Spicy Fish Tacos with Broccoli Slaw

Buttery, spicy fish combined with tangy, acidic broccoli slaw all wrapped up in a homemade corn tortilla – these Spicy Fish Tacos with Broccoli Slaw will be your new go-to taco!

This post was originally published in March 2018. I updated the photos and included more clear recipe instructions!

Happy Taco Tuesday, friends! Today I’m re-sharing an oldie but a goodie: Spicy Fish Tacos with Broccoli Slaw!

Can I just go ahead and acknowledge that I tend to always start a recipe with “I used to not like this ingredient but now…”. Yes, my taste buds have changed dramatically over the years! I used to HATE fish until I met my husband. Let’s just say in pre=school I had a few scarring experiences with frozen fish sticks. *shudders*.

Thankfully, a couple of years ago, Ben introduced me to this delicious wild caught salmon that he baked in the oven with butter, herbs and of course fresh lemon. It was melt in your mouth delicious and my world was forever changed.

Why You’ll Love These Tacos: 

Where to begin?! I love the tilapia so much in these tacos. It doesn’t have an overwhelming “fishy” flavor. With the spices added, it is buttery, melt in your mouth and spicy!

Good news? You can make it as spicy or mild as you’d like. 

However, the real star of the show here is the broccoli slaw. This is how it was invented. Ben and I were making fish tacos one night. We needed a crunchy slaw element but had no cabbage! We had an insane amount of broccoli, though. So I thought…hmm. Maybe this could work. 

So, I cut the stems off of the broccoli, threw the heads into the food processor with some spices and mayo to bind it all together and WOW. We were blown away. It’s so tangy, crunchy, light and flavorful. It’s the perfect texture to add to these tacos. 

Together, the fish is spicy and the broccoli slaw is refreshing and so crunchy. 

Not to mention broccoli is a nutritional powerhouse! I’m not sure if i’ll ever go back to normal slaw again! So let’s get into how to make these.

Ingredients You Need: 

• Tilapia (or your choice of white fish)
• Broccoli
• Mayonnaise
• Onion
• Butter
• Spices (cayenne, garlic powder, salt and pepper)
• Lime
• Taco garnishes 

Best Taco Making Tips:

Begin by washing the broccoli as well as chopping off most of the stem. Break the broccoli into small florets and add to a food processor. 

I kept some of the stem on the broccoli! It will all chop up and you won’t even notice it.

To the food processor, add the chopped, some mayo, spices and lime juice.

Pulse together 3-4 times until it’s all fully combined and has the consistency of broccoli rice. Taste and adjust for seasoning. Make it more bright with extra lime or if you like it extra creamy, add some more mayo.

If you want to make homemade corn tortillas, now’s the time to do it! You can find my easy, 3 ingredient recipe HERE. If not, feel free to use store-bought.

Season your two tilapia filets with salt, pepper, cayenne and garlic powder and chili powder.

Add a little bit of butter to a skillet on medium heat. Once the butter has melted and the skillet is hot, add your fish. Cook on each side for about 2-3 minutes – it doesn’t take long! Once it’s all done, I used my spatula to break apart the filet into bite size pieces. 

Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary – this is where you can make is SUPER spicy if that’s your jam.

Time for taco assembly! Warm or char your tortillas and then generously add the spicy fish and top it with as much broccoli slaw as your heart desires! Add extra lime juice and more cayenne pepper as a garnish as well as cotija cheese if you like it tangy! 

Oh and for extra spice, a little dab of hot sauce on each taco is a MUST. 

Enjoy these, my friends! Happy taco-eating!

Did you like this recipe? Here are some more taco recipes you might enjoy: 

Shrimp and Street Corn Tacos

Ground Chicken Tacos with Chipotle Crema 

Chorizo Tacos with Cilantro Lime Crema