Beer Battered Fish Tacos

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My Beer-Battered Fish Tacos recipe is loaded with seasoned crispy fried fish, shredded cabbage, and a finger-licking cilantro sauce that'll make the residents of Baja, California, proud.

Here are some delicious drinks to serve along with these fried fish tacos: Tamarind Margaritas, Prickly Pear Margaritas, Classic Margaritas, and Blueberry Margaritas.

Latest Recipe Video:

Looking for the ultimate taco recipe to end all taco recipes? Get ready, because this is the one. A recent trip to Los Angeles inspired this recipe for my beer battered fish tacos with cilantro sauce. 

While in LA, I went on a taco shop crawl in search of the best carne asada tacos. To my surprise, the fried fish tacos stole the show.

The warm tortillas, beer batter, and toppings set these Baja-style tacos apart. You might be surprised to know how much these components truly make a difference! Sitting there in foodie heaven, I knew I needed to make my rendition once I returned home.

For my copycat version of the fish tacos I loved so much, I used a mild white fish called Puppy Drum or Black Drum, or as I call them, a close cousin of the redfish. What I love about this fish is that it's available year-round, costs half as much as redfish, and is twice (sometimes triple!) the size of redfish. Basically, it's the perfect fish for fish tacos.

I wanted to step away from my usual Southern style of frying fish by going for a well-seasoned beer batter. It gives the fish this light, airy, and gloriously crispy texture that makes eating fried food feel guiltless. When I placed the fried fish between a toasted corn tortilla, I knew I had a winner on my hands.

Now, to take it to the next level, I made a quick cilantro sauce to serve on top. I used mayonnaise for the base, but sour cream would work great, too. To finish off my perfect tacos, I garnished them with red cabbage and fresh cilantro. Simple yet delicious.

This year-round taco recipe is guaranteed to be a crowd-pleaser. Don't believe me? Make a few for your next game-day party, and watch all your friends harass you about making them every time they come over. 

I'm telling you, these tacos are gold! If you've never had a beer battered fish taco, you're in for a treat!

Key Ingredients

To make this beer battered fish tacos recipe, you'll need the following key ingredients:

Fish Filets

Traditionally, cod is used in a fish taco because it's a firm white fish. However, it's available primarily frozen instead of fresh, so any fish on the thicker side will work well for fish tacos. Some of my favorites are grouper, cod, and mahi mahi.

Mexican Beer

Pick your favorite—you can't go wrong here. My only advice is to avoid dark and strong beers like stouts and porters, as the flavor will overpower the fish. My favorite Mexican beer is Dos Equis or Modelo.

Fresh Limes

Make sure you get fresh limes. You'll need the juice and zest for both the tacos and the cilantro sauce. Limes not only brighten up the dish, but their acidity helps to enhance the flavors and cut some of the richness from the batter.

Corn Tortillas

In my opinion, these are the best tortillas for tacos. However, you can swap them out for flour tortillas if you prefer those instead.

Spices

You will need kosher salt, black pepper, chili powder, and cayenne pepper for my fish taco recipe. If you're worried about the spice level, reduce the amount of cayenne pepper.

Unbleached Flour

All-purpose flour is a vital component of the batter for crispy fish tacos. Any regular all-purpose flour will work fine.

Red Cabbage

Red cabbage adds a lovely pop of color and more crunch. Toss it in the cilantro sauce to make a cabbage slaw.

Cilantro sauce

This creamy and flavorful sauce is easy to make and makes a huge difference in the final dish. It's made from a base of mayonnaise, fresh cilantro, lime juice, garlic, and hot sauce. Trust me, you're gonna love it.

How To Make Beer Battered Fish Tacos

Ready to make the best fish tacos you've ever had? Just follow these simple steps:

Combine flour, baking powder, lime zest, 1 teaspoon salt, ½ black pepper, ½ chili powder, ½ cayenne, lime juice, and beer in a large bowl. The flour mixture should resemble pancake batter.

Heat oil over medium heat in a large skillet to 360˚F/ 182°C, then season the fish evenly with 1 teaspoon salt, ½ black pepper, ½ chili powder, and ½ cayenne pepper.

Cut the fish into 3-inch strips; they should look like fish sticks. Dredge strips three at a time and drain off any excess batter.

Fry the battered fish in hot oil for 4 minutes, turning occasionally, until golden brown on all sides. Drain on a paper towel-lined plate.

To make the cilantro sauce, place the sauce ingredients in a food processor and blitz for 30-60 seconds until smooth and creamy.

Place the beer-battered fish in a warmed corn tortilla to assemble the tacos. Then, add the cabbage, cilantro sauce, jalapeno slices, and fresh cilantro. Oh, and don't forget the lime wedges.

Storing Fried Fish Tacos

Beer-battered fish tacos are best eaten immediately. However, fried fish can be stored on a paper towel in an airtight container for three days.

Reheat in a 375°F/ 190°C oven for 5 minutes or until hot.

The sauce can be made a day or two in advance. It should be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for 14 days at most.

Pro Recipe, Substitutions, Tips & Tricks

Making beer battered fish tacos is straightforward, and the flavor combinations are unlimited. Here are some things to keep in mind.

• Use any fresh fish available in your area. Use a thicker fish like mahi mahi, cod, tilapia, or grouper. This will give you a more enjoyable bite and allow the fish to cook thoroughly and the batter to cook correctly.
• If you only have access to frozen fish, thaw the filets in water and dry them between several sheets of paper towels. You want to ensure the fish is drained of any excess water for crispy fried fish.
• Not sure what kind of beer to use for beer batter? Don't sweat it. Just choose your favorite! Lagers and pilsners will be your best bet, but the specific brand can be whichever you prefer. Light beers will have the least amount of flavor.
• Remember to save your leftover cilantro sauce! Over the next few weeks, it can be used with many dishes. Try pairing it with burrito bowls, grilled meats, salads, roasted veggies, chips, and (of course) more tacos.
• You can use corn tortillas in place of flour tortillas.
• Use green cabbage if you're not a fan of red cabbage.
• You can garnish your fish tacos with Mexican crema, poblano sauce, raw red onions, pickled red onions, or pickled jalapenos and onions.
• Add some chipotle peppers in adobo sauce to the cilantro sauce if you love spicy food. It'll add a ton of flavor.
• Swap the mayonnaise for cottage cheese or Greek yogurt for a healthier twist.
• Use your favorite hot sauce if you want to avoid making the cilantro sauce.
• When frying fish, I prefer avocado or peanut oil instead of canola or vegetable oil.
• If you're making these for a party, drain the fish on a paper towel lined baking sheet and keep warm in a 200°F/93°C oven.

FAQ

Here are the top questions readers have about making beer battered fish tacos.

What kind of fish to use for tacos?

You want to use thicker fish like mahi mahi, cod, tilapia, or grouper when making fish tacos. This gives you a more enjoyable bite while allowing the batter time to cook properly without overcooking the fish.

Can I make fish tacos ahead of time?

I recommend serving fish tacos immediately because they tend to get soggy when stored in the fridge. However, leftovers of the creamy cilantro sauce can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.

What kind of beer should be used for beer battered fish?

Almost any beer will work well for a beer batter, with the exception of really dark beers like stouts and porters. Aim for Mexican beer, such as light lagers and pilsners like Dos Equis Amboer, Corona, and Modleo. If you've got a favorite beer, go ahead and use it! Just make sure it's cold.

More Mexican Recipes

If you love Mexican food, you'll want to try these recipes!

• Steak, Egg, and Cheese Tacos
• Beans and Rice Tostadas
• Mexican Succotash
• Mexican Elotes
• Ancho Coffee Short Rib Tacos
• Fried Chicken Tacos
• Chicken Flautas
• Mexican Corn Pizza
• Mango Aqua Fresca

Before You Begin

To begin, here are the steps I follow to get organized.

Step 1: Read the recipe once, then get all the ingredients on the counter.

Step 2: Measure all ingredients into separate bowls.

Step 3: Follow the recipe and prepare the best beer-battered fish tacos you will ever make.

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📖 Recipe

Beer Battered Fish Tacos

My Beer-Battered Fish Tacos recipe is loaded with seasoned crispy fried fish, shredded cabbage, and a finger-licking cilantro sauce.

5 from 4 votes

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 5 minutes mins

Cook Time 25 minutes mins

Total Time 30 minutes mins

Course Main Course

Cuisine Mexican

Servings 4 persons

Calories 1690 kcal

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

Beer Battered Fish

• 1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• zest of ½ lime
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• ½ teaspoon black pepper
• ½ teaspoon chili powder
• ½ teaspoon cayenne
• juice of ½ lime
• 1 cup cold beer
• 2-3 cups peanut oil enough to cover fish 1 ½ inches of frying
• 1 lbs. white fish filets grouper, cod, mahi mahi
• 12 street style tortillas
• ½ head red cabbage sliced thin
• 1 jalapeno sliced
• 12 cilantro stems

Cilantro Sauce:

• 1 tablespoon hot sauce
• zest of ½ lime
• juice of ½ lime
• 2 garlic cloves crushed
• ½ bunch cilantro
• pinch kosher salt
• ¾ cup mayonnaise

Instructions

 

Beer Battered Fish

• In a large bowl, combine flour, baking powder, lime zest, 1 teaspoon salt, ½ black pepper, ½ chili powder, ½ cayenne, lime juice, and beer. The flour mixture should resemble pancake batter.
• Heat oil over medium heat in a large skillet to 360˚F/ 182°C, then season the fish evenly with 1 teaspoon salt, ½ black pepper, ½ chili powder, and ½ cayenne pepper.
• Cut the fish into 3-inch strips; they should look like fish sticks. Then, dredge strips three at a time and drain off any excess batter.
• Fry the battered fish in hot oil for 4 minutes, turning occasionally until golden brown on all sides. Drain on a paper towel lined plate.

Cilantro Sauce

• To make the cilantro sauce, place the sauce ingredients in a food processor and blitz for 30-60 seconds until smooth and creamy.

Assemble

• To assemble the tacos, place the beer-battered fish in a warmed corn tortilla. Then, add the cabbage, cilantro sauce, jalapeno slices, and fresh cilantro. Oh, and don't forget the lime wedges.

Video

Notes

Storing Fish Tacos

Beer-battered fish tacos are best eaten immediately. However, fried fish can be stored on a paper towel in an airtight container for three days.

Reheat in a 375°F/ 190°C oven for 5 minutes or until hot.

The sauce can be made a day or two in advance. It should be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for 14 days at most.

Pro Recipe, Substitutions, Tips & Tricks

Making beer battered fish tacos is straightforward, and the flavor combinations are unlimited. Here are some things to keep in mind.

• Use any fresh fish available in your area. Use a thicker fish like mahi mahi, cod, tilapia, or grouper. This will give you a more enjoyable bite and allow the fish to cook thoroughly and the batter to cook correctly.
• If you only have access to frozen fish, thaw the filets in water and dry them between several sheets of paper towels. You want to ensure the fish is drained of any excess water for crispy fried fish.
• Not sure what kind of beer to use for beer batter? Don't sweat it. Just choose your favorite! Lagers and pilsners will be your best bet, but the specific brand can be whichever you prefer. Light beers will have the least amount of flavor.
• Remember to save your leftover cilantro sauce! Over the next few weeks, it can be used with many dishes. Try pairing it with burrito bowls, grilled meats, salads, roasted veggies, chips, and (of course) more tacos.
• You can use corn tortillas in place of flour tortillas.
• Use green cabbage if you're not a fan of red cabbage.
• You can garnish your fish tacos with Mexican crema, poblano sauce, raw red onions, pickled red onions, or pickled jalapenos and onions.
• Add some chipotle peppers in adobo sauce to the cilantro sauce if you love spicy food. It'll add a ton of flavor.
• Swap the mayonnaise for cottage cheese or Greek yogurt for a healthier twist.
• Use your favorite hot sauce if you want to avoid making the cilantro sauce.
• When frying fish, I prefer avocado or peanut oil instead of canola or vegetable oil.
• If you're making these for a party, drain the fish on a paper towel lined baking sheet and keep warm in a 200°F/93°C oven.

Nutrition

Serving: 0gCalories: 1690kcalCarbohydrates: 73gProtein: 31gFat: 143gSaturated Fat: 24gPolyunsaturated Fat: 55gMonounsaturated Fat: 58gTrans Fat: 0.1gCholesterol: 66mgSodium: 1176mgPotassium: 1027mgFiber: 9gSugar: 6gVitamin A: 1905IUVitamin C: 79mgCalcium: 212mgIron: 4mg

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