaw, I recommend doubling the slaw recipe and serving more cabbage on the side! This will use up most of the cabbage head and make a delicious, crunchy addition to the meal.
- Use taco seasoning. Feel free to swap the salmon seasonings for store-bought or homemade taco seasoning in this salmon taco recipe.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, you can grill the fillets over medium heat until the salmon flakes in the center. Salmon can easily fall apart on the grill, so I recommend oiling the grill grates first and cooking salmon fillets with the skin on so they hold together better.
I love warm corn tortillas, but you can use flour tortillas if you prefer. Choose a size that’s roughly 6 inches in diameter.
Leftover salmon will keep in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Use leftovers to assemble more tacos, use it as the protein in taco salad instead of ground beef, or simply serve it over rice and Instant Pot black beans with additional toppings!
If you love this recipe try these out!
If you’ve tried this salmon taco recipe, then don’t forget to rate it and let me know how you got on in the comments below. I love hearing from you!
Salmon Tacos Recipe
Equipment
- Large skillet
Ingredients
For the Taco Slaw:
- 4 cups shredded cabbage (200g)
- ¼ cup lime juice (60ml)
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ¼ cup chopped cilantro
For the Tacos:
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 4 (6-ounce/170g) salmon filets
- Small corn tortillas warmed
Optional Toppings:
- Sliced avocado
- Diced mango or pineapple
- Diced red onion
- Lime wedges for serving
Instructions
For the Taco Slaw:
- In a medium bowl, stir together the cabbage, lime juice, salt, and cilantro. Set aside while you make the tacos, stirring occasionally.
For the Tacos:
- In a small bowl, combine the cumin, chili powder, garlic powder, salt, and ground black pepper.
- Brush 1 tablespoon of oil all over the salmon. Sprinkle the spice mixture evenly all over the filets. (If your filets still have skin, you don’t need to season the skin side.)
- Heat the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil in a large, nonstick skillet over medium heat. Cook the salmon for about 4 minutes, or until golden brown. Flip the salmon and cook for another 4 minutes, or until browned and the internal temperature reaches 145°F in the thicket portion of each filet. (If the filets are thick and haven’t reached temperature after 4 minutes, you can cover the skillet and continue to cook the filets for 2 to 5 more minutes.)
- Remove the salmon from the heat and flake the filets with a fork, discarding any skin. Assemble tacos with flaked salmon, slaw, and additional toppings of your choice. Serve with lime wedges on the side.
Notes
- Make a creamy slaw. Add sour cream, mayonnaise, or chipotle mayonnaise to the slaw if you prefer it creamier. I typically add 2 to 3 tablespoons, but you can add as much or as little as you like.
- Use purple cabbage. Shredded purple cabbage would be great used in the slaw on its own or mixed with green cabbage. The color contrasts beautifully with the orange salmon.
- If you buy a head of cabbage to make the slaw, I recommend doubling the slaw recipe and serving more cabbage on the side! This will use up most of the cabbage head and make a delicious, crunchy addition to the meal.
- Use taco seasoning. Feel free to swap the salmon seasonings for store-bought or homemade taco seasoning in this salmon taco recipe.
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