If there’s one dinner that always goes over well in this house, it’s tacos. And here’s a new favorite: salmon tacos with creamy avocado sauce! They’re bursting with fresh, zingy flavor, pairing blackened salmon with pineapple pico and a bright green creamy sauce. This easy healthy dinner tastes restaurant-style, but you can whip it up in about 30 minutes. A dinnertime win! It pleases everyone in our house.
Components in salmon tacos
Tacos are a traditional Mexican food that’s been around for centuries, but what about the fish taco? According to sources, the modern fish taco came about in the 1950s in Mexico’s Baja California peninsula. Both the cities of Ensenada and San Felipe claim to have invented the popular street food. The craze then quickly spread across the border to San Diego, where a man named Ralph Rubio became smitten with the food and started Rubio’s Fresh Mexican Grill, which has sold over 50 million fish tacos since opening in 1983. These salmon tacos are a spin on the idea of a fish taco, but the fish is blackened instead of battered. They’re nestled in a tortilla with a bright green avocado lime sauce that’s the epitome of tangy, creamy flavor. Here are the elements you’ll need:
Fresh salmon Spices: Cumin, chili powder, smoked paprika, and garlic powder Olive oil, butter and lime juice Pineapple (optional) Pico de gallo Avocado sauce: Avocado, Greek yogurt, lime, and cilantro Tortillas Red onion (for garnish)
Tips for pan seared blackened salmon
The fish in this salmon tacos recipe is pan seared in a skillet, which makes the best exterior blackened crust of spices! Here are a few tips for blackened salmon:
A cast iron or stainless steel skillet makes the best sear. The best way to get the blackened look to the outside of the fish is with a cast iron or stainless surface, which makes the best Maillard reaction (browning or caramelization of the outside of the fish). Don’t worry if all you have is a non-stick skillet: it will still taste great! You just won’t get that lovely char. Bring the salmon to room temperature first. This sounds like a skippable step for impatient cooks (like me!), but don’t be tempted! If you sear it right from the refrigerator, the inside will be cold while the outside of the fish will be cooked. A food thermometer is helpful. It’s easiest to cook the salmon perfectly by checking the internal temperature. It should be 125 to 130°F when measured at the thickest part. If the fish is not up to temp, finish in the oven. If the fish is not quite to temperature but the outsides are cooked, set your oven to 400°F and finish it in the oven.
Making the avocado sauce
This easy avocado sauce is the crown jewel of this salmon tacos recipe. It’s quick and easy to make, and leftovers stay green in the fridge for days. Here are a few notes on the sauce prep:
It’s only 4 ingredients! All you need are avocado, Greek yogurt, lime, and cilantro. (Well and salt, which we don’t count as an ingredient!) Using Greek yogurt instead of sour cream makes it taste light and fresh, and cuts a few calories too. Use a food processor or small blender. It’s not enough for a large blender, but you could try a double recipe in a standard-sized one. It stays green without special storage needs! You don’t have to worry about it turning brown like guacamole. The acidity in the lime juice naturally makes the avocado stay green.
Want some other sauce options? Try this Easy Avocado Crema, Fish Taco Sauce, Cilantro Lime Ranch, or Cilantro Sauce (dairy-free).
Toppings for salmon tacos
The avocado sauce for these salmon tacos is required, or at least another creamy sauce! The zingy flavor is just the right contrast to the spiced blackened fish. Otherwise, you can get creative with your toppings! We’ll share a few ideas of what we did, and some alternative options:
Pineapple pico: Make a quick pineapple pico by chopping up fresh pineapple rings and combining them with purchased pico de gallo. The result is a burst of tropical flavor without too much extra effort! Pico de gallo: Feeling rushed? Use purchased pico de gallo from the refrigerated section of your local grocery. Mango salsa or pineapple salsa: If you’ve got more time, make homemade Mango Salsa or Pineapple Salsa (or grab it at the store). Slaw: Salmon tacos are also great with Fish Taco Slaw or Mexican Coleslaw.
Tips on warming tortillas
The last thing about salmon tacos: make sure to warm the tortillas! You just can’t make a good taco with a cold, leathery tortilla. Here’s how to warm tortillas like a pro:
Place them over the flame of a gas burner. Place each tortilla directly on a gas burner for a few seconds per side, turning with tongs. This lightly chars the edges and warms the tortillas. Then throw them into a tortilla warmer! Warm them in the oven. Go to How to Warm Tortillas. You can also char them with a kitchen torch, if you’re a stickler for a charred tortilla like we are.
More taco recipes
Got tacos on the brain? Here are a few of our favorite taco recipes:
Go for Epic Fish Tacos, Tuna Tacos or Tilapia Fish Tacos Fire up the grill for Grilled Fish Tacos Try fast and easy Quick Shrimp Tacos Go plant-based with Tofu Tacos, Easy Vegan Tacos, Black Bean Tacos or Crispy Avocado Tacos
This salmon tacos recipe is…
Pescatarian. For dairy-free, use 4.7 from 3 reviews
1 pound wild caught salmon fillets, skin on 1 tablespoon cumin 1 teaspoon each chili powder, smoked paprika, and garlic powder ¾ teaspoon kosher salt 2 tablespoons olive oil, plus one drizzle 1 tablespoon butter (or more olive oil for dairy free) 1 tablespoon lime juice
For the tacos
1 recipe Avocado Sauce (or Avocado Crema or Cilantro Sauce) ½ cup pico de gallo (aka fresh salsa, available in the refrigerated section) 1 cup chopped fresh pineapple rings, optional (see Step 6) 8 flour or corn tortillas Red onion, for garnish
**If the salmon is not up to temperature by the time the outside is cooked, set your oven to 400°F and finish it in the oven until the temperature is reached.
