Get ready to upgrade your taco night with these crispy beer-battered fish tacos! With a bright cabbage slaw, warm tortillas, and fish fillets fried in beer batter until perfectly crisp, these will become your new favorite tacos.
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Jump to:
- Why You’ll Love These Crispy Fish Tacos
- What You’ll Need
- Pico de Gallo
- Recommended Equipment
- How to Make Beer-Battered Fish Tacos
- Variations and Substitutions
- Storage and Reheating
- Frequently Asked Questions (FAQS)
- How to Serve This Beer-Battered Fish Taco Recipe
- Expert Tips
- More Seafood Recipes to Try
- 📖 Recipe
- 💬 Comments
Why You’ll Love These Crispy Fish Tacos
These delicious tacos have a crispy traditional beer batter, flaky fish, fresh lime juice, tart pickled onions, a creamy sauce, and a vibrant, crunchy slaw for a balanced and incredibly flavorful bite.
Because the recipe was both developed and tested by a professional chef, you can trust these tacos will have a wonderful depth of flavor and the perfect texture.
The best part? There's no deep frying required, so these are easy to make at home! As soon as you make your first batch, you'll be hooked.
Be sure to let me know if you try this recipe! It's truly one of my favorites.
What You’ll Need
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Beer-Battered Fish
White Fish: The best kind of fish is a flaky white fish such as halibut, cod, haddock, mahi mahi, or sea bass.
Salt: I like to use kosher salt because it is less salty by volume than table salt or sea salt, which makes it easier to season to taste.
Lime: You'll need the zest of one lime as part of the seasoning for the fish. My favorite tool for zesting a lime is this fine Microplane.
Cornstarch: Using cornstarch ensures the batter turns out crispy and light. You can substitute this with potato flour if needed.
Cake Flour: For a crispy batter, you want to inhibit the development of gluten as much as possible because it’ll make your batter dense. Cake flour has a lower amount of gluten in it, and the addition of corn starch and keeping the batter as cold as possible will keep the batter from developing too much gluten as it sits. Rice flour is another potential option.
Baking Powder: Baking powder also helps to ensure a light, crispy texture for the coating of the fish.
Tortillas: I prefer to use warm corn tortillas for this recipe, but you can use small flour tortillas as well.
Garlic Powder: Sprinkle garlic powder into the batter to give it a savory taste. Avoid using fresh garlic because it alters the batter's texture and might burn.
Onion Powder: Onion powder will also add a savory, lightly sweet taste to the batter. It's a better choice than fresh onion for this recipe.
Paprika: Paprika adds both color and flavor to the dish, with a smoky and slightly sweet taste. If you like your fish spicier, go for hot paprika.
Beer: Adding beer to the batter makes it light. Choose a light, cold beer for this recipe. You can use any beer, but a simple choice like a Mexican beer or lager is best, avoiding dark beers like stout, porter, or pale ales.
Neutral Oil: For the best results, use canola oil, peanut oil, or rice bran oil. These oils have a high smoke point and a neutral flavor, unlike olive oil.
Green & Purple Cabbage Slaw
Cabbage: I used 1 cup of green cabbage and 1 cup of red cabbage for this recipe, but you are welcome to just use one of the other. You can also pre-shredded cabbage.
Pico de Gallo: You can use a store-bought pico de gallo for this recipe, or you can make your own pico de gallo (ingredients below). It's very easy to make with fresh ingredients at home.
Lime Juice: You'll also add about a tablespoon of lime juice to the cabbage slaw. This extra acidity helps to balance the richness of the fish.
Salt: Again, I like to use kosher salt here. It is easier to taste as you go and harder to oversalt your food.
Cilantro Lime Crema
Sour Cream: Cilantro lime crema is one of our reader-favorite condiments because it's extremely easy but packed with flavor. It's a creamy, tangy, and fresh mix of sour cream, mayo, lime juice, and fresh herbs. Feel free to swap the sour cream and mayo for traditional Mexican crema.
Mayonnaise: Use your favorite brand. A fun trick I learned is that if you prefer brands that are a bit more acidic, like Duke's, you can replicate that flavor with another brand of mayonnaise by adding about a teaspoon of apple cider vinegar.
Garlic: Fresh garlic is important for this recipe. It's best not to substitute garlic powder. If you can't find fresh garlic, you can use jarred chopped garlic.
Fresh Cilantro: Don't skip this ingredient. If you can't find fresh cilantro, try making a lime and garlic crema instead.
Lime Juice: Bottled lime juice from most grocery stores will work as well.
Salt: Another push for kosher salt in this part of the recipe. It has a unique texture closer in shape to a flake than a grain, which helps it to coat food for evenly.
Spicy Pickled Onions
Red Onion: We have a few recipes for pickled onions on the site. You can either try these spicy pickled onions or these pickled white onions. Both work well in this recipe.
Serrano Pepper: This adds to the heat to the spicy pickled onions recipe. Feel free to omit if you are sensitive to spicy food.
Vinegar: I use rice vinegar in this recipe, but feel free to experiment with white wine vinegar, plain vinegar, or apple cider vinegar to see what you like best.
Salt: I use kosher salt here as well.
Sugar: You can use plain white sugar for this recipe or the organic cane sugar that comes with slightly larger individual grains of sugar. Both work well. Regular white sugar can be sweeter, so be aware of that.
Pico de Gallo
Tomatoes: I suggest using roma tomatoes, but you can try other types like beefsteak or homegrown ones. Cherry tomatoes are also a fun twist.
Onion: I recommend white onion, but yellow, sweet, or red onion will also work.
Garlic: Adding a few cloves of fresh garlic gives the salsa more flavor.
Jalapeño: These are the easiest peppers to find and prepare. If you want more heat, try using serrano peppers instead.
Cilantro: This adds bright, fresh, vegetal flavor to the salsa.
Lime Juice: Fresh lime juice tastes best, but bottled juice works in a pinch.
Salt: I prefer kosher salt here as well.
Other Toppings
Fresh Cilantro: This is optional but a wonderful addition to the tacos. A few cilantro sprigs add some light, fresh, floral flavor.
Lime Wedges: I like to serve the tacos with some lime wedges for squeezing as well.
Recommended Equipment
Whisk or Chopsticks
Wire Rack / Cooling Rack or Baking Sheet
How to Make Beer-Battered Fish Tacos
Step One: Prepare the pico de gallo, cilantro lime crema, pickled onions, and cabbage slaw. For the cabbage slaw, simply mix all of the ingredients and taste for seasoning, adding more salt or lime if needed.
Step Two: Pat fish dry on both sides and season with salt and lime zest. Reserve in the fridge. Mix dry ingredients for the batter in a bowl. Whisk together until well incorporated.
Step Three: Add the beer slowly, stirring with chopsticks just until the batter comes together. The batter should be thinner than pancake batter, but thicker than crêpe batter, which is about the consistency of heavy cream. It will also have some lumps. Do not over-mix.
Step Four: Heat 1 inch of oil in a frying pan or Dutch oven to 350°F. Allow a bit of the excess batter to drip off of the fish, then dip the fish in the hot oil one at a time in the batter and shallow fry. You can use a small piece of fish to test the temperature of the oil. Fry in small batches to avoid crowding.
Step Five: Fry until golden brown and the internal temperature reaches 145°F. Place on a wire rack to drain.
Step Six: Build the tacos. To one warm tortilla add â…› cup cabbage, the fried fish, drizzle with cilantro lime crema, add a spoonful of spicy pickled onions and a spoonful of pico de gallo, and garnish with a sprig of cilantro, if desired.
Step Seven: Serve right away!
Variations and Substitutions
Different Toppings: You can try different toppings with this recipe to see what you like best. Try this smoky chipotle sauce, for instance, in place of the cilantro lime crema, or try pickled serrano peppers in place of the onions.
Flour Tortillas: If you aren't a fan of corn tortillas, try this recipe with soft taco-sized flour tortillas. They are excellent when charred over the flame of a gas stove. If you don't have a gas stove, you can also add color to the tortillas in a cast iron skillet.
Different Seasonings: Play around with the seasonings used to coat the fish to see what you enjoy. For something smokier and spicier, try chili powder and cayenne pepper.
Storage and Reheating
Fridge: I recommend only cooking as much fish as you intend to eat. If you do have leftovers, they can be stored in the fridge for up to 4 days, but the texture will not remain crispy. All other components of the dish should be stored in their own airtight containers in the fridge.
Freezer: I do not recommend freezing leftovers.
Reheating: To revive some of the texture of the fish, you can place it in an air fryer at 325°F for 4-5 minutes or until heated through.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQS)
You can try this recipe with almond flour for a gluten-free substitute.
Halibut is my favorite fish to use here, but you can also use another white fish like cod or haddock.
Frozen fish will work just as well for this recipe. Allow the fish to fully defrost first and pat it completely dry before cooking.
How to Serve This Beer-Battered Fish Taco Recipe
These fish tacos are a meal unto themselves. You can round out your taco night with a few of these side dishes:
Guacamole: This 4-ingredient guacamole is an easy and delicious side dish served with your favorite tortilla chips.
Side Salad: Need some more greens on the table? This side salad or this Greek green salad are great choices.
Other Mexican Dishes: Try serving these tacos as part of a Mexican spread, with carne asada, other fresh salsas like serrano salsa or pineapple pico de gallo, and this creamy elote bowl, which is our version of Mexican street corn in a dish rather than on the cob.
More Tacos: You can have a full taco night with a variety of different tacos, including these blackened cod tacos, spicy potato tacos with chimichurri, and these tasty paneer tacos!
Expert Tips
- Use a carbonated liquid. Adding a carbonated liquid makes the coating crispier for a longer amount of time than flour and flat water alone. So be sure the beer you use for the recipe hasn't gone flat.
- Get your batter to the right consistency. Aim for a thin batter, but not too thin. It should be thinner than pancake batter, but thicker than crêpe batter, which is like the consistency of heavy cream.
- Keep the batter cold. If you're making several batches, you can keep it cold by putting the bowl in an ice bath or adding ice cubes to the batter. But you need to use the batter almost immediately. Keeping the batter cold stops gluten from forming, which makes the batter thicker and less crispy.
Did you make this recipe? Be sure to leave a comment 💬 and a ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ rating below! You can also tag us @twocloveskitchen on Instagram or follow us on Facebook!
More Seafood Recipes to Try
📖 Recipe
Crispy Beer-Battered Fish Tacos
Equipment
- Paper Towels
- Mixing Bowls
- Measuring Cups
- Chopsticks or Whisk
- Wire Rack / Cooling Rack or Baking Sheet
Ingredients
Beer-Battered Fish Tacos
- 16 ounces flaky white fish cut into 2–2.5-ounce strips
- kosher salt as needed
- zest of one lime
- .66 cups cornstarch
- .66 cups cake flour
- .25 teaspoons baking powder
- .5 tablespoons garlic powder
- 1 tablespoon onion powder
- .5 tablespoons paprika
- 1.25 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1 cup light beer cold
- 2 cups neutral oil canola, peanut, rice bran, etc.
- 8 warmed corn tortillas
Cabbage Slaw
- 1 cup shredded green cabbage
- 1 cup shredded red cabbage
- .5 cups pico de gallo
- 1 tablespoon lime juice
- kosher salt as needed
Other Toppings
- 1 prepared recipe cilantro lime crema
- 1 prepared recipe spicy pickled onions
- 1 prepared recipe pico de gallo
- fresh cilantro optional
Instructions
- Make the cabbage slaw. Add all of the ingredients to a bowl, mix well, and taste for seasoning, adding more salt and lime if needed.
- Pat fish dry on both sides and season with salt and lime zest. Reserve in the fridge.
- Mix all of the dry ingredients in a bowl until well-incorporated.
- Add the beer slowly, stirring with a spoon or chopsticks just until the batter comes together. The batter should be thinner than pancake batter, but thicker than crêpe batter (about the consistency of heavy cream.) It will also have some lumps. Do not over mix.
- Heat 1 inch of oil and a frying pan to 350°F.
- Once oil is hot, dip the fish one at a time in the batter and shallow fry in the oil. Fry in small batches to avoid crowding.
- Fry until golden brown and the internal temperature reaches 145°F.
- Place on a wire rack to drain.
- Build the tacos. To one warm tortilla add â…› cup cabbage, the fried fish, drizzle with cilantro lime crema, add 2 teaspoons spicy pickled onions and a spoonful of pico de gallo and garnish with a sprig of cilantro, if desired.
Notes
- Use any white fish you'd like, including halibut, cod, or haddock.
- Get your batter to the right consistency. Aim for a thin batter, but not too thin. It should be thinner than pancake batter, but thicker than crêpe batter, which is like the consistency of heavy cream.
- Keep the batter cold. If you're making several batches, you can keep it cold by putting the bowl in an ice bath or adding ice cubes to the batter. But you need to use the batter almost immediately. Keeping the batter cold stops gluten from forming, which would make the batter thicker and less crispy.
- Fridge: I recommend only cooking as much fish as you intend to eat. If you do have leftovers, they can be stored in the fridge for up to 4 days, but the texture will not remain crispy. All other components of the dish should be stored in their own airtight containers in the fridge.
- Freezer: I do not recommend freezing leftovers.
- Reheating: To revive some of the texture of the fish, you can place it in an air fryer at 325°F for 4-5 minutes or until heated through.
Jill says
The crispy batter makes these so delish!
Genevieve says
Thanks Jill!
Tasha says
So crispy and delicious! The cabbage slaw really put it over the top. The whole family loved this. Next time I will need to make a double recipe!
Genevieve says
Thanks so much, Tasha!
Anne says
We rarely make fish tacos but wow wow this recipe is sooo so good and your beer batter is super! First time to make this and I think I nailed it!
Genevieve says
This is great to hear! Thanks, Anne!
Eliza says
These are the best fish tacos I've had in a long, long time! I actually made your pineapple pico to go with them, and it was really good!
Genevieve says
Thank you so much, Eliza!
Phoebe says
I used sea bass for this recipe and they turned out so good! Added some picked onions and jalapenos too! I'm definitely making these tacos again!
Genevieve says
Sounds great! Thanks so much, Phoebe!
Dixie says
I used cod and flour tortillas for this recipe and I really really enjoyed it. The fish was perfectly seasoned and crispy. The cabbage slaw was fresh and balanced the richness of the fried fish perfectly.
Genevieve says
Thanks, Dixie!