Tender, chipotle-spiced salmon topped off with a cool, creamy avocado taco slaw, all wrapped up in a fluffy, warm tortilla, Salmon Tacos are a front-runner for the most universally beloved way to enjoy fish.
For many of us, fish isn’t the first protein our families rally around (unless it’s in the form of crispy Fish and Chips anyway).
Salmon tacos are here to change all that!
These spicy salmon tacos are simple to make even if you aren’t familiar with cooking fish.
From the smoky, succulent salmon to the crunchy, creamy slaw to the warm, soft tortilla, the texture variety makes these the best salmon tacos.
They taste smoky with spices, bright with avocado and lime, and the friendly tortilla vehicle is sure to convince even salmon skeptics to give them a try too.
How to Make Salmon Tacos
The slaw for these tacos is based on my top-rated Shrimp Tacos, which many of you have told me you make every week.
For ease, I baked the salmon in the oven, just like I do with Baked Salmon. Want to grill? Use Grilled Salmon.
If you are new to cooking fish, the oven makes it SO EASY.
You’ll succeed and feel great about it in the process, I promise!
The Ingredients
- Salmon. Flavorful, flaky, and healthy salmon is one of the best fish for tacos! Using my foolproof tips for baking salmon, it turns out moist, tender, and perfectly cooked every time.
Tip!
For more information about baking salmon, check out my Baked Salmon Temperature Guide.
- Chipotle Chili Powder. My spicy salmon taco secret weapon. This one spice packs incredible smokiness and makes the tacos taste like they came from a restaurant.
- Lime Zest + Juice. For brightness and acidity.
- Avocado. Creamy avocado gives the slaw buttery richness (almost like an avocado crema). Avocado is packed with vitamins, potassium, and omega-3s.
- Greek Yogurt. My healthy stand-in for sour cream. It’s another creamy element that gives the slaw body and a slight tanginess.
- Broccoli Slaw. Pre-packaged broccoli slaw is one of my favorite easy shortcuts. It’s tasty and packed with fiber.
- Hot Sauce. For a subtle kick of heat. Add more if you like your tacos extra spicy. (Spicy salmon fans, don’t miss this Blackened Salmon and this Spicy Salmon Recipe.)
- Tortillas. Both flour and corn tortillas make an excellent vessel for serving the salmon and slaw.
- Cheese. Finish off your salmon tacos with delicious feta or queso fresco. I think cotija cheese would work well too.
The Directions
- Combine the avocado, yogurt, and oil in a bowl.
- Stir in the salt, zest, juice, and hot sauce.
- Add the slaw and cilantro. Cover the bowl and refrigerate it.
- Stir the salmon spices together.
- Sprinkle the spices over the salmon on the pan.
- Bake salmon for tacos for 12 to 15 minutes at 425 degrees F. Squeeze lime juice over the salmon. Flake the salmon into the warmed tortillas with a fork, then top with the slaw and cheese. If desired, serve the tacos with lime wedges. DIG IN!
Storage Tips
- To Store. Refrigerate leftover salmon in an airtight storage container for up to 2 days. Refrigerate leftover slaw separately in an airtight storage container for up to 3 days.
- To Reheat. Very gently rewarm leftover salmon on a baking sheet in the oven at 350 degrees F.
Storage Tips
I don’t recommend freezing this dish, as the texture of both the slaw and salmon will be negatively impacted.
Leftover Ideas
Leftover salmon would be delicious served over a bed of Mexican Quinoa. Use any slaw leftovers as a tasty addition to tacos (like these Instant Pot Shredded Chicken Tacos or Vegetarian Tacos) or fajitas recipe (like Steak Fajitas).
What to Serve with Salmon Tacos
- Beans. Crock Pot Pinto Beans and Instant Pot Black Beans go well with salmon tacos.
- Salad. Both Mexican Street Corn Quinoa Salad and Black Bean Corn Salad would pair well with fish tacos.
- Fries. Air Fryer French Fries would be a hit with these tacos.
- Dips. From the Best Guacamole Recipe to Mexican Corn Dip, you can’t go wrong with a tasty dip and tortilla chips. Don’t forget the salsa (a mango salsa or pineapple salsa would be wonderful)!
- Rice. Cilantro lime rice is a good side dish to have with salmon tacos.
Recommended Tools to Make this Recipe
- Baking Sheet. You’ll use these on repeat!
- Citrus Juicer. The tool you need for juicing lemons and limes.
- Mixing Bowls. This set has a bowl for mixing the spices and preparing the slaw for this simple salmon tacos recipe.
The Best Baking Sheets
Not only are these durable, high-quality baking sheets perfect for baking salmon tacos, but they’re also wonderful for roasting vegetables, cookies, and so much more!
These Salmon Tacos are one of our new favorite ways to eat fish. I can’t wait for you to try them too!
Frequently Asked Questions
For those who prefer a grilled salmon tacos recipe, you can certainly cook the salmon on the grill instead. Refer to my Grilled Salmon in Foil for tips on how to cook the fish.
(Craving more fish on the grill? Check out this Grilled Cod.)
These fish tacos are healthy and full of beneficial nutrients. The health benefits of fish, especially fish like salmon that are high in omega-3 fatty acids which are important to heart and brain health, are widely touted. This recipe also utilizes avocado, protein-packed Greek yogurt, and a slaw made from nutritious vegetables.
I haven’t tried making these healthy salmon tacos using the air fryer, but I think it would be delicious. Reference my Air Fryer Salmon recipe for tips and tricks on cooking time and temperature.
Between the creamy slaw and cheese, we don’t typically add any other toppings to our salmon tacos. However, you can certainly add some fresh herbs (like cilantro), chopped red onion, Quick Pickled Red Onions, or your favorite salsa.
No, these salmon tacos are plenty juicy and flavorful without a marinade. This is ideal because it makes the recipe prep time (and total time) quick and easy.
Salmon Tacos Video
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Salmon Tacos
Ingredients
FOR THE SALMON:
- 1 pound center-cut salmon fillet
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1 1/4 teaspoons chipotle chile powder this has a kick. Use less according to your tastes.
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 small lime zest and juice, divided (about 1 teaspoon zest and 1 1/2 tablespoons juice)
- 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- Corn or flour tortillas for serving
- Crumbled feta cheese or queso fresco for serving
FOR THE SLAW:
- 1 medium ripe Hass avocado
- 1/2 cup nonfat plain Greek yogurt
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 small limes zest and juice, about 2 teaspoons zest and 3 tablespoons juice
- 1/2 teaspoon Sriracha or hot sauce of choice plus additional to taste
- 3 cups broccoli slaw mix or shredded cabbage
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
Instructions
- Prepare the slaw: In a mixing bowl, mash the avocado, Greek yogurt, and olive oil together until mostly smooth.
- Stir in the salt, lime zest and juice, and hot sauce.
- Stir in the slaw and cilantro. Taste and adjust hot sauce and salt as desired. Cover with plastic, pressing the plastic against the top of the mixture to deter the avocado from browning, and refrigerate until ready to serve. (The slaw can sit for several hours and will taste better if it rests for at least 1 hour; if you don’t have time, the resting while you prep the salmon will still give you good results.)
- Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Line a baking dish or rimmed baking sheet large enough to hold the salmon with parchment paper or foil. Place the salmon in the center and pat dry. Brush the top of the salmon with the oil.
- In a small bowl, stir together the chipotle powder, garlic powder, lime zest, and salt.
- With a small spoon, sprinkle it evenly over the top of the salmon. (Reserve the zested lime for serving).
- Transfer the dish to the oven and bake the salmon for 12 to 15 minutes, depending on the thickness of the fish (a 1-inch fillet will take around 12 minutes), until the salmon is just cooked through and reaches 140 to 145 degrees F on an instant read thermometer (fish is done at 145; once mine hits 140, I remove it to a plate, cover it, and let it rest for several minutes; the carryover cooking will finish the rest).
- Cut the zested lime in half or into quarters and squeeze the juice over the top of the salmon. To serve, pile the salmon and slaw into the warmed tortillas. Top with cheese. Enjoy warm, with a dash of extra hot sauce as desired.
Video
Notes
- This salmon on its own has a definite kick and is on the salty side. Don’t skip the slaw, which helps to cool it. If you don’t have time to make the slaw, try topping the salmon with sliced fresh avocado, a dollop of Greek yogurt, and an extra squeeze of lime juice and a pinch of kosher salt.
- TO STORE: Refrigerate leftover salmon in an airtight storage container for up to 2 days. Refrigerate leftover slaw separately in an airtight storage container for up to 3 days.Â
- TO REHEAT: Very gently rewarm leftover salmon on a baking sheet in the oven at 350 degrees F.Â
Nutrition
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will be making this soon can i use mushrooms vegan cheese coconut yogurt as am a vegan i never had tacos before perfect for my office snacks i just subscribed to your channel will dm you if i make this and let you know how it goes Thanks Ramya
Hi Ramya! I think you could experiment with it. I hope you enjoy the recipe!
Made this for dinner, and it was soooooo good!!! Tons of flavor and super simple to make (even after the exhaustion of getting off a 4 night stretch of night shifts as an RN). We love your recipes.
I’m SO happy that you enjoyed it, Heather! Thank you for sharing this kind review!
You are my hero! These are incredible. So easy and the flavor is remarkable.
So so happy to hear this Lorna, thank you!
These were such a breeze to make, and they had wonderful flavor! We opted for the grilled salmon route, which was so tasty. I’ll definitely be making these a part of my regular dinner rotation!
I’m so happy that you enjoyed them, Taylor! Thank you for sharing this kind review!
I wouldn’t change anything about this recipe. I used broccoli slaw. Amazing!
Thank you for taking the time to share this kind review, Nicole! I’m so happy to hear that you enjoyed this recipe!
This was so good and easy. I will definitely make this again and again
Hi Laura! So glad you enjoyed the tacos! Thank you for this kind review!
It was super easy and it came out great! I personalized the avocado/broccoli recipe a bit, but pretty much stayed the course. Quick, easy and gourmet; my family loved it!
Hi! So glad you enjoyed it! Thank you for this kind review!
Fun to try, not a repeat recipe. We didn’t try the slaw, but he followed the salmon seasoning carefully. It was fun, but flavors were bitter and overpowering. It’s easy and fast, so it had that bonus.
I’m sorry to hear the recipe wasn’t to your taste, Jennifer. I know it’s disappointing to try a new recipe and not enjoy it. I (and many other readers) have enjoyed it, so I really wish they would’ve been a hit for you too!
So delicious and so easy! We were a little suspicious of broccoli slaw but it turned out great. Thank you!
Hi Jill! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for this kind review!
My first try at making fish tacos. These weee great my whole family loved them!!! Healthy ingredients and my kids loved the broccoli slaw.
Hi Fernando! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for this kind review!
Amazing my family loved them Ty for sharing
Hi Mindy! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for this kind review!
Made this tonight and wow! So yummy. I used regular chili powder for the salmon and it was delicious.
Hi Madeline! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for this kind review.
Absolutely delicious! Super quick and easy
Hi Kathy! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for this kind review!
I really liked the seasoning mix for the salmon; has a definite “bite” to it. The slaw is nice but the avocado flavor gets lost in the lime juice so next time I’ll make this with 2 avocados!
Hi Samantha! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for this kind review!
I do not like plain yogurt. I’m not on any kind of restricted diet, so can I sub sour cream for the yogurt? Can’t wait to try this recipe!
Hi Karen! I use yogurt for lots of my recipes just as a preference not because of any diet so you can definitely substitute it for sour cream. Hope you enjoy it!
Delicious and easy, are very forgiving! My husband doesn’t do a lot of spice so I made the salmon with paprika and a bit of cayenne, and it worked out very well! The slaw was amazing, we all loved it! Definitely a repeat!
Hi Marie! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for this kind review!
Although mine didn’t look exactly like the picture, they were outstanding! We loved the spice mix on the salmon, and the recipe was really easy. The avocado salad is AMAZING. Thanks, Erin!
We also tried the Mexican Street Corn Salad, which was a great side. I’m sure I’ll be making both dishes again soon.
Hi Marnie! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for this kind review!