Fun Recipe: Build Your Own Fish Tacos!

By Lana Buseman

 
Something I wish my family did when I was growing up was have taco nights. I love the concept of constructing your dinner with whatever you like on top and eating it right there. It gives you a chance to be creative and the option to choose the meal you want to eat. With a few healthy toppings to choose from, you really can't go wrong!

Tacos are a perfect vehicle for delivering a balanced meal. They typically have a protein, dairy, produce and carbohydrates. When I make tacos I like to use chicken, ground turkey or fajita veggies -- but I have to say my favorite kind of tacos is fish tacos.

One of the easiest fish to cook is tilapia. It’s a low calorie, high protein and mild flavored fish that easily takes on different flavors. It cooks up in less than 10 minutes and flakes really nicely for tacos. There is some controversy around tilapia regarding the negative health impacts it may have due to pollution levels so when you are picking your fish, the best choice is to select U.S. farmed tilapia when possible. (For more on choosing tilapia, check out this guide from the Monterey Bay Aquarium Seafood Watch.)

When you are building your ultimate taco, it’s all about the toppings. A traditional fish taco usually has some type of cabbage or slaw on top with pico de gallo and a citrusy mayo or sour cream. I like to use a Greek yogurt sauce with lime juice. For my tacos, I also add some avocado and cheese.

When your fish is cooked and you are ready to build your tacos, put each topping in an individual bowl and let your family start building!

 

Fish Taco Ingredients

• Corn, flour or whole wheat tortillas
• 4 filets of tilapia
• Homemade or store-bought pico de gallo
• Thinly sliced cabbage, green or red
• Your choice of shredded cheese
• 1 ripe avocado, mashed with salt, pepper and lime juice
• 1 cup plain non-fat Greek yogurt mixed with fresh lime juice, salt, pepper and garlic powder

Directions

1. Heat a large pan over medium high heat and spray with non-stick cooking spray.
2. Place tilapia filets in the pan and season with your favorite fish seasonings. (I like dill, garlic powder and paprika.) The filets won’t take long to cook, about 2-3 minutes per side.
3. Flake the fish with a fork and pile on to your tortillas with all of your favorite ingredients!

Enjoy!

--

Plus! October 4 is National Taco Day! Celebrate all week by trying another one of these great taco recipes!