Slaw for Fish Tacos

This Fish Taco Slaw is a quick and easy way to add texture and flavor to your favorite fish tacos. Ready in 5 minutes with only 5 ingredients, you will have an extra fresh and light taco slaw that’s also delicious on burgers, sandwiches, or alone as a side dish!

Looking for more easy taco recipes? Try these Barbacoa Tacos or these Pork Carnitas Tacos!

Why You will love Fish Tacos with Slaw

• Make-Ahead Friendly: Prepare this slaw in advance to let the flavors come together, making it even more delicious and convenient for putting tacos together fast at mealtime!
• Multi-Use Leftovers: This slaw for tacos is so good the next day on salads for extra crunch, tostadas, or as a fresh garnish for salmon patties, maintaining its texture and flavor.
• Quick and Simple: It’s ready in 5 minutes with minimal ingredients, including a pre-made coleslaw mix for convenience.
• Versatile Use: Use it as a side dish, a topping for all kinds of tacos (blackened salmon tacos, shrimp cilantro lime tacos, oven roasted chicken tacos), burgers, sandwiches, and even bowls like buddha or burrito bowls.

If you’re looking for a new way to enjoy fish tacos, look no further! This is not your typical coleslaw recipe, this perfectly dressed taco slaw adds flavor, texture, and an incredible bite to fish tacos no matter how they are made. You can easily turn a good fish taco into the best fish tacos with this easy slaw recipe.

Easy fish tacos are one of my go-to recipes for busy weeknights. There is just something so refreshing about enjoying light, flaky, and perfectly seasoned fish topped with a cool, crunchy slaw. It can even be enjoyed as a side dish for BBQs.

Fish Taco Slaw Recipe ingredients

• Sour Cream: Adds a creamy texture and a tangy flavor that balances the heat of the jalapeños.
• Mayonnaise: Provides a rich, smooth base for the slaw dressing, enhancing its luxurious mouthfeel.
• Lime Juice: Infuses the slaw with bright, citrusy notes that elevate the freshness of the dish.
• Coleslaw Mix: A convenient blend of shredded cabbage and carrots, giving a nice crunchy texture and color to the slaw. You can also use broccoli slaw here!
• Jalapeños: Give the slaw a little bit of heat.
• Fresh Cilantro: For me, this is the best part! I love adding fresh herbs to just about anything, but especially to this taco slaw.

Ingredient Substitutions

• Greek Yogurt: Makes an ideal substitution for sour cream or mayonnaise if you’re looking to lighten up the dressing. You can also use it as a substitute for the entire base of the slaw dressing.
• Lemon Juice: For a slightly different but equally refreshing acidity.
• Peppers: Instead of jalapeños, try milder green chilies if you prefer less heat or red chilis for more heat.
• Fresh herbs: Use fresh parsley or mint for a different kind of freshness if cilantro isn’t preferred.

Cabbage substitute for Fish Taco Slaw

If cabbage isn’t your style or if you need a substitute in a pinch, I recommend shredding romaine lettuce leaves because it holds up well and is super crunchy. Grated broccoli stems also make a good substitute.

How to make Fish Taco Slaw

This easy slaw recipe comes together in just two quick steps!

1. In a medium mixing bowl, combine the sour cream, mayonnaise, lime juice, and a pinch of salt.
2. Add the shredded cabbage, jalapeño, and cilantro. Toss to combine, until cabbage is fully coated with sour cream mixture.

How do you shred cabbage for coleslaw?

I recommend grabbing a cutting board and sharp knife and chopping it into shreds. You can also shred cabbage with a grater or food processor, too!

Fish Tacos with Slaw recipe tips and tricks

Cabbage. Sometimes you just can’t get the cabbage you are looking for at your local grocery store, so feel free to use green cabbage, red cabbage, or purple cabbage.

Tortillas. Serve up your tacos with crunchy slaw on corn tortillas or flour tortillas. No matter which you choose, don’t forget to make sure you’re serving warm tortillas! Quickly charring them over an open flame on the stove is my favorite way to heat them up.

Garnish and toppings. Although the slaw is packed with flavor, you can garnish your tacos with ingredients like green onions, pickled onions, diced red onion, Big Bang Sauce, fresh cilantro, or avocado, or this Cilantro Lime Crema Recipe.

How to store leftover Fish Taco Slaw

I wouldn’t keep leftovers for more than a day. They will stay pretty crisp for about 24 hours, but after that they will begin to turn mushy.

Fish taco slaw is best while fresh, but if needed, you can make it the night before and store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

Coleslaw for Fish Tacos FAQs

More Taco Recipes

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