Easy Grilled Cod Tacos

Published:
5 from 3 votes
Published:
5 from 3 votes

Quick and easy grilled cod tacos packed full of flavor and ready in just 20 minutes. Beautiful and fresh grilled fish filling in a tortilla, topped with zesty red cabbage, guacamole, and a creamy white sauce.

grilled cod fish fillet tacos

These delicious grilled fish tacos are packed full of fresh flavor: pico de gallo, guacamole, and flame-grilled cod. They’re perfect for summer and great for sharing as street-style tacos.

White fish like cod is an incredibly underrated protein for using as a taco filling. It’s fresh and quick to cook, and it’s fantastic at absorbing the flavors from our zesty marinade and homemade crema.

I’ve seen some recipes that call for breaded fish, but we’re going straight for pure, grilled white fish. It’s healthier and allows us to add better levels of nuanced flavor to the mix. And to top it all off, these grilled cod tacos can be thrown together in just under an hour.

Grilled Fish Tacos Explained

While you could use any type of fish for tacos, most types of white fish have the ideal mildly sweet flavor that can accommodate the fresh toppings used in tacos. Cod perfectly toes the line between allowing the toppings to sing while still holding up to being cooked on the grill, while its firm-but-flaky texture is ideal for chopping into a taco filling (the fact that it’s very quick to cook doesn’t hurt either).

This grilled cod taco recipe is a close cousin to Baja-style tacos, albeit a grilled version with some liberties taken with the toppings. Traditionally featuring fried fish, Baja-style tacos originated in Baja California in Mexico, and are popular for being as simple as they are delicious. While we have grilled the fish here, a lot of the components here are similar, from the shredded cabbage to homemade crema.

grilled cod fish fillet tacos

Quick Tips

  • Watch the Fish: White fish like cod cooks quickly on the grill and can turn rubbery very quickly. Once it starts to develop a flaky texture (use a fork to test) you’re good to go,
  • Use a Grill Basket: Cod can be brittle and easily flake away when grilled directly on the grates. Instead, use a grill basket to hold the fillets as they cook. This will make them easy to turn and reduce the risk of them sticking to the grill.
  • Nail Your Sides: Serving this as part of a party platter? Some of our favorite fish taco sides include grilled cornbread, smoked salsa, and smoked jalapeño poppers. Each of these deliver the perfect blend of sweet and heat without overshadowing our grilled cod.
grilled cod fish fillet tacos

Easy Grilled Fish Tacos

5 from 3 votes
Quick and easy grilled fish tacos packed full of flavor and ready in just 20 minutes. Beautiful and fresh grilled fish filling in a tortilla, topped with zesty red cabbage, guacamole and a creamy white sauce.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time15 minutes
Marinating30 minutes
Total Time55 minutes
Course: Appetizer, Main Course
Cuisine: BBQ, Mexican
Servings: 4

Ingredients

  • 8 white corn tortillas
  • 1 lb cod fillets

Marinade

  • ½ tsp smoked paprika
  • 2 tbsp vegetable oil
  • lime juice of
  • 1 clove garlic minced
  • 1 tsp chili powder
  • 1 tsp cumin powder
  • ¼ tsp cayenne pepper powder
  • kosher salt

Crema

  • 1 cup Greek yogurt
  • lime juice of
  • ½ tsp garlic powder
  • ½ tsp cumin
  • ¼ tsp kosher salt
  • 1 tsp hot sauce Sriracha or Frank's

Toppings

  • pico de gallo
  • red cabbage shredded
  • guacamole
  • red onion thinly sliced
  • fresh cilantro roughly chopped

Instructions

  • In a small bowl, combine the marinade ingredients: Smoked paprika, vegetable oil, lime juice, minced garlic, chili powder, cumin powder, cayenne pepper powder, and salt. Use a whisk to combine well.
  • Place the fish fillets in a ziplock or freezer bag (you may need to use more than one), and pour in the marinade. Seal the bag and place it in the refrigerator for 30-60 minutes.
  • In another bowl, combine the crema sauce ingredients. Place in refrigerator.
  • Fire up your grill to medium heat, about 300-375°F (150-190°C)
  • Remove fish fillets from the marinade. Pat excess marinade from the fillets with dry paper towels.
  • Once grill has fully warmed up, place the fish fillets on the grill (for best results, use a grill basket). Grill for 2-3 minutes on each side. The cod will be done when they have turned opaque and flake with little resistance when pressed with a fork.
  • Move fish to counter surface or chopping block and leave to rest for 2-3 minutes. Chop up fillets into small chunks or slices.
  • Warm corn tortillas on the grill grates for about 10 seconds on each side.
  • Serve the sliced fish on tortillas. Top with your choice of shredded red cabbage, pico de gallo, crema sauce, guacamole, sliced red onion, and chopped cilantro.

About the Author

Ben Isham-Smith

A BBQ obsessive, Ben is behind 250+ of The Online Grill’s recipes, as well as countless barbecue guides to help barbecue newbies get to grips with the world’s best form of cooking.


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