These Crispy Baked Tilapia Fish Tacos are everything—tender, flaky oven-baked breaded fish, tucked into warm corn tortillas and topped with the easiest two-ingredient sauce. So much flavor in every bite!
If you are looking for more ways to use tilapia fish, then try my air fryer breaded tilapia or the crispy baked Mexican fish!
👉 This crispy baked tilapia fish tacos recipe has been a family and reader favorite since I first shared the recipe in 2019. It was updated with new photos and video in January 2025.
👩🍳 Why our recipe?
These crispy breaded tilapia fish tacos are a texture lover’s dream—golden, crunchy, and oh-so-satisfying! A healthier twist on Baja-style tacos, there's no deep frying involved.
Plus, the baked fish is freezer-friendly, making it perfect for quick, fuss-free dinners on busy weeknights. If you have frozen fish sticks in the freezer, then try this tacos using frozen fish sticks.
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Table of contents
Alternative Fish Choices to Use in Place of Tilapia
We love using tilapia because it's available year-round and easy to find in most grocery stores.
Other great options include mild, flaky white fish like cod, mahi mahi, halibut, or snapper—perfect for tacos because they don’t overpower the toppings and hold together well.
I recommend avoiding stronger-flavored fish like salmon, swordfish, or tuna, as their bold taste can dominate the dish.
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Best Sauce for Tilapia Tacos
The creamy sauce for these fish tacos is next-level delicious—and it couldn’t be easier! Made with just two ingredients—store-bought salsa and mayonnaise—it’s rich, flavorful, and has the perfect chunky-creamy texture. So simple, yet so good taco recipe!
- Salsa: Be sure to use a salsa you truly enjoy! I personally love a spicy salsa, but feel free to go with a medium salsa if that’s more your style. Both fresh salsa from the refrigerated section or your favorite jarred variety will work perfectly.
- Mayonnaise: It adds a creamines and yumminess for the sauce! Use as much as you need!
Toppings for Tilapia Tacos
Here's a list of delicious, fresh, and flavorful toppings that pair beautifully with crispy baked tilapia fish tacos.
Quick pickled cabbage: Pickling the cabbage softens it just enough to complement the tender fish—raw cabbage can be too crunchy and overpowering. Simply toss thinly sliced cabbage with red onion, jalapeños, cilantro, a splash of lemon or lime juice, and a pinch of salt. That’s it!
Other suggested toppings:
- Thinly sliced radishes
- Chopped lettuce
- Avocado slices or guacamole
- Sour cream
- Chipotle mayo
- Fresh cilantro
- Squeezed lime wedges
- Jalapeño or serrano slices
- Pico de gallo
More taco ideas
Crispy Baked Tilapia Fish Tacos
Ingredients
Fish
- 1 ½ cups panko bread crumbs
- 1 ½ tablespoons vegetable oil
- 2 tilapia fillets
- 1 egg lightly beaten
- ¼ cup cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon salt
Fish Taco Sauce
- 1 cup salsa drained if watery
- ¼ to ½ cup mayonnaise
- 1 to 2 pinches salt
Slaw for Fish Tacos
- 4 cups finely shredded cabbage
- ½ cup chopped cilantro
- ½ cup thinly sliced red onion
- ½ jalapeños, sliced optional
- 2 teaspoons lemon juice
Addional ingredients, to serve
- 8 corn tortillas
- addional sliced jalapenos
- addional chopped cilantro
- Cotija cheese or queso fresco optional
Instructions
Bake fish
- Toast breadcrumbs Add oil and panko breadcrumbs into a skillet placed over med-high heat and stir continuously until breadcrumbs become deep golden . Transfer into a shallow plate and cool slightly.
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Spray a cookie sheet with non-stick cooking spray and set aside.
- Whisk egg, cornstarch and chili powder, garlic powder, paprika and salt into a large dish, until combined.
- Cut the tilalpia fillets into thick sticks. Add the fish and toss to coat on all sides.
- Transfer each piece of fish into the toasted breadcrumbs, gently pressing it on so that the fish is coated on all sides. Place fish on the cookie sheet. Repeat the process with the remaining fish.
- Bake for 11-15 minutes or until cooked through. Cool.
Assemble
- To make sauce, whisk together salsa, mayonnaise and salt until smooth. Place in the refrigerator until ready to use. (If your salsa is watery, then pour the salsa into a large strainer and let the excess water drain before making the sauce)👉 Use as much mayo as you need!
- To make slaw, toss cabbage, cilantro, onion, jalapeño slices, lemon juice and a dash of salt, until evenly coated.
- Warm the tortillas in the microwave or in a skillet.
- To serve, Place some slaw on a tortilla, top with some fish (break up pieces to fit) and pour the sauce. Top with some cilantro and jalapeños!
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional information, based on third-party calculations, should be seen as estimates, not guarantees, as various factors like product types, brands, processing methods, and more can alter the nutritional content in recipes.
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