These seriously Easy Cod Fish Tacos are SO delicious and take under 30 minutes to make! The cod itself is marinated and mouthwatering with flavor, while the homemade Avocado Ranch Dressing drizzled on top is creamy and perfectly complimentary to the tacos. Make a batch of these easy tacos before the summer’s over!

Several fish tacos are presented on a white plate and are all drizzled with avocado ranch dressing.


Easy Cod Fish Tacos

When it comes to summertime dinners, it doesn’t get much better than these easy cod fish tacos! They encompass everything I love about summer cuisine in every single bite. For example, when I think summer, I think seafood – and this cod couldn’t be more delicious!

It’s marinated in a medley of exciting flavors like lime juice and paprika, and chili powder. To keep things bright and zesty, I always serve these summery fish tacos with cilantro, avocado lime dressing, fresh jalapeños and a squeeze of lime juice.

The best part? The cod marinates for just 10 to 15 minutes, then cooks for under 10 minutes in the pan. This is such a quick recipe! My main advice is to have all of the other fresh ingredients chopped and prepared, that way you can assemble the tacos as soon as the fish is opaque, hot, and ready.

Speaking of assembling, there are plenty of other ingredients you could add to these tacos to really personalize them and make them your own! A light sprinkle of cojita cheese, diced white onion or Homemade Pico de Gallo would all be tasty additions.

I love making these easy cod fish tacos for weeknight dinners with the family, but they’re also great to make when you’re having guests over. It’s always annoying to be stuck in the kitchen for hours preparing a great dinner for guests, so why not keep the party going and make these quick and delicious fish tacos?

They’re a great summertime meal that you don’t have to fire up the grill for! Plus, they’re tacos… Who doesn’t like tacos, right?! Whether you make them for you family as a weeknight delight or to entertain dinner guests, you’ll be so glad you used this reliable recipe!

Jalapeno slices and lime wedges are placed on a plate with fish tacos.

How to Make Fish Tacos

  1. Marinate. In a medium bowl, whisk together 1 tablespoon olive oil, lime juice, chili powder, paprika and cumin. Add the fish and toss to coat. Marinade for 10-15 minutes.
  2. Heat the oil. Heat the remaining olive oil in a large skillet over medium high heat.
  3. Season. Remove the fish from the marinade and season with salt and pepper on both sides.
  4. Cook. Add the fish to the pan and cook for 3-5 minutes. Flip the fish over and continue cooking for an additional 3-5 minutes or until cooked through. The fish will be opaque when fully cooked.
  5. Heat the tortillas. Heat the tortillas according to package directions or toast on a grill until slightly charred.
  6. Divide. Divide the fish among the tortillas and arrange in the center of each tortilla.
  7. Assemble. Top with cabbage, pico de Gallo, jalapeños, cilantro and drizzle with avocado ranch dressing. Serve with a lime wedge, and enjoy!
Several cod tacos are on a spotted plate.

How can I make these fish tacos spicy?

The jalapeños on top will certainly help with the spice level! However, if you’re craving even more heat, replace the jalapeños with serrano peppers. Also, feel free to toss some cayenne powder into the marinade to really amp up the spice with the fish!

How long can I marinate the fish?

You only really need to marinate the fish for about 10-15 minutes for the flavor to soak in. Like I said, this is a super quick and easy recipe! However, if you need to, you can marinate the fish for up to an hour. With that in mind, fish isn’t like most other proteins and shouldn’t be marinated longer than an hour, especially not overnight. If marinated for too long, the fish will become mushy and lose its desired shape.

Four fish tacos are placed on a rectangular white plate.

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Jalapeno slices and lime wedges are placed on a plate with fish tacos.

Get the Recipe: Easy Cod Fish Tacos with Avocado Ranch Dressing

Fresh, vibrant Cod Fish Tacos are topped with a zingy pico de gallo and creamy Avocado Ranch Dressing. An easy dinner that's a fun addition to Taco night!
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Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
  • 2 tablespoons lime juice
  • 2 teaspoons chili powder
  • 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 2 lbs cod, or other firm white fish
  • 1/2 cup chopped purple cabbage
  • 1 cup Pico de Gallo
  • 1 cup Avocado Ranch Dressing
  • 8 corn tortillas
  • 1 sliced jalapeno, optional
  • 1/2 cup chopped cilantro, optional
  • Lime wedges, for serving

Equipment

  • skillet

Instructions 

  • In a medium bowl, whisk together 1 tablespoon olive oil, lime juice, chili powder, paprika and cumin.
  • Add the fish and toss to coat. Marinade for 10-15 minutes.
  • Heat the remaining olive oil in a large skillet over medium high heat.
  • Remove the fish from the marinade and season with salt and pepper on both sides.
  • Add the fish to the pan and cook for 3-5 minutes. Flip the fish over and continue cooking for an additional 3-5 minutes or until cooked through. (Fish will be opaque.)
  • Heat the tortillas according to package directions or toast on a grill until slightly charred.
  • Divide the fish among the tortillas and arrange in the center of each tortilla.
  • Top with cabbage, pico de Gallo, jalapeños, cilantro and drizzle with avocado ranch dressing.
  • Serve with lime wedges.

Notes

Fish tacos are best enjoyed soon after cooking but the fish can be cooked up to 24 hours in advance and stored in the refrigerator.
To reheat, add to a hot skillet to warm through before assembling the tacos.
Calories: 400kcal, Carbohydrates: 34g, Protein: 44g, Fat: 10g, Saturated Fat: 2g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g, Monounsaturated Fat: 6g, Cholesterol: 98mg, Sodium: 566mg, Potassium: 1124mg, Fiber: 4g, Sugar: 7g, Vitamin A: 1204IU, Vitamin C: 19mg, Calcium: 93mg, Iron: 2mg