Salmon Tacos

At a glance

What stands out: These zesty salmon tacos with creamy avocado slaw are a straightforward meal packed with flavor. The from-scratch avocado slaw shines in this straightforward taco dinner.

How long it takes: about a half hour to prep (allow an extra hour to chill the slaw)
Equipment you’ll need: oven-safe skillet, large bowl
Servings: 4 (makes at least 8 tacos)

Juicy Salmon Tacos With Avocado Slaw

We already know that you don’t have to leave the house to enjoy rich fish tacos! These restaurant-worthy salmon tacos with creamy avocado slaw are straightforward to prepare, and so flavorful. Dig into chipotle-spiced salmon wrapped up in warm corn tortillas and topped with creamy avocado coleslaw, plus more of your favorite garnishes.

What goes in

• Avocado – Look for a ripe avocado. It should be dark in color and feel slightly soft when you press the outside with your finger. You can use one-half of a large avocado or one small avocado.
• Jalapeño Pepper – These narrow bright green peppers can vary quite a bit in heat. Removing the seeds and membranes will eliminate some of the spiciness.
• Cilantro – Use fresh cilantro for the dressing. Wash it thoroughly. Small stems are fine. Save a bit for garnishing too.
• Lime – Zest the lime before you squeeze it for the juice. You’ll need 2 limes. The juice thins the dressing and adds great flavor.
• Cabbage/Coleslaw Mix – Shred the cabbage yourself, or keep it straightforward with a bag of pre-made coleslaw mix.
• Red Onion – Other types of onion will work too, especially scallions (green onions).
• Salmon – Skin-on salmon is fine. The skin detaches easily once the salmon is cooked.
• Seasoning Blend – we season this salmon with chili powder, chipotle chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, and salt. If you have a jar of our salmon seasoning in your pantry, substitute that if you prefer.
• Tortillas – Corn tortillas are a good choice for tacos because they taste great and they are made with only corn so they are gluten-free. Flour tortillas are fine if you prefer those.
• Cotija Cheese (or Queso Fresco) – Either of these two Mexican cheeses make a great topping. You could easily skip the cheese if you wanted to make these tacos non-dairy or choose a different type of cheese if you prefer.
• Optional Toppings – Like any taco, toppings are totally up to you. For these salmon tacos, we lean toward colorful tomatoes and pickled red onions. A few sprigs of cilantro are nice too.

How it comes together

Ready to make evenly juicy salmon tacos bursting with bold, chipotle flavor and creamy slaw? Good! Here’s how to do it:

Prepare the avocado dressing. Add the avocado, lime zest, lime juice, salt, jalapeño, and cilantro to the bowl of a food processor (or blender), along with a tablespoon of water. Process until the dressing is smooth and creamy. If it seems too thick, add a bit more water or lime juice. Taste it and add more salt, if needed.

Make the coleslaw. Add the coleslaw mix and sliced red onion to a large bowl. Add the dressing and stir well to coat the cabbage. Cover the bowl and refrigerate.

Prepare the salmon. Remove the salmon from the fridge. In a small bowl, combine the seasonings: chili powder, chipotle chili powder, ground cumin, garlic powder, and salt. Sprinkle the seasoning on the flesh side of the salmon; rub it in with your fingertips.

Sear the salmon in a skillet. You’ll need an oven-safe skillet. When the pan is hot, add the salmon to the pan, flesh side down in a bit of olive oil. Sear the salmon without flipping for 3 to 4 minutes, or until browned. Flip it over; it should release from the pan fairly easily.

Bake. Pop the skillet with the salmon into the preheated oven and bake at 400ºF for 8 to 10 minutes, depending on the thickness of the fillets. Remove the pan from the oven.

Warm the tortillas. While the salmon is baking, warm the corn tortillas using your preferred method. We like to char them a bit over our gas burners on the stove.

Assemble and serve. Serve the salmon taco filling wrapped in corn tortillas and topped with avocado coleslaw. If you like, add a few more of your favorite taco toppings. We like a squeeze of lime, chopped tomatoes, and pickled red onions.

Taco Holders

If you’ve ordered tacos at a restaurant, you’re probably familiar with the nifty little holders that hold the tacos upright. These are inexpensive, dishwasher safe, and stackable.

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Tips for Success

Make the coleslaw ahead. Since coleslaw tastes best if it has a chance to marinate for an hour or so, make that first. Refrigerate the slaw for a few hours, no problem.

Take the chill off the salmon. Take the salmon fillets out of the fridge about 10 minutes ahead of when you’re ready to cook it. This way it has a chance to warm up a bit and it will cook more evenly.

Check for doneness. Salmon is done cooking when the internal temperature reaches 145°F or pretty close to it. If you test it with a fork, the meat should flake easily.

Ways to change it

• Alternative toppings. Love the idea of the salmon but aren’t too crazy about avocados? Substitute taco slaw, citrus salsa, vinegar coleslaw, or traditional taco toppings such as salsa, sour cream, shredded cheese, tomatoes, or lettuce.
• Use a different cooking method. If you don’t want to turn your oven on, you can substitute air fryer salmon. Salmon bites or air fryer salmon bites are great alternatives, too.
• Substitute another type of fish or shrimp. Substitute any firm-fleshed fish for the salmon in this recipe, like air fryer cod or air fryer tilapia. Shrimp works great too, and doesn’t require baking time, just a couple of minutes in a hot skillet. Try straightforward shrimp tacos.
• Omit the tortillas. This salmon recipe isn’t just for tacos. If you aren’t in the mood for tacos, just make the salmon as directed and serve it with the avocado coleslaw, or with any side you like.

Ways to serve it

These salmon tacos taste rich piled high with tangy, creamy avocado coleslaw, or you can top them with spicy chipotle salsa or mango avocado salsa. Serve your fish tacos with Mexican rice, refried beans, or from-scratch baked tortilla chips with Mexican corn dip. This Mexican street corn pasta salad is another straightforward side dish that goes well with salmon tacos. For festive occasions, serve your tacos with strawberry margarita punch or spicy Palomas.

Make Ahead Tip

We always make the coleslaw ahead, as it tastes even better after it’s had the chance to marinate a bit in the refrigerator. The avocado dressing will keep for a couple of days when refrigerated in an airtight container, and it’s good on salads, too. The lime juice in the dressing prevents the avocado from discoloring.

Storing & Reheating Leftovers

Refrigerate: If you have leftover salmon or slaw, store them in separate containers in the fridge. They’ll keep for up to 2 days.

Reheat: Reheat the salmon gently in the microwave until warmed up. It’s actually pretty good served cold, too.

Free Meal Plan

Interested in a weekly meal plan that includes this recipe? Take a look at our Meal Plan #27 and Meal Plan #75. You’ll find a wholesome recipe for each weekday plus a categorized grocery list. Let us do the planning for you this week! We add a new meal plan weekly.

Browse Meal Plans

Instant Pot Carnitas – straightforward!

• Yield: 4 servings
• Prep: 15 minutes
• Cook: 20 minutes
• Total: 1 hour 33 minutes

Ingredients

For the slaw:

• ½ large avocado, peeled and pitted
• ½ jalapeño pepper, seeds and ribs removed (or to taste)
• ¼ cup tightly packed cilantro, additional for garnish
• ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
• ½ teaspoon lime zest (from ½ lime)
• ¼ cup freshly squeezed lime juice (from 2 limes)
• 1 tablespoon water
• 3 cups shredded cabbage or coleslaw mix
• ½ cup thinly sliced red onion, cut into thin quarter moons

For the salmon:

• 1 pound salmon fillets
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• ¾ teaspoon kosher salt
• ½ teaspoon chipotle chili powder
• ½ teaspoon ground cumin
• ½ teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 tablespoon olive oil

For the tacos:

• 8 corn tortillas (or flour tortillas)
• ½ cup cotija cheese, crumbled (or queso fresco)
• Optional toppings: squeeze of lime, chopped tomatoes, pickled red onions

Method

1. In a small blender or food processor, blend together avocado, jalapeno, cilantro, salt, lime zest, lime juice, and water. Dressing should be smooth and creamy.
2. Pour dressing over cabbage and onion; stir to combine. Cover bowl and refrigerate. Slaw is best refrigerated for at least an hour but will be fine sooner too.
3. Remove salmon from fridge about 10 minutes before cooking. Preheat oven to 400°F.
4. Meanwhile, prepare rub. Combine chili powder, salt, chipotle chile powder, cumin, and garlic powder.
5. Rinse salmon with cold water if desired and pat dry with paper towel. Sprinkle seasoning on flesh side of salmon; lightly rub seasoning in.
6. Heat oil in a large oven-safe skillet over medium-high heat. Cook fish flesh side down (skin side up) for 3 to 4 minutes or until browned. Remove from heat and flip fillets over. Salmon should release fairly easily from pan if it's browned.
7. Place skillet with salmon in preheated oven and bake for 8 to 10 minutes (until internal temperature reaches 145°F or desired temperature).
8. Let salmon rest for 2 to 3 minutes before flaking the meat into bite-sized pieces and placing in warmed tortillas with slaw, cheese, and other toppings.

Notes

Nutrition information is calculated for corn tortillas and does not include optional toppings.

Make ahead: Avocado dressing can be made ahead. Refrigerate in a tightly covered container for up to two days. The slaw can be made a couple of hours in advance.

Salmon alternatives: If preferred, a different type of fish can be substituted for the salmon. Shrimp is fine, too, and doesn’t require baking time, just a couple of minutes in a hot skillet.