These fish taco bowls with slaw are exactly what they sound like; a deconstructed fish taco with all the delicious toppings piled into a big bowl and enjoyed with hot sauce and a fork.
I was the kid who only ate fish if it was shaped into a stick, fried, and dunked in ketchup. Actually, up until recently, I had never ordered fish off of a menu and I considered it to be one of the few foods I truly did not like. By no means can I now say that I love all seafood, but I have definitely come around and I’m enjoying the variety it adds to my plate. The key, if you’re like me and you’re not a seafood lover, was figuring out what seafood I enjoyed and how I liked it to be prepared. Grilled, baked, or fish prepared in a cast iron skillet all get a big thumbs up. A well-seasoned piece of fish combined with my favorite Tex-Mex flavors makes me a happy lady.
I love tacos and I truly believe that all things wrapped up in a delicious tortilla are good things. The issue is the lack of available delicious tortillas on grocery store shelves here in the United States. We eat tacos at our house weekly and after years of purchasing different kinds of tortillas from various brands, I can’t say that I’ve ever been blown away by what’s offered at my local supermarket. I have a hard time believing that the tortilla is just a vessel for the contents of the taco because I know it’s so much more than that. This is part of the reason I chose to pile everything into a bowl in lieu of a tortilla, and the other reason is that I simply love to make a mess and mix all of my food together.
To make these fish taco bowls with slaw I used cod, a light white fish, and seasoned it with a slightly spicy and flavorful spice blend. The fish is then cooked in a hot cast iron skillet to give it a nice crispy exterior. In a wide bowl, I layered my favorite cilantro lime rice with seasoned black beans, a cabbage slaw, the fish, and a chipotle lime sour cream drizzle. To garnish these fish taco bowls, I topped each with lime wedges, additional cilantro, pepitas, and pickled jalapeño slices.
Enjoy with a side of tortilla chips and my favorite homemade salsa, along with a cold Pacifico with lime.
A delicious deconstructed fish taco bowl with all the yummy toppings. Seasoned and pan-seared white fish with a cabbage slaw, black beans, cilantro lime rice, and a drizzle of chipotle lime sour cream. Serve with additional cilantro, pickled jalapenos, lime wedges, and pepitas.
- 3/4 tsp chili powder
- 1/2 tsp cumin
- 1/4 tsp dried oregano
- 1/4 tsp garlic powder
- 1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
- pinch sea salt
- 2 4 oz. cod, or other white fish, filets
- 1 Tbsp canola, or other high heat cooking oil
- 2 tsp canola, or other high heat cooking oil
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 1 medium tomato, chopped
- 1 14 oz. can of black beans, drained and rinsed, or 1 1/2 cups cooked black beans
- 1/4 tsp cumin
- 1/4 tsp dried oregano
- dash cayenne pepper
- 2 pinches sea salt
- 1 1/4 cups cooked brown rice
- 1/3 cup cilantro, chopped
- 1/2 Tbsp fresh lime juice
- pinch sea salt
- 2 cups red cabbage, sliced thin
- 1 jalapeño, seeded and chopped
- 1/2 cup packed cilantro, chopped
- 3 Tbsp mayonnaise
- 1/2 of a lime, squeezed
- 1/2 tsp agave syrup
- 1/4 tsp garlic powder
- 1/4 tsp + a pinch sea salt
- chipotle-lime sour cream
- 2 Tbsp fresh cilantro, chopped
- 1/4 cup pickled jalapeño slices
- 2 Tbsp pepitas
- lime wedges
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To prepare the fish, in a small bowl mix together all of the dry spices and sprinkle generously on the top and bottom of the fish filets. Heat a cast iron skillet over medium heat until hot. Add the oil and allow to heat up and coat the pan. Add fish filets to the hot skillet and cook for 4 minutes, flip and cook another 2 minutes. Set fish aside for 2 minutes to rest.
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To make the black beans, heat the oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the garlic and saute for 30 seconds. Add the chopped tomato and saute for 3 minutes, or until they've broken down. Stir in the black beans, the cumin, oregano, cayenne, and salt and turn the heat down to low. Cook until the beans are heated through, taste for seasoning. Keep warm.
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For the rice, combine the cooked rice, cilantro, lime juice, and salt in a medium bowl. Mix and adjust seasoning as needed.
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In a medium bowl, combine everything listed for the slaw and stir until thoroughly mixed together. Taste for additional salt, lime juice, or agave and adjust accordingly. Set aside.
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If using, prepare the chipotle-lime sour cream as directed.
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To serve, divide the black beans, cilantro lime rice, and slaw between 2 bowls and top each with a fish filet. Garnish each fish taco bowl with a drizzle of chipotle-lime sour cream, additional cilantro, pickled jalapeños, pepitas, and lime wedges.
I know there is a mountain of items to prepare for this recipe, but a few things can be made ahead of time. Save time by making the rice earlier, and waiting to add the cilantro and lime until just before serving. The slaw can also be prepared ahead of time and refrigerated until ready to serve. I use low-sodium black beans here, so just make sure to adjust salt as needed depending on what canned beans you use.
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