Fish Tacos · Crispy Oven-Baked
Crispy Oven-Baked Fish Tacos
Panko-crusted cod strips bake up crunchy on a rack, no frying needed. Tucked into flour tortillas with red cabbage and a lime crema, they're a hit with kids.
- Prep
- 20 min
- Cook
- 15 min
- Total
- 35 min
- Serves
- 8 tacos
- Level
- Easy
Ingredients
- Fish
- 1 ½ lb cod fillets, cut into 1-inch-wide strips
- ½ cup all-purpose flour ≈ 63 g
Swaps for all-purpose flour
Instead of all-purpose flour
- Gluten-free 1:1 baking flour: The same amount, a blend that includes xanthan gum. A little grittier and more crumbly, browns faster and dries out sooner.
- Bread flour: The same amount. More gluten: chewier cookies and bread, tougher cakes.
- Whole wheat flour: Up to half of the flour. Nuttier, darker and denser.
All 4 swaps for all-purpose flour
Cooking for an allergy? Check every label.
- 1 tsp kosher salt
Swaps for kosher salt
Instead of salt
- Table salt or fine sea salt: About half as much as Diamond Crystal kosher, about ¾ as much as Morton kosher. The same saltiness when measured this way.
- Salt by weight: 1 tsp is about 6 grams of table salt, 5 grams of Morton kosher, 3 grams of Diamond Crystal kosher. The most reliable way to swap, especially in baking and brines.
- ½ tsp garlic powder
Swaps for garlic powder
Instead of garlic
- Fresh garlic: 1 clove for each ⅛ tsp powder, minced fine. Sharper and stronger.
- Granulated garlic: About twice as much as the powder. The same flavor in coarser grains, which blend better into rubs.
- ½ tsp chili powder
Swaps for chili powder
Instead of chili powder
- Homemade blend: For 1 tbsp: 1½ tsp paprika, 1 tsp ground cumin, ¼ tsp garlic powder, ¼ tsp dried oregano, a pinch of cayenne. Close; adjust the cayenne for heat.
- Ancho chile powder: The same amount, plus a pinch of cumin. Smokier and fruitier, mild heat.
- 2 large eggs
Swaps for eggs
Instead of eggs
- Flax egg: 1 tbsp ground flaxseed + 3 tbsp water for each egg. Binds well but gives less lift, so bakes are a little denser and flatter, with a mild nutty taste and brown flecks.
- Chia egg: 1 tbsp chia seeds + 3 tbsp water for each egg. Works like a flax egg: good binding, little lift, slightly denser crumb.
- Unsweetened applesauce: ¼ cup for each egg. Moister and denser, with a soft, slightly gummy crumb if you swap more than one egg.
Cooking for an allergy? Check every label.
- 1 ½ cups panko
Swaps for panko
Instead of breadcrumbs
- Panko and dry breadcrumbs: The same amount, either way. Panko is lighter and crunchier; fine crumbs make a denser, more even coating and a firmer binder.
- Crushed crackers or cornflakes: The same amount. Crackers are saltier (cut other salt); cornflakes are extra crunchy and slightly sweet.
- Rolled or quick oats: The same amount. A moist, tender binder; they don't crisp like crumbs.
- 3 tbsp vegetable oil
Swaps for vegetable oil
Instead of vegetable oil
- Another neutral oil: The same amount. No difference.
- Melted butter: The same amount. Richer, buttery flavor; cakes are a little less moist and firmer once cool.
- Light olive oil: The same amount. "Light" olive oil tastes mild.
- Lime crema
- ½ cup sour cream ≈ 115 g
Swaps for sour cream
Instead of sour cream
- Plain Greek yogurt: The same amount (full-fat for baking). Tangier and a little less rich.
- Crème fraîche: The same amount. Richer and milder, and it doesn't curdle in hot sauces.
- Cottage cheese, blended: The same amount, blended smooth with a squeeze of lemon. Milder and less rich, with more protein.
- 1 tbsp lime juice
Swaps for lime juice
Instead of lime juice
- Lemon juice: The same amount. Milder aroma; still bright.
- Bottled lime juice: The same amount. Flatter and more sour; fine in cooked dishes.
- Rice vinegar or white vinegar: Half as much. Sour without the citrus aroma.
- ¼ tsp kosher salt
Swaps for kosher salt
Instead of salt
- Table salt or fine sea salt: About half as much as Diamond Crystal kosher, about ¾ as much as Morton kosher. The same saltiness when measured this way.
- Salt by weight: 1 tsp is about 6 grams of table salt, 5 grams of Morton kosher, 3 grams of Diamond Crystal kosher. The most reliable way to swap, especially in baking and brines.
- To serve
- 8 small flour tortillas, 6-inch
- 2 cups red cabbage, thinly sliced
- ¼ cup fresh cilantro, chopped
Swaps for fresh cilantro
Instead of cilantro
- Dried cilantro: 1 tsp dried for each 1 tbsp chopped fresh (a third as much). Dried cilantro has almost no flavor; skip it as a garnish and add more of the other seasonings.
- Flat-leaf parsley + lime zest: The same amount of parsley, plus a little lime zest. Fresh and green, without the soapy taste some people get from cilantro.
- Thai basil or mint: Half as much. Sweeter and more perfumed.
- 1 lime, cut into wedges
Cooking for a crowd? Pans, timing and salt for 12 to 50.
Missing something? Tap Swaps next to an ingredient, or see all substitutions.
Cook to 145°F inside (check with a thermometer).
Steps
- Heat the oven to 450°F (230°C). Set a wire rack in a sheet pan and brush the rack with a little oil.450°F
- Toss the panko with the oil in a skillet over medium heat, stirring, until light golden.⏱ Toast panko: 3 minit first keeps the coating crisp in the oven.
Toasting (how to toast)
Toast Heat nuts, seeds, spices or bread crumbs in a dry pan or oven until fragrant and lightly browned. 1. Spread them in a dry skillet over medium-low heat, or on a sheet pan at 350°F.2. Shake the pan or stir often.3. Watch and smell: the moment they smell nutty, they are close.4. Tip them onto a plate right away; the hot pan keeps cooking them. Done when: They are fragrant and a shade darker. Small seeds take 1 to 3 minutes; nuts in the oven 5 to 10. How to toast nuts, seeds, spices and bread: mistakes to avoid - Tip the panko into a shallow bowl.
- In a second shallow bowl, mix the flour, salt, garlic powder and chili powder. In a third,the eggs.
beat (how to beat)
Beat Mix hard and fast, by hand or with a mixer, to blend ingredients fully and add air. 1. Use a mixer on the speed the recipe gives, or a fork or whisk for a few eggs.2. Add eggs one at a time, beating until each disappears before the next.3. Stop and scrape the bowl and beaters now and then.4. Mix on low once flour goes in, just until combined. Done when: The mixture is smooth and even, with no streaks of yolk or white. Safety: Turn the mixer off before you scrape the bowl or reach in.How to beat eggs and batters: mistakes to avoid - Pat the fish strips dry with paper towels.
- Coat each strip in flour, dip it in egg and let the extra drip off, then press it into the panko.
- Arrange the strips on the rack so they don't touch.
- Bake until the coating is crisp and the fish is opaque, flakes easily and reaches 145°F (63°C).450°F⏱ Bake: 10 min
- While the fish bakes, stir together the sour cream, lime juice and salt.
- Wrap the tortillas in foil and warm them in the oven.450°F⏱ Warm tortillas: 5 min
- Fill each tortilla with fish, cabbage and cilantro, drizzle with crema and serve with lime wedges.
Tap an underlined word for how to do it, or see all techniques.
Tips
- Keep one hand for dry coatings and one for egg so your fingers don't get clumpy.
- Pollock or haddock work in place of cod.
Storage
Best fresh. Leftover fish re-crisps in a 400°F oven in about 6 minutes.
How long leftovers keep, and freezing and reheating: leftovers and storage. In season: cabbage (October to March).
Quick answers
- What can I swap?
- Instead of all-purpose flour: Gluten-free 1:1 baking flour.
- Instead of garlic: Fresh garlic.
Cooking for an allergy? Check every label.
Answered from this recipe's own storage, make-ahead and swap notes.
Estimated nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 660 2,760 kJ
- Protein
- 44 g
- Carbohydrates
- 62 g
- Fiber
- 5 g
- Sugars
- 6 g
- Fat
- 25 g
- Saturated fat
- 8 g
- Sodium
- 1,280 mg
Whole recipe, 4 servings: about 2,620 calories.
Estimate from USDA FoodData Central; not medical or dietary advice. Based on 15 of 15 ingredients.
How we estimate
We add up USDA FoodData Central values for each measured ingredient as written and divide by the recipe's 4 servings, so changing the servings or units here doesn't change a serving. Brands, swaps, trimming and cooking all change the real numbers.
Goes well with
Picked by our pairing rules: the same kind of kitchen, room in the oven and on the stove, ready in time, and a balance of starch, vegetables and richness.
- Side Garlic Butter Green Beans 25 min Cooks on the stove while the fish tacos are in the oven. Ready in 25 min, inside the main's 35 min. Brings the vegetables the fish tacos don't have.
- Side Tangy Vinegar Coleslaw 1 hr 10 min No cooking: make it while the main cooks. Make it ahead: it keeps. Brings the vegetables the fish tacos don't have.
- Dessert Lemon Cream Cheese Bundt Pound Cake 3 hr 45 min Light and fruity after a rich main. Make it ahead, so it's ready when dinner is.
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Gear for this recipe
-
See price on Amazon: Sheet pan with rack (opens Amazon)
Sheet pan with rack
The rack lets hot air reach the bottom so the coating stays crisp.
Suggested: Nordic Ware
- See price on Amazon: 10-inch nonstick skillet (opens Amazon)
- See price on Amazon: Nesting mixing bowls (opens Amazon)
- See price on Amazon: Instant-read thermometer (opens Amazon)
- See price on Amazon: Pastry brush (opens Amazon)
- See price on Amazon: Locking tongs (opens Amazon)
- See price on Amazon: 8-inch chef's knife (opens Amazon)
- See price on Amazon: Large cutting board (opens Amazon)
- See price on Amazon: Measuring cups and spoons (opens Amazon)
As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases. Brands are suggestions; any similar item works.
Cleanup score 3/5 (some cleanup): 3 things to wash, sheet pan and rack, nonstick skillet, mixing bowl.
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