These Blackened Salmon Tacos are full of flavorful salmon, fresh pico de gallo, creamy chili lime sauce, and topped with crunchy shredded cabbage. They’re healthy, delicious, and can be ready in under 30 minutes.
The salmon can be cooked on a cast-iron skillet on the stovetop, or feel free to grill if you prefer. If you are looking for more easy taco recipes, you can also try our Birria Tacos, Crispy Ground Beef Tacos, or these tasty Chicken Tacos.
Blackened Salmon Tacos
This is one of my absolute favorite ways to cook fish tacos at home. These blackened salmon fish tacos are no-fuss, full of flavor, and they can be ready in no time.
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The seasoning mixture contains spices like smoked paprika, cayenne, and garlic powder making it a little smokey, a little spicy, and super flavorful. Combined with fresh pico de gallo, creamy chili lime sauce, crunchy shredded cabbage, and warm corn tortillas, these salmon tacos are total perfection.
I know the list of ingredients looks long but most, if not all, are things you likely already have in your pantry. Plus, most of the prep can be done ahead of time.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Healthy but delicious. It doesn’t get much healthier than salmon, but sometimes just eating a filet of fish can feel blah. This recipe keeps things healthy but makes them interesting by adding loads of seasoning and flavors along with different textures. It’s a great way to get kids or picky eaters to eat their fish!
- Make-ahead. Lots of the components for this recipe can be made ahead of time so that you could potentially turn this into a 5-10 minute meal.
- Quick to prepare. While there are a lot of ingredients listed here, the recipe itself is actually super quick to prepare. You can have it ready from start to finish in a little under 30 minutes, or even less if you make some of it ahead of time!
Key Ingredients You Will Need
- Salmon: I usually use individual fresh salmon filets, but you can easily use frozen salmon. Just be sure to thaw completely before using. The easiest way to do that is to transfer them to the fridge overnight.
- Seasoning: for the blackened salmon, I used smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, dried oregano, cayenne powder, and salt and pepper.
- Mayonnaise: for the chili lime sauce, you will need a little mayo to keep things light and airy.
- Fresh limes: you will need fresh limes for both the chili lime sauce and the pico de gallo.
- Chili powder: this adds a little spice to the sauce. Feel free to reduce or eliminate if you are more sensitive to heat.
- Hot sauce: add a little extra boost with your favorite hot sauce.
- Pico de gallo: my pico de gallo recipe has classic ingredients like diced tomatoes, onion, fresh cilantro, and lime juice.
- Corn tortillas: corn tortillas are my favorite for salmon tacos because I like the flavor of toasted corn. Plus, it keeps these gluten-free! You can, of course, substitute flour tortillas if you prefer.
- Toppings: a little shredded cheese and cabbage is a classic way to top these salmon tacos. The cabbage adds a little crunch! If you want to swap out the shredded cheese, cotija cheese is a perfect substitute.
How to Make the Best Salmon Tacos Recipe
- Season the salmon. Cut the salmon filets into ½” pieces, then combine the blackened seasoning ingredients in a small bowl and evenly coat the salmon.
- Cook the salmon. Heat a cast iron skillet over medium-high heat and cook the salmon for about 4-5 minutes total, turning so they are browned on all sides.
- Make the chili lime sauce. Stir together the mayo, lime juice, paprika, chili powder, cumin, hot sauce, salt, and pepper and set aside.
- Make the pico de gallo. Mix together the tomatoes, onion, garlic, cilantro, lime juice, and salt and set aside.
- Assemble the tacos. Heat the tortillas on a preheated griddle or skillet until both sides are golden, then add the blackened salmon, shredded cabbage, shredded cheese, and pico de gallo. Finish with a drizzle of chili lime sauce. Enjoy!
Recipe Tips
- Prep ahead of time! You can prep the chili lime sauce, pico de gallo, and the blackened seasoning ahead of time. That way, all you need to do is cook the salmon, heat up the tortillas, and assemble.
- Adjust the seasoning. The amounts of seasoning listed in this recipe are a baseline meant to satisfy the average cook. If you know you like things a little more or less spicy, for example, don’t hesitate to adjust. Same goes for salt, pepper, and any other ingredients you might want to add.
- Once you warm up the tortillas, be ready to eat! Part of what makes these tacos so delicious is the combination of warm salmon and tortillas with crunchy, cool pico de gallo and creamy sauce.
Storage Instructions
Make-ahead: you can mix up the blackened seasoning even up to a full month in advance. I like to make a big batch at the beginning of the summer so I really only need to do it once or twice all season long. You can also prepare the pico de gallo and chili lime sauce at least 2 days in advance and store them in airtight containers in the fridge.
Refrigerator: store leftover salmon, pico de gallo, and chili lime sauce in separate containers in the fridge for up to 3 days.
If you are a fish taco lover, this recipe is for you. It’s quick, easy, flavorful, and super healthy. The salmon can be cooked over the stovetop or grill, and you can prep most of the recipe ahead of time. Easy peasy!
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Blackened Salmon Tacos with Chili Lime Sauce
Ingredients
Blackened Salmon
- 16 ounces salmon, (4) 4-ounce filets
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1 tablespoon avocado oil
Chili Lime Sauce
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise
- 2 teaspoons lime juice
- 1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/4 teaspoon chili powder
- 1/4 teaspoon cumin
- 1/8 teaspoon hot sauce
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/8 teaspoon black pepper
Pico De Gallo
- 1 cup tomatoes, diced
- 1/4 cup white onion, diced
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 3 tablespoons cilantro, chopped
- 1 tablespoon lime juice
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
Taco Ingredients
- 12 small corn tortillas
- 2 cups shredded cabbage
- 1 cup shredded taco blend cheese
Instructions
Blackened Salmon
- Prepare the salmon by removing any bones or skin. Cut the salmon fillet into 1/2" chunks and add to a bowl.
- In a small bowl, mix together the smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, dried oregano, cayenne pepper, salt, and pepper. Sprinkle the blackened seasoning over the salmon chunks and mix until the salmon is coated evenly.
- Heat a cast-iron or nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the avocado oil to the pan, then add the salmon in a single layer—don't overcrowd the skillet. Let the salmon cook for about 2 minutes before turning. Continue to cook until the salmon is brown on both sides, then remove from the pan. Place in a bowl and cover with aluminum foil while you are cooking the remaining salmon.
Chili Lime Sauce
- In a small bowl, stir together the mayonnaise, lime juice, smoked paprika, chili powder, cumin, hot sauce, and salt and pepper. Stir until combined, then set aside.
Pico de Gallo
- In a small bowl, add the diced tomatoes, diced onion, minced garlic, cilantro, lime juice, and salt. Mix well, adding additional lime juice or salt to taste as needed. Set aside.
Assembling the Tacos
- Preheat a griddle or cast iron skillet over medium heat. Add a thin layer of avocado oil. Heat the corn tortillas on both sides until they are just a little golden.
- Add the blacked salmon, shredded cabbage, shredded cheese, pico de Gallo and drizzle with chili lime sauce. Enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
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Categories:
30-Minute Meals, 4th of July, Easy Weeknight Meals, Gluten-Free, Healthy, Main Dish, Meal Prep, Nut-Free, Seafood, Spring Recipes, Summer Recipes,
