Mexican · main

Fish Tacos with Baja Crema and Cabbage Slaw

Fish Tacos with Baja Crema and Cabbage Slaw reads citrus 5.6, sourness 5.2 and salinity 3.9 on Palate's 0–10 flavor X-ray — a Mexican main, about 8 min. Measured from the recipe itself: ingredients and technique.

The flavor X-ray — six axes, 0–10

• Umami & Savory — 4.9 / 10
• Sweet & Fruity — 1.5 / 10
• Sour & Bright — 7.2 / 10
• Bitter & Earthy — 2.6 / 10
• Rich & Fat — 4.1 / 10
• Aromatic & Spice — 3.6 / 10

The measured notes (of 18)

Citrus 5.6 · Sourness 5.2 · Salinity 3.9 · Richness 3.9 · Umami 3.7 · Marine & Briny 3.4 · Herbaceous 3.0 · Heat 2.7 · Allium 2.6 · Funk & Ferment 2.3 · Smoke 2.2 · Warm Spice 1.7 · Earthy 1.6 · Sweetness 1.5 · Bitterness 1.0 · Floral 0.7 · Nutty 0.6

What's in it (13)

• cod fillets — 454 g
• salt — 5 g
• cumin — 3 g
• chili powder — 3 g
• garlic — 1 g
• vegetable oil — 27 g
• mayonnaise — 109 g
• sour cream — 30 g
• chili powder chipotle — 15 g
• limes — 195 g
• green cabbage — 946 g
• cilantro — 15 g
• corn tortillas — 1200 g

Time & effort: about 8 min · effort: medium

Nutrition (per 100 g, engine-estimated): 222.3 kcal, 13.7 g protein, 4.3 g fat, 33.1 g carbs

Dietary: Contains meat · Contains seafood · Contains dairy — engine-derived; double-check anything allergy-critical.

How it's cooked (7 steps)

1. Pat the cod fillets dry and toss with 1/2 teaspoon of the salt, the cumin, chili powder, and garlic powder in a bowl; set aside.
2. In a small bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, sour cream, adobo sauce, and 1 tablespoon of the lime juice until smooth; refrigerate the crema until ready to serve.
3. In a large bowl, toss the cabbage and cilantro with the remaining lime juice and a pinch of salt; set the slaw aside to soften while you cook the fish.
4. Heat the vegetable oil in a large skillet over high heat until shimmering. Add the fish in a single layer and sear undisturbed until deeply golden on the first side, 3-4 minutes.
5. Flip carefully and sear the second side until the fish is opaque and flakes easily with a fork, reaching 145F internally, 2-3 minutes; transfer to a plate and break into large flakes with a fork.
6. Wipe out the skillet and warm the tortillas over medium heat until pliable and lightly charred in spots, about 30 seconds per side; stack and wrap in a clean towel to keep warm.
7. To serve, fill each warm tortilla with flaked fish, a handful of the cabbage slaw, and a generous drizzle of the chipotle crema. Finish with extra cilantro.

Dishes with a similar flavor shape

• Blackened Shrimp Tacos with Lime Crema — Tex-Mex
• Tandoori Salmon — Indian
• Shrimp and Poblano Tacos with Lime Crema — Mexican
• Blackened Shrimp Tacos with Cajun Slaw — Cajun/Creole · Cajun
• Sheet-Pan Fish Tacos with Crunchy Slaw — Mexican · Baja

Keep reading: what citrus, sourness, salinity mean in the flavor lexicon · the world's cuisines, by flavor.

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Every number above is Palate's engine-measured estimate, computed from this recipe's ingredients and techniques — not human-tasted ratings or reviews.