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Crispy beer-battered cod tucked into corn tortillas and topped with slaw and a smoky chipotle sauce, Baja fish tacos are the perfect summer meal.
Photo by Alexandra Grablewski (Chronicle Books, 2018)
Many years ago, Michael and I rented a convertible and drove up the California coast. One of our favorite stops was La Jolla, where we strolled around town and stumbled upon a Mexican restaurant with great food and breathtaking views of the Pacific Ocean. I don’t know if it was the scenery, the margaritas, or the fact that we were on vacation, but the Baja fish tacos were out of this world.
To recreate them at home, I came up with this version, made with crispy beer-battered cod tucked into corn tortillas with a cabbage slaw and smoky chipotle sauce. I’m happy to say they come pretty darn close.
“I have made these so many times—now my friends a family are all making them as well. The chipotle sauce is the star!”
What You’ll Need To Make Baja Fish Tacos
Most of the ingredients are pretty straightforward, except maybe the canned chipotle peppers in adobo sauce. If you’ve never had them, get ready to add a new staple to your pantry! They’re small peppers (usually red jalapeños) that have been dried and smoked, and they come in a spicy tomato sauce that has a smoky flavor.
How To Make Baja Fish Tacos
Make the slaw: Begin by making the slaw, which is a combination of shredded red cabbage, chopped red onions, cilantro, apple cider vinegar, oil and salt.
Make the sauce: Next, make the chipotle sauce by combining the chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, mayonnaise, lime juice and garlic in a mini food processor or blender. I use three peppers for a spicy sauce; of course, use less if you prefer a milder sauce.
Batter and fry the fish: Whisk together the flour, salt, and pepper, then add the beer to make the batter. Cut the fish into strips and dip them into the batter. Pan-fry in a shallow layer of oil, flipping halfway through, until golden and crispy. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate to drain.
Warm up the corn tortillas (I do it in the microwave), then assemble the tacos with a generous amount of chipotle sauce, a heap of cabbage slaw, and a piece of crispy cod.
Can I Make Baja Fish Tacos Without Frying the Fish?
You can grill or pan-sear the fish instead, but I really recommend sticking with the beer batter and frying. The crispy coating is what makes these Baja fish tacos so special, and it’s the perfect contrast to the fresh toppings. If you’d prefer a lighter, unfried version, I have a delicious fish taco recipe in my second cookbook.
Baja Fish Tacos
Ingredients
For the Cabbage Slaw
- 5 cups (or one 10-oz/283-g bag) shredded red cabbage
- 3 tablespoons minced red onion
- ½ cup fresh chopped cilantro
- 3 tablespoons cider vinegar
- 1½ teaspoons vegetable oil
- ½ teaspoon salt
For the Chipotle Sauce
- ¾ cup mayonnaise, best quality such as Hellmann’s
- 2 tablespoons lime juice, from one lime
- 2 to 3 chipotle chiles in adobo sauce, canned, roughly chopped, plus 1 to 2 teaspoons sauce (see note below)
- 1 large clove garlic, roughly chopped
For the Beer Batter
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 cup beer
For the Fish and Tortillas
- 1½ lb skinless cod, cut into 1-in (2.5-cm) wide x 4-in (10-cm) long strips
- Vegetable oil, for frying
- 12 (6-in/15-cm) soft corn tortillas, warmed
- Lime wedges, for serving
Instructions
- Make the cabbage slaw: Toss the cabbage, red onion, cilantro, vinegar, oil, and salt together in a medium bowl and set aside.
- Make the chipotle sauce: Combine the mayonnaise, lime juice, chipotle chiles with sauce, and garlic in a blender or mini food processor and blend until smooth. Set aside.
- Make the batter: Mix the flour, salt, and pepper together in a medium bowl. Gradually add the beer, whisking until the batter is smooth with no lumps. Set aside.
- In a medium skillet, over medium heat, add enough oil to reach a depth of ½-in (13-mm). Heat the oil until a deep-fry thermometer registers 350°F (175°C), or until the end of a wooden spoon sizzles when dipped into the oil.
- Working in batches so as not to crowd the pan, dip the fish strips in the beer batter, coat on both sides, and let the excess batter drip off.
- Fry the fish in the hot oil until golden brown and cooked through, about 2 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate lined with paper towels to drain.
- Smear each tortilla with a generous amount of the chipotle sauce, then top with the cabbage slaw. Lay one piece of fish inside each tortilla and serve with lime wedges.
Notes
- 3 chipotle peppers and 2 teaspoons sauce will give you a spicy sauce. Use less for a milder sauce. You can freeze any leftover chipotle peppers from the can.
- Nutritional information was calculated assuming that approximately 3 tablespoons of oil are absorbed into the fish when fried; it does not include the chipotle sauce.
Pair with
Nutrition Information
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
See more recipes:
What To Serve with Fish Tacos
These tacos practically beg for margaritas, chips, salsa, guacamole, and plenty of lime wedges. If you’re having friends over and want to make a meal of it, start with jalapeño poppers and finish with churro cupcakes.
Make-Ahead & Storage Tips
Make-Ahead: The cabbage slaw and chipotle sauce can both be made up to a day in advance and refrigerated separately in airtight containers. Give the slaw a good toss before serving, as it may release some liquid as it sits. The fish is best battered and fried just before serving so it stays nice and crispy.
Storage: Leftover slaw will keep in the refrigerator for up to 2 days, though it will soften over time. The chipotle sauce will keep for up to 4 days in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
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Do you think shrimp prepared the same way as your grilled shrimp recipe would be good here with the slaw and sauce? Also, can’t wait for the new cookbook at the end of this year. We will be supporting!
Sure – I think it would work nicely. Please LMK how it turns out if you try it! And thanks in advance for your support of the cookbook. 💗
These tacos are amazing. My kids and husband love them. The adobo sauce is clutch, and if you have leftovers, you can use the sauce and cole slaw for breakfast the following morning with scrambled eggs and tortillas.
I am so glad you and Michael rented a convertible and drove up the California coast many years ago and you were so inclined to recreate tacos you had along the way! These are the most delicious fish tacos I have ever made and are a family favorite recipe. The ingredient list is not long, and it all comes together rather quickly. I love everything about this recipe, especially the chipotle sauce! I do fry these, outside, in my fry daddy and when the fish is done, using tongs I will dip individual tortillas in the oil for 10-15 seconds (I want them to still “fold”), then drain on a paper towel lined plate – good for me, maybe not, but good, yes!
I made this today for dinner per my husband’s request. It turned out delicious! I did not have the chipotle in adobo sauce, so I made my own version. I followed another recipe online for the sauce. I also added some cayenne pepper to spice it up more. Thank you for this recipe!
Hi Jenn…made the fish tacos tonight for family dinner.
I followed the recipe exactly and they were delicious.
The chipotle sauce was exceptional and the fish light and crispy.
Thank you for another great recipe!
Leslie
Jenn,
I love making these Baha Fish tacos! My husband and I traveled to Punto Mita, we had Baha Fish Tacos at the Four Seasons.
So much they we had to get another order before we headed back to the airport. So when I saw your Baha Fish Taco recipe, I was excited to make it for my family. It’s so easy and flavorful!
My tip is I found that after breading the cod, I would store in the fridge for 30 minutes before frying.
Thank you for your recipe!!
This is a great summertime casual party meal. Everything tastes supper fresh and it is easy to make. I made them with the Grilled Shrimp tacos and the Chicken tacos. There was something fro everyone. A real crowd pleaser!
These tacos are hands-down delicious! Easy, simple prep and, in the end, a flavor bomb.
This recipe is killer and not complicated, particularly if you already have leftover slaw of some sort (cabbage, kholrabi, carrot, beet) in your fridge, which we did when we first gave this a crack and saved some time. Also added some pickled ramps and avo. This is one of those recipes that is fun to play with what you have on hand.
Adobo sauce was excellent and not to be skipped – so yummy!
Definitely stick to a cod, haddock, halibut so you have something to grab onto when frying.
For those who worry about wasting oil, I filter spent oil back into a jar by lining a fine mesh strainer with some paper towel/cheesecloth/clean old cotton rag and slowly pouring it in. It takes some time but you can reuse 2-4x, depending on what else you’ve fried in it! Peanut and olive oil store well for up to a month or two in a cool, dark cabinet without going rancid.
Tried these last week and loved them! Followed the recipe without any adjustments. Used the 3 chipotles and 2 tsp’s of sauce and found it to be the right amount of heat without being over the top. I might use the deep fryer next time for the fish so I don’t need to fuss so much maintaining the right temperature. Thanks for another awesome recipe!!!