Fish Taco Bowls with Avocado Crema (Easy Recipe)

My 30-minute Fish Taco Bowls with Avocado Crema make for a fresh, tangy, and zesty weeknight dinner. Super fun and a flavorful swap for everyday tacos!

Why You’ll Love Them!

We all know loaded burrito bowls and grain bowls make for filling and healthy meals, so why can’t we do the same with our favorite tacos?

Crispy pan fried white fish, vibrant avocado cream sauce, and homemade mango salsa overtop freshly cooked rice is all it takes to make these flavorful Fish Taco Bowls with Avocado Crema!

They’re a quick, easy, and fresh weeknight dinner and an inventive solution when you want to switch things up on Taco Tuesday.

I took a short cut and seasoned my pan fried fish with a homemade taco seasoning. It’s a quick mix that gives each piece of fish a little smokiness and just a hint of spice. Plus, the flavors pair beautifully with the bounty of colorful toppings.

Ingredients Needed

  • White Fish – Mahi mahi, cod, tilapia, halibut, etc.
  • Taco Seasoning – I like to make my own homemade taco seasoning. But you can also purchase a packet of taco seasoning. You’ll need 1 Tablespoon of taco seasoning. Tip: Here’s how much taco seasoning is in one packet.
  • Lime
  • Olive Oil
  • Cooked Rice – For serving. Brown rice, white rice or cauliflower rice. Have you tried making instant pot rice yet? Total game changer!
  • Red Cabbage – Thinly sliced, for topping your bowls. Or, you can use coleslaw mix.
  • Mango – You can use frozen or fresh mango.
  • Red Onion
  • Jalapeno
  • Cilantro
  • Greek Yogurt – Or sour cream.
  • Garlic
  • Salt & Pepper

What Kind of Fish is Best?

Any fish you love! Fish taco bowls are easy to customize and you can use your favorite kind of fish as the star of the show. Go ahead and use salmon, steelhead, mahi mahi, halibut, tilapia, or even shrimp if you want.

I like tender and soft sauteed fish pieces but if you prefer them breaded and fried, go for it! There are no rules when it comes to fish tacos.

Overhead shot of fish taco bowl next to small bowls of mango salsa and avocado.

How to Make Them

Start by making the mango salsa either before serving or up to 2 days ahead. Simply combine all the ingredients in a bowl, cover it with plastic, and keep it in the fridge until it’s time to serve.

The avocado cream sauce can also be made a few days ahead. Use a food processor to smooth out all of the sauce ingredients, then season with salt and pepper to taste. Keep it in a sealed jar in the fridge until you’re ready to serve.

Heat a skillet with some oil over medium-high heat and add the fish. Season the pieces with homemade taco seasoning and lime juice. Cook until the pieces are crispy, golden brown, and cooked through.

Now the fun part: assembly! Add some cooked rice to 4 bowls and layer the fish, cabbage, mango salsa, and avocado sauce on top. Enjoy!

Can I bake the fish instead?

Of course! To bake the fish, layer the filets on a foil-lined baking sheet. Mix the taco seasoning with the oil and brush it on both sides of the fish. Bake in a 400ºF oven for about 25 minutes or until the fish flakes easily with a fork. Break the fillets into small pieces, then layer the cooked fish on top of your bowls.

Overhead shot of fish taco bowl next to small bowls of mango salsa and avocado.

Fish Taco Bowl Toppings

Replicate your favorite fish tacos by filling up your bowl with these toppings:

Tips and Tricks

  • You can make the rice, avocado sauce, and mango salsa up to 2 days ahead of time. Store them in separate containers in the fridge until it’s time to assemble the taco bowls.
  • The fish pieces shouldn’t need more than 5 to 7 minutes in the pan. Just watch them carefully as they can overcook easily.
  • You can replicate this with any taco recipe you want! Forget the tortillas and layer chicken, steak, carnitas, or shrimp over rice or greens.
  • Make this recipe low carb by swapping the rice for cauliflower rice.
  • Dig into the bowls with a fork or use tortilla chips instead!

What to Serve with Them

Wine Pairings

  • A medium-bodied wine with some good citrus would be a great match for these fish tacos. Try a Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Gris, or Vinho Verde.

How to Make Ahead & Store

Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days. I like to store the avocado crema and mango salsa separately. Reheat in the microwave or in a skillet on the stove.

Overhead shot of taco bowl in white bowl.

More Seafood Recipes

More Bowl Recipes

More Taco Recipes

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Overhead shot of fish taco bowl next to small bowls of mango salsa and avocado.

Fish Taco Bowls Recipe

These Fish Taco Bowls with Mango Salsa & Avocado Creama make a quick and healthy weeknight dinner that's ready in under 30-minutes!
5 from 5 votes
Print Pin
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Servings: 4 people

Ingredients

  • 1 pound white fish (cut into 1-inch pieces (Mahi Mahi, cod, tilapia))
  • 1 Tbsp taco seasoning
  • 1/2 lime (juiced)
  • 1 Tbsp olive oil (extra virgin)
  • 2 cups cooked rice (white or brown)
  • 1 cup red cabbage (thinly sliced)

Mango Salsa

Avocado Cream Sauce

Instructions

Mango Salsa

  • Combine ingredients in a bowl, cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Avocado Crema

  • Combine avocado, lime juice, cilantro and greek yogurt in a blender or food processor and process until smooth, adding water if necessary to reach a smooth consistency. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.

Taco Bowls

  • Add oil to a large skillet and heat over medium-high. Add fish and sprinkle with taco seasoning and lime juice. Cook until browned and cooked through, 4-5 minutes.
  • Assemble fish taco bowls by dividing the rice between 4 bowls and topping with fish, cabbage, mango salsa and avocado cream sauce. Enjoy!

Notes

The mango salsa and avocado cream sauce can be made up to 2-days ahead of time. Store the avocado cream sauce in a sandwich bag with the air squeezed out. When ready to serve, snip a corner off the bag and pipe onto your bowls.
Did you make this recipe?Mention @platingsandpairings or tag #platingsandpairings!

Equipment

Food processor
Blender
Knife
Large Skillet

Nutrition

Calories: 397kcal | Carbohydrates: 44g | Protein: 28g | Fat: 13g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 57mg | Sodium: 129mg | Potassium: 838mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 12g | Vitamin A: 1305IU | Vitamin C: 59.3mg | Calcium: 68mg | Iron: 1.6mg

This mahi mahi taco bowl recipe was originally published in 2017. It was updated in 2021 to add new photographs, and again in 2023 to add new content. The recipe remains the same. Enjoy!

23 thoughts on “Fish Taco Bowls with Avocado Crema (Easy Recipe)”

  1. Love the idea of a fish taco bowl! I too really like fish tacos, but agree that sometimes tacos are just too messy! Also agree this makes me totally crave summer. So glad we have finally seen some sunshine!!

    Reply
      • You know… I have an amazing summer dinner recipe I make all the time because they are SO easy and refreshing!! “Black Bean Baked Burritos”
        I think and feel summer just thinking of them~also I’ve made for dinner when friends are over and everyone just loves ‘em! SO nutritious too 😉

        Reply
  2. Two 6 oz frozen mahi-mahi filets, sprinkled with ground chipotle pepper and cinnamon, pressure-cooked in our Instant Pot. Fish tacos, including all the prep, ready in 20 minutes! Colleen

    Reply

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