Change up weeknight meals with these amazing Salmon Tacos with cabbage slaw, chipotle lime sauce, and avocado!
The combination of tender juicy crispy salmon with refreshing crunchy cabbage coleslaw and creamy, tangy spicy sauce makes an amazing taco that checks all of the boxes for flavor and texture!
In order to make these fresh salmon fish tacos, we simply make my Go-To Crispy Salmon recipe and mix up some easy coleslaw and delicious creamy chipotle lime sauce.
From start-to-finish, this recipe requires only 30 minutes to 45 minutes to make. Not too shabby for Taco Tuesday!
Plus, each individual component (the crispy baked salmon, coleslaw, and sauce) are all easy to prepare.
If you’re a salmon lover like me, also be sure to try my Sheet Pan Salmon and Vegetables, Garlic Butter Baked Salmon, Crispy Sesame Salmon, and Creamy Tuscan Salmon.
Let’s discuss the fresh ingredients needed to make these amazing salmon tacos happen.
Ingredients for Salmon Tacos:
Salmon Ingredients: Fresh salmon, avocado oil (or olive oil), paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, salt and pepper. This combination of ingredients results in delicious flavor while keeping the salmon prep super easy.
I use fresh Atlantic salmon fillets, King salmon or sockeye wild salmon, but if you only have access to frozen salmon, it will work too. Just be sure to thaw it completely before baking it.
Coleslaw Ingredients: Green cabbage, red cabbage, carrot, plain Greek yogurt, lime juice, a garlic clove, and salt. This combination of ingredients yields a healthier creamy coleslaw that is nice and tangy and so crunchy. An amazing accomplice to salmon!
Chipotle Lime Sauce Ingredients: Plain Greek yogurt, fresh lime juice, chipotle chilis in adobo sauce, and salt. These simple ingredients bring a creamy, tangy, spicy sauce that is such a lovely complement to the best salmon tacos!
Adjust the spiciness of the sauce by scaling up or down the amount of chipotle chilis you use.
Taco Ingredients: Corn tortillas or flour tortillas (you can also use grain-free tortillas if you’d like), fresh ripe avocado, and fresh cilantro are our final supporting actors.
Use tiny corn tortillas to make an authentic street taco, and add in your favorite taco toppings.
Recipe Customizations:
- If you love chili powder, Cajun seasoning, taco seasonings, or a different spice rub, feel free to use it here.
- Other fish fillets such as cod or tilapia work marvelously in fish tacos as well.
- You can absolutely employ leftover salmon for these tacos, which will reduce the prep time by 15 minutes (or longer).
- If you prefer mayonnaise over Greek Yogurt for the slaw, feel free to swap it out.
- Replace the yogurt in the sauce with sour cream if you prefer and also add a small amount of pure maple syrup for some sweetness.
Optional Additions:
- Make your own favorite salsa to go in the tacos, such as Easy Salsa Verde, pico de gallo, a fruit salsa such as pineapple salsa or mango salsa, or use store-bought salsa.
- Add chopped red onion, green onion, hot sauce, or lime zest to the tacos.
- Whip up some avocado crema or avocado sauce in addition to the spicy chipotle sauce for a cooling, creamy sauce.
- Sprinkle the tacos with cotija cheese if you love it.
Now that we’ve covered the ingredients for this salmon taco recipe, let’s make them!
How to make Salmon Tacos:
Cook the Salmon:
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
Pat the salmon dry with a paper towel, then transfer it to a large baking dish.
Coat the salmon with avocado oil (or olive oil), then sprinkle with sea salt, paprika, garlic powder, and onion powder.
Bake for 10 minutes, then change the oven setting to the High Broil setting and Broil for 5 to 10 minutes, or until the salmon is nice and crispy.
The exact cook time depends on the thickness of the fish. Salmon is considered fully cooked when it has reached an internal temperature of 145 degrees Fahrenheit.
You can insert an instant-read thermometer into the thickest part of the salmon filets to get an accurate temperature reading.
Note: If you prefer cooking salmon in a skillet or frying pan, follow my Crispy Skillet Salmon. You can also use Cajun seasoning to make blackened salmon tacos.
Allow the salmon to rest for 5 minutes, then chop it into strips or chunks for the tacos.
While the salmon is baking, you can prepare the cabbage slaw and the chipotle lime sauce.
Make the Taco Slaw:
Add all of the ingredients for the fish taco slaw to a mixing bowl and stir well until everything is combined.
Taste the slaw for flavor and add more yogurt (or two tablespoons of mayo) for added creaminess if desired. Refrigerate until ready to use. The slaw is even better after it sits for a while, so if you’re able to prepare it in advance, I recommend doing so!
Make the Chipotle Lime Sauce:
Stir together the ingredients for the chipotle lime sauce in a small bowl until completely combined. Refrigerate until ready to use.
Prepare the Tacos:
Heat the corn tortillas according to your preferred method. I like to heat them on the stove top over an open flame to get some dark char marks for flavor.
Load up warm tortillas with cabbage slaw, cooked salmon, and avocado slices. Drizzle with the chipotle lime sauce and sprinkle with fresh chopped cilantro. Serve with lime wedges and enjoy!
Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
Meal Prep Options:
All of the components for these salmon tacos can be made in advance and stored in airtight containers until you’re ready to compile the tacos. Bake the salmon or make the slaw and sauce up to 4 days ahead of time.
Depending on how many meals you’re planning on covering, you can scale the recipe up or down.
If you’re a taco lover, also try my Shrimp Tacos with Chipotle Lime Sauce, Flank Steak Tacos, Crock Pot Al Pastor Tacos, Ground Turkey Tacos, Crock Pot Birria Tacos, and my Fish Tacos with Mango Salsa.
Enjoy these fresh and frisky fish tacos the next time you have taco night!
Salmon Tacos Recipe
Ingredients
Salmon:
- 1 pound 16 ounces fresh salmon
- 2 tsp avocado oil or olive oil
- ¾ tsp sea salt
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- ½ tsp onion powder
- ¼ tsp black pepper
Cabbage Coleslaw:
- 2 cups green cabbage thinly sliced
- 2 cups red cabbage thinly sliced
- 1 cup grated carrot
- ½ cup plain Greek yogurt
- 3 Tbsp fresh lime juice
- 1 tsp sea salt
Chipotle Lime Sauce:
- ½ cup plain Greek yogurt*
- 4 to 6 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce finely chopped
- 1 Tbsp fresh lime juice
- 2 tsp pure maple syrup optional
For the Tacos:
- 6 to 10 corn tortillas
- 1 to 2 large avocados sliced
- ½ cup fresh cilantro chopped
- Lime wedges for serving
Instructions
Cook the Salmon:
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Pat the salmon dry with a paper towel, then transfer it to a large baking dish.
- Coat the salmon with avocado oil (or olive oil), then sprinkle with sea salt, paprika, garlic powder, and onion powder. Bake for 10 minutes, then change the oven setting to the High Broil setting and Broil for 5 to 10 minutes, or until the salmon is nice and crispy.
- The exact cook time depends on the thickness of the fish. Salmon is considered fully cooked when it has reached an internal temperature of 145 degrees Fahrenheit. You can insert an instant-read thermometer into the thickest part of the salmon filets to get an accurate temperature reading.
- Allow the salmon to rest for 5 minutes, then chop it into strips or chunks for the tacos.
- While the salmon is baking, you can prepare the cabbage slaw and the chipotle lime sauce.
Make the Slaw:
- Add all of the ingredients for the fish taco slaw to a mixing bowl and stir well until everything is combined. Taste the slaw for flavor and add more yogurt (or two tablespoons of mayo) for added creaminess if desired. Refrigerate until ready to use. The slaw is even better after it sits for a while, so if you’re able to prepare it in advance, I recommend doing so!
Make the Chipotle Lime Sauce:
- Stir together the ingredients for the chipotle lime sauce in a small bowl until completely combined. Refrigerate until ready to use.
- You can adjust the spice level of the sauce up or down using your desired amount of chipotle peppers.
Prepare the Tacos:
- Heat the corn tortillas according to your preferred method. I like to heat them on the stove top over an open flame to get some dark char marks for flavor.
- Load up warm tortillas with cabbage slaw, cooked salmon, and avocado slices. Drizzle with the chipotle lime sauce and sprinkle with fresh chopped cilantro. Serve with lime wedges and enjoy!
