These blackened snapper tacos are made with flaky skillet-cooked fish, warm tortillas, crisp cabbage, and cilantro lime crema. They come together in about 20 minutes and make an easy seafood dinner for taco night at home.
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Top Tips for the Best Snapper Tacos
- Make the cilantro lime crema first so it has time to chill while you prepare the fish and toppings.
- Slice the cabbage, onions, jalapeños, and cilantro before cooking the snapper. The fish cooks quickly, so having everything ready makes taco assembly easy.
- Homemade blackened seasoning is easy to make. You can also use Old Bay or Paul Prudhomme's Blackened Redfish Magic as a shortcut.
- Use warm corn tortillas for the best texture. Grain-free tortillas also work well if needed.
Fish for Fish Tacos
These tacos are made with snapper, but hogfish, grouper, and mahi mahi also work well.
Look for thin, firm white fish fillets that hold together in a skillet and flake easily after cooking. Remove any pin bones and the skin before seasoning the fish.
Thin fillets cook quickly and are easy to pull into large pieces for filling warm tortillas.
What You Need
These blackened snapper tacos are made with fresh white fish, warm tortillas, crisp vegetables, and cilantro lime crema.
- Cilantro lime crema: Make a batch of my cilantro lime crema to spoon over the finished tacos.
- Snapper: Yellowtail, red snapper, or mangrove snapper all work well. You can also use hogfish, grouper, or mahi mahi.
- Blackened seasoning: Use homemade blackened seasoning or a store-bought blend such as Old Bay or Paul Prudhomme's Blackened Redfish Magic.
- Tortillas: Warm corn or flour tortillas. For a gluten-free option, use Siete almond flour tortillas.
- Toppings: Shredded cabbage or coleslaw mix, sliced onion, jalapeño, fresh cilantro, and lime wedges add crunch and freshness.
Cilantro Lime Crema
Cilantro lime crema is the cool, creamy sauce that balances the blackened fish. Make it ahead and refrigerate it while you prepare the snapper and toppings.
Get the full recipe here: Cilantro Lime Crema.
How To Make Snapper Tacos
- Prep the toppings first. Slice the cabbage, onions, jalapeños, and cilantro, then set everything out so the tacos are ready to assemble as soon as the fish is cooked.
- Pat the snapper dry with paper towels. Season both sides with blackened seasoning.
- Heat oil in a large skillet or cast-iron pan over medium-high heat. Add the fish in a single layer and cook for about 2 minutes without moving it. Flip and cook for 1 to 2 minutes more, until the center is opaque. Gently pull the fish apart with two forks to check that it flakes easily, then remove it from the skillet.
- Spray a skillet lightly with cooking spray. Warm each tortilla for about 30 seconds per side, until warm and pliable.
- Spread cilantro lime crema over each tortilla. Add the blackened snapper, cabbage, onions, jalapeños, and cilantro. Serve with lime wedges.
Taco Toppings
Keep these snapper tacos simple with shredded cabbage, sliced red onion, jalapeños, fresh cilantro, and lime wedges.
What To Serve With Fish Tacos
Serve these easy sides with blackened snapper tacos:
FAQ
Firm, flaky white fish works best for fish tacos. Snapper, mahi mahi, grouper, hogfish, trout, flounder, and sole are all good choices. Use the freshest fish you can find.
No. For thin snapper fillets, a light, even coating of blackened seasoning is usually enough. The seasoning should flavor the fish and darken in the hot skillet without covering the delicate snapper. For a heavier crust, press more seasoning onto both sides of the fish before cooking. Keep in mind that a thick coating can taste salty or spicy, especially with thin fillets.
Blackened fish has smoky flavor and a little heat from cayenne pepper. Adjust the spice level by using a milder blackened seasoning or using less cayenne in a homemade blend.
You can make the cilantro lime crema and prep the toppings ahead of time. Cook the snapper just before serving so it stays hot and flaky.
Corn tortillas are traditional and my first choice for fish tacos. Flour tortillas also work, and grain-free tortillas are fine if needed.
Cook the fish just until it flakes easily, then avoid overfilling the tortillas. Warm tortillas are softer and less likely to crack when folded.
More Taco Recipes
Looking for more easy taco dinners? Try one of these seafood and chicken taco recipes:
- Grilled Red Snapper Tacos
- Swordfish Tacos
- Fried Mahi Mahi Tacos
- Key West Shrimp Tacos
- Blackened Chicken Tacos
- Seared Tuna Tacos with Mango Salsa
For more easy taco dinners, see Easy Taco Tuesday Recipes.
Blackened Snapper Tacos
Ingredients
- 1 pound boneless white fish fillets, such as yellowtail snapper or red snapper
- 1½ tablespoons blackened seasoning
- 1 tablespoon olive oil or avocado oil
- 6 medium tortillas (flour, corn, or gluten-free)
- 2 cups shredded cabbage
- ½ red or white onion, thinly sliced
- 1 jalapeño, thinly sliced
- ½ cup chopped cilantro
- ½ cup cilantro lime crema or sour cream
- lime wedges for serving
Instructions
- Prep the toppings first. Shred the cabbage or use coleslaw mix. Slice the onion, jalapeños, and cilantro, then set everything out so the tacos are ready to assemble as soon as the fish is cooked.
- Pat the snapper dry with paper towels. Season both sides with blackened seasoning.
- Heat oil in a large skillet or cast-iron pan over medium-high heat. Add the fish in a single layer and cook for about 2 minutes without moving it. Flip and cook for 1 to 2 minutes more, until the center is opaque.
- Move the fish to a plate and gently pull it apart into large chunks with two forks.
- Spray a skillet lightly with cooking spray. Warm each tortilla for about 30 seconds per side, until warm and pliable.
- Spread cilantro lime crema over each tortilla. Add the blackened snapper, cabbage, onions, jalapeños, and cilantro. Serve with lime wedges.
Notes
Nutrition
Visiting Key Largo?
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If you're planning the drive to Key West, take a look at my guide on Driving from Miami to Key West along Overseas Highway, where I share the best stops, views, and places worth pulling over for along the way.
