A simple, well balanced meal that’s packed with flavor. These tasty tacos are filled with pan seared tilapia, crispy sweet potato matchsticks, and a crunchy coleslaw with a passion fruit salad dressing. Ready in under an hour and meal prep friendly. This tilapia fish taco recipe is a delicious meal for any night of the week.
Whether it’s Tuesday or not, this easy taco recipe is worth adding to your dinner menu.
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Tilapia tacos with slaw
They’re soft, crunchy, satisfying and sweet. All wrapped up into one handheld stuffed taco. That cooks in under an hour (or less if you want to wash an extra pan) on the stovetop.
Ingredients
There are three components to making this dish: the fish, sweet potato fries & coleslaw. They can be prepared separately, in advance or all together to make the full taco recipe.
Here’s a list of everything you’ll need.
Pan seared tilapia & potato matchsticks:
- spices – including cumin, kosher salt, paprika, granulated garlic coarse black pepper
- sweet potato – large, with peel left on (scrub well with a brush)
- avocado oil – divided; used to both season the cut potatoes and coat the cast iron pan (to cook the potatoes and fish)
- tilapia – this can be fresh or frozen (thaw beforehand in the refrigerator)
Passion fruit salad dressing & slaw
- mayonnaise – using Primal Kitchen’s avocado oil mayo or your preference
- passion fruit pulp – made from 100% passion fruit, minus the crunchy seeds. It’s available in the freezer section of most supermarkets all year round from Goya or La Fe Foods (~$3.50). I’ve used it before in my 3 Ingredient Passion Fruit Popsicles. Leave it in the refrigerator to thaw before using for this recipe. You won’t need much of it here. Transfer the leftover juice to a container, refrigerate or refreeze as desired.
- rice vinegar – the ingredients on the bottle should only be vinegar that’s diluted with water (4.2% acidity). Unlike seasoned rice vinegar, which has added sugar.
- shelled hemp seeds
- honey – used regular honey but a hot honey would also be tasty here
- small head of green cabbage. You’ll likely only need half of it. The leftovers can be used to make these cabbage patties. Purple cabbage can be used as well.
- parsley – both the leaves and stem, chopped
- red onion – thinly slice into half moons
For serving
- soft tortillas – 6 inches, I used these flour ones. Any kind will work.
- lime – cut into wedges
How to Make Tilapia Fish Tacos
Prep work
Start by preheating a cast iron pan (10 inch) over a medium heat for about 10 minutes.
While its heating, mix all the spices together in a small bowl.
Cut the sweet potato into matchsticks (=2 heaping cups/217 grams).
Season
Transfer the potatoes to a bowl. Toss with 2 teaspoons oil and half the spice mixture (1½ teaspoons).
Sprinkle the remaining spices over both sides of the fish. Refrigerate on a plate or small sheet pan until needed.
Sweet potato matchsticks (baked fries)
Coat the bottom of the hot pan with the 1 teaspoon oil. Add potatoes and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft and browned (~40 minutes). Remove from pan and set aside.
Coleslaw with passion fruit salad dressing
Meanwhile, in a large bowl, prepare the slaw. Whisk together the mayonnaise, juice, vinegar, hemp seeds and honey.
Cut the cabbage into 2-3 wedges (makes it easier to slice) and remove center core. Slice into thin strips (=4 cups/340 grams).
Add to the bowl of dressing, along with the parsley and onion. Toss until coated.
(Note: This recipe makes enough slaw to serve some on the side as well.)
Pan seared tilapia
Add the rest of the oil to coat the bottom of the pan. Cook the tilapia for 5-7 minutes per side. A fish spatula helps easily flip it. But, don’t worry if the fish pieces break while cooking. We’ll be flaking it to serve anyways.
Here the fish is cooked in the same pan that was used for the potatoes. If you’re short on time, this can be done in another pan while the potatoes are also cooking.
Taco assembly time
When you’re ready to assemble, give the slaw salad a good mix and flake fish with a fork.
Layer each tortilla with some of the slaw. Using a slotted spoon helps minimize excess liquid, drips & soggy taco shells. Next add flaked pieces of fish and the sweet potato matchsticks.
Serve with lime wedges, and garnish with Pickled Jalapeños and extra parsley.
Use any leftover ingredients to create additional tacos or serve as a side dish.
FAQs & Helpful Tips
Yes, the sweet potatoes and slaw can be prepared 1-2 days in advance. The fish can be prepared up to a day in advance. Keep all the components separate and wait to assemble the taco until you’re ready to eat.
flounder, sole, halibut, turbot
Tilapia Tacos with Slaw
Soft tacos stuffed with pan seared tilapia, crispy sweet potato matchsticks, and a crunchy coleslaw with a passion fruit salad dressing.
Ingredients
- ¼ teaspoon cumin
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon granulated garlic
- ½ teaspoon coarse black pepper
- 1 large (220 grams) sweet potato
- 1½ tablespoon (21 grams) avocado oil, divided
- 2 pieces tilapia (12.4 ounces/350 grams)
Passion Fruit Salad Dressing & Slaw
- ¼ cup (60 grams) mayonnaise
- 2 tablespoons (33 grams) thawed passion fruit pulp
- ½ tablespoon (10 grams) rice vinegar
- 1 tablespoon (10 grams) hemp seeds
- 1 teaspoon (8 grams) honey
- ½ small head (380 grams) cabbage
- ¼ cup (9 grams) chopped parsley
- ¼ cup (31 grams) sliced red onion (⅛ whole)
For serving
- 6 tortillas (6 inch)
- 1 lime, cut into wedges
Instructions
- Preheat a cast iron pan (10 inch) over medium heat for 10 minutes.
- While the pan is heating: mix the spices together in a small bowl and cut the sweet potato into matchsticks (= 2 heaping cups/217 grams). Transfer the potatoes to another bowl. Toss with 2 teaspoons oil and 1½ teaspoon (half) the spice mixture. Sprinkle the remaining spices over both sides of the fish. Refrigerate on a plate or small sheet pan until needed.
- Coat the bottom of the hot pan with the 1 teaspoon oil. Add potatoes and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft and browned (~40 minutes). Remove from pan and set aside.
- Meanwhile, in a large bowl, prepare the slaw. Whisk together the mayonnaise, juice, vinegar, hemp seeds and honey. Cut the cabbage into 2-3 wedges (to make it easier to slice) and remove center core. Slice into thin strips (=4 cups/340 grams). Add to the bowl of dressing, along with the parsley and onion. Toss until coated.
- Add remaining ½ tablespoon oil to the pan. Cook fish 5-7 minutes on each side.
- To Serve: Layer each tortilla with some slaw (use a slotted spoon to avoid excess liquid), sweet potato and pieces of flaked fish. Garnish with lime wedges. Use any leftovers to create additional tacos or serve as a side dish.
Notes
- This recipe makes enough slaw to serve some on the side as well
- This dish can be prepared ahead of time. Keep all the components separate and wait to assemble the taco until you're ready to eat.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 6 Serving Size: 1 tacoAmount Per Serving: Calories: 409Total Fat: 17gSaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 13gCholesterol: 37mgSodium: 405mgCarbohydrates: 43gFiber: 5gSugar: 6gProtein: 22g
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This post was originally published in 2017 and has been revamped and republished in November 2022 .
