Tulo

Baja Fish Tacos Recipe

Crispy beer-battered fish tacos with a crunchy cabbage slaw and a creamy chipotle sauce, the Baja California original.
Photo by Amy Farías on Pexels

Cold beer batter fries up thin and shatteringly crisp rather than doughy, and the acidic, crunchy slaw cuts through the fried fish's richness so the whole taco doesn't taste one-note.

Prep
20 min
Cook
15 min
Total
35 min
Servings
4

Ingredients

Servings4
  • 1 lb white fish fillets (cod or mahi mahi)
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup cold beer (Mexican lager)
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 3 cups neutral oil, for frying
  • 2 cups green cabbage, shredded
  • 1/2 cup mayonnaise
  • 1 tbsp chipotle peppers in adobo, minced
  • 2 tbsp lime juice
  • 12 tortillas corn tortillas

Nutrition per serving

Calories
580
Protein
28g
Carbs
63g
Fat
23g

Based on the recipe as written, one serving. Recalculates if you swap an ingredient above. An estimate only, exact values depend on the specific ingredients used.

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Instructions

  1. 1Whisk together the mayonnaise, minced chipotle, and 1 tablespoon of the lime juice for the chipotle sauce; set aside.
  2. 2Toss the shredded cabbage with the remaining lime juice; set aside.
  3. 3Cut the fish into 1-inch-wide strips and pat dry.
  4. 4Whisk the flour, baking powder, and salt, then whisk in the cold beer until just combined (a few lumps are fine).
  5. 5Heat the oil in a deep pot to 375°F (190°C).
  6. 6Dip each fish strip in the batter, let excess drip off, and fry in batches for 3-4 minutes until golden and crisp. Drain on a wire rack.
  7. 7Warm the tortillas and assemble with fried fish, cabbage slaw, and a drizzle of chipotle sauce.

Tips & variations

  • Keep the batter cold right up until it hits the oil, a cold batter against hot oil is what makes the crust shatter instead of turning gummy.
  • Fry in small batches, too much fish at once drops the oil temperature and the batter absorbs oil instead of crisping.

Storage & reheating

Best eaten fresh, fried batter doesn't hold well. If needed, refrigerate the fried fish up to a day and reheat in a hot oven, not a microwave, to bring back some crispness.

Tips from the Tulo kitchen

  • Set the batter bowl in a larger bowl of ice water while you work, it stays cold much longer than just leaving it on the counter between batches.
  • A wire rack over a sheet pan drains the fried fish better than paper towels, which trap steam underneath and soften the bottom crust.

FAQ

What's the best fish for fish tacos?

A mild, firm white fish like cod, mahi mahi, or halibut holds up best to frying without falling apart. Avoid delicate, flaky fish like tilapia for the fried version.

Can I bake instead of fry the fish?

Beer batter specifically needs frying to set and crisp properly, it won't crisp the same way in an oven. For a baked version, use a panko breadcrumb coating instead and bake at 425°F (220°C) until golden.

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