Taco Tuesday just got a major upgrade! These boldly flavored Salmon Tacos are not only delicious, but so fun to assemble and enjoy for taco night! You’ll love their bright, zingy flavor that comes through in every bite.
It starts with slow baked salmon that’s rubbed in warm spices, like chili powder, oregano, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, and some chili flakes for heat! Once a perfect medium, the tender salmon is flaked and served over warm tortillas with Cabbage Slaw, Pineapple Salsa, and our cool, creamy Cilantro Lime Crema.
It’s truly the perfect salmon dinner. The only thing that would make this dinner better is a homemade Margarita! Okay, fine — two margaritas!
Ingredients Needed
For the salmon, you’ll need the following:
- Fresh salmon fillet, about 1½-2 lbs, skin on or off. This is Atlantic salmon, though you can check out our salmon guide for more information on the different species.
- Olive oil: or neutral oil, for rubbing on the salmon flesh.
- Dried spices: chili powder, dried oregano, sweet paprika, Kosher salt, garlic powder, onion powder, and crushed red pepper flakes.
The salmon gets its unique and robust taste from the combination of spices. It’s absolutely flavor-packed! If you’re looking for a bolder spice rub, try turning our Blackened Salmon into tacos!
For serving: corn tortillas (look for street taco size, about 4½” round), lime wedges or rounds, and fresh cilantro! The more, the better!!
We recommend serving salmon tacos with our Cabbage Slaw, Pineapple Salsa, and Cilantro Lime Crema. For extra heat, consider adding sliced jalapeños or pickled jalapeños!
How To Make Salmon Tacos
Let’s start by slow roasting the salmon. This requires a lower oven temperatue.
- Prepare the salmon. Preheat the oven to 275F. Pat the salmon fillet dry lightly with a paper towel, then place on a parchment lined baking sheet. Drizzle with a couple tablespoons of oil, then season generously with Kosher sal, black pepper, and dried spices.
- Bake the salmon. Place in a preheated oven, then cook for 20-24 minutes, or until the internal temperature of the salmon registers 120F and the fish flakes easily with a fork. (If you prefer to grill or pan sear, that’s totally fine.)
We recommend the Thermapen MK4 to check for doneness on all meats!
From here, the slow baked salmon is ready to pile high onto your favorite corn tortillas (save the flour tortillas for fajitas!) with all your favorite taco toppings. Don’t forget a squeeze of fresh lime juice, an absolute must. We’ve got lots of suggestions below!
How To Warm Tortillas For Tacos
This is a crucial step in the success of any taco night, am I right?! We like to heat up tortillas on a gas stove, simply because it’s so easy.
Turn a gas burner onto a low heat, then one at a time place a tortilla directly on the burner. Use tongs to flip every 10-15 seconds until the tortilla is evenly charred on both sides. Repeat with remaining tortillas.
Keep Tortillas Warm Until Serving!
Transfer the warm tortillas to a damp paper towel, then wrap tightly around all tortillas. The steam inside will help to keep them warm.
Alternatively, you can heat tortillas in a skillet over medium heat. Warm through for about 30-45 seconds per side.
Expert Tips
- When buying salmon, make sure to choose a firm and fresh piece of fish. Avoid salmon that has a fishy smell or looks dull in color.
- Rubbing the spices on the salmon before cooking adds a ton of flavor and helps to create a crispy outer layer. Feel free to add other spices, such as cumin!
- Make sure to warm the tortillas before assembling the tacos. This will make them more pliable and prevent them from cracking.
- Reheating salmon: You can microwave on half power (you don’t want it to overcook!) or warm gently in an oven or toaster oven preheated to 350F.
FAQs
Yes, you can use frozen salmon for this recipe. Just make sure to thaw it completely before cooking and pat dry well with paper towels to absorb excess moisture.
Corn tortillas! Save the flour tortillas for fajitas! If you’re gluten-free, you can certainly substitute with a gf tortilla. There are lots of great options on the market. Consider looking at Siete brand tortillas!
Seafood has a shorter shelf life than other proteins. Store leftovers in an airtight container in a refrigerator and use the salmon within 3 days.
Of course! This same rub is delicious on cod, arctic char, mahi mahi, and shrimp (who doesn’t love shrimp tacos?)!
How To Serve
These salmon fish tacos are so versatile that you can top it with any of your favorite taco toppings!
- Cabbage slaw for tacos
- Ripe avocado
- Chopped white or red onion. Our quick pickled red onions are fantastic on tacos!
- Pineapple salsa or pineapple mango salsa
- Avocado crema or cilantro lime crema! Even a simple drizzle of sour cream would be great.
- Mexican hot sauce
- Thinly sliced radishes
- All the cilantro!!!
Alternatively, if you want to make salmon taco bowls, you could serve the salmon over white rice or Cilantro Lime Rice. It would be fantastic with an elote-inspired corn salad!
Other side dishes to pair with the tacos:
- Grilled Corn Salad With Zucchini
- Rice and beans
- Chips and guacamole or your favorite salsas!
This is easily one of our all time favorite taco recipes! For more Taco Tuesday inspiration, consider trying the following:
- 20 Minute Chorizo Tacos
- Tacos De Carnitas
- Grilled Fish Tacos
- Braised Lamb Tacos
- 20 Minute Smoked Salmon Breakfast Tacos
Tender, Flaky Salmon Tacos
Equipment
Ingredients
For the salmon
- 2 lb side of salmon skin on or off
- 2 Tbsp olive oil or neutral oil
- 1 tsp chili powder
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1 tsp sweet paprika
- 1 tsp Kosher salt
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- ½ tsp onion powder
- ¼ tsp crushed red pepper flakes
For serving
- 10-12 corn tortillas street taco size, about 4½ inches round
- Lime wedges for serving
- Fresh cialntro for serving
- Pineapple salsa
- Red cabbage slaw
- Cilantro lime crema
Instructions
- Season the salmon. Pat the salmon dry lightly with a paper towel, then place on a parchment lined baking sheet. (Optional grilling instructions below.) Drizzle or brush on 2 Tbsp oil. In a small bowl, whisk together 1 tsp chili powder, 1 tsp dried oregano, 1 tsp Kosher salt, ½ tsp garlic powder, ½ tsp onion powder, and ¼ tsp crushed red pepper flakes. Mix well, then sprinkle liberally over the top of the salmon.
- Cook the salmon. You can either bake at 275F for 20-24 minutes, or grill. Grilling instructions below. Salmon is fully cooked when an internal temperature of 120F is reached.
- Warm the tortillas. We like to do this on our gas stovetop. Turn a gas burner onto a low to medium heat, then one at a time place a tortilla directly on the burner. Use tongs to flip every 10-15 seconds until the tortilla is evenly charred on both sides. Repeat with remaining tortillas. Transfer to a damp paper towel, then wrap tightly around all tortillas. The steam inside will help to keep the tortillas warm. Alternatively, you can heat up the tortillas in a skillet over medium heat. Warm through for about 30-45 seconds per side.
- Assemble the tacos. Place a bit of cabbage slaw on each tortilla, then top with a little salmon, a drizzle of cilantro lime crema, and the pineapple salsa. Serve immediately with lime wedges and additional fresh cilantro!
Notes
- Nutrition facts are for baked salmon and tortillas only, they do not include additional toppings.
- To grill salmon: Prepare a grill over medium-high heat until preheated to 450F. Spray the grates with nonstick cook spray or brush lightly with oil. When ready, place the prepared salmon skin side down directly over the heat. Cook for 5-7 minutes with the lid closed, or until the salmon lifts away easily from the grill without sticking. Carefully flip the salmon over, then close the lid and cook an additional 2-4 minutes. Use a large spatula to transfer the grilled salmon to a serving plate. Assemble the tacos, then serve.
- Leftovers and storage: Place leftover salmon in an airtight container in a refrigerator. Keep for up to 3 days (seafood has a shorter shelf life than other proteins). Assemble tacos fresh to order.
- Reheating salmon: You can microwave on half power (you don’t want it to overcook!) or warm gently in an oven or toaster oven preheated to 350F.
- Frozen salmon: If using frozen salmon, allow to thaw completely before cooking. Pat dry well with paper towels to absorb excess moisture.
- Other seafood: The same rub can be used with mahi mahi, cod, arctic char, or even shrimp!
- Tortillas: We recommend corn tortillas. Save the flour tortillas for fajitas!
Nutrition
Photography by Jo Harding.
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