Air Fryer Fish Tacos

Our Air Fryer Fish Tacos are tender and juicy with a crispy cornmeal breading. Wrapped in tortillas and topped with authentic Mexican taco toppings, including a delicious garlic lime crema sauce, these fish tacos in the air fryer will be the best you’ve ever had.

recipe overview

Our Air Fryer fish tacos are different than regular everyday tacos. These tacos are a little bit fancier than your usual and topped with sophisticated toppings like chopped cilantro and garlic lime crema.

I’m sharing two recipes here! One for the crispy fish tacos, and another for the amazing and creamy Garlic Lime Crema that you’ll want to put on everything.

You’ll keep coming back to this Air Fryer Fish Taco recipe again and again for its amazing flavors and how simple it is to make. Serve these for dinner if you really want to hear some “wows”.

Fish in the air fryer is easy! You can make Air Fryer Catfish and Air Fryer Tilapia too. Don’t forget the Tartar Sauce!

ingredients list

The list of ingredients for air fryer fish tacos looks long, but I promise it’s not that bad. Most of these ingredients are seasonings! Measure everything out and get ready for an amazing meal.

For the air fryer fish tacos:

• All Purpose Flour – This is the first layer of our crispy breading. Use gluten-free all-purpose flour if required.
• Egg – An egg will help the cornmeal and seasonings stick to the fish.
• Yellow Cornmeal – this milled corn is the perfect size to easily stick to the fish without falling off, and will create an amazing crunch on the outside of each piece.
• Paprika – For a bit of warmth and a reddish color, paprika is the best choice.
• Kosher Salt and Black Pepper – Tacos are rarely seasoned at the table, so make sure to season as you cook.
• Cumin – This warm spice is a must for any taco recipe.
• Dried Parsley – this green herb adds a fresh flavor note.
• Fish – Any firm white fish will work in this recipe. You can use cod or mahi-mahi, and even haddock or flounder. Cut the fish into chunks of about 1 by 1.5 inches.
• Tortillas – I love using yellow corn tortillas for this recipe, but flour tortillas will also be yummy.
• Cabbage and Red Onion – For simplicity, I’m using green coleslaw mix in this recipe, and then adding some thinly sliced red onion.
• Lime Wedges and Fresh Cilantro – These two are for serving and will look so pretty on your plates. They also allow everyone to season their own tacos with extra flavor before eating.

For the garlic lime crema:

• Sour Cream – Cool and creamy, this is the base of our crema sauce.
• Garlic – One minced glove of garlic makes this a super flavorful crema.
• Lime Juice – Fresh lime juice brightens everything up.
• Salt – Salt elevates the other flavors in the dish.
• Hot Sauce – Use your favorite brand here. A little bit goes a long way.

how to make these awesome tacos!

1. Whisk flour, cornmeal, paprika, salt, cumin, parsley, and pepper together in a shallow bowl.
2. In another bowl, beat the egg with water to create an egg wash.
3. Dredge Fish pieces in the flour mixture.
4. Dip them in the egg mixture.
5. Then dredge through the flour mixture a second time.
6. Place fish in an even layer in the air fryer basket. Cook at 400 F/204C for 8-10 minutes, carefully shaking once during cooking.
7. To assemble fish tacos, start by warming up the tortillas in a hot skillet or in the microwave.
8. Fill each tortilla with fish, then top with slaw, onion, and crema. Garnish with cilantro and serve with lime wedges.

don’t forget the sauce!

Every fish taco I’ve ever had has had a creamy sauce drizzled on top. That’s why I created this garlic lime crema recipe. I think it goes perfectly with the fish and the Mexican flavors of the breading.

Making these Garlic Lime Crema sauce

1. In a small bowl, mix together the sour cream, garlic, lime juice, and salt.
2. Add hot sauce to taste.
3. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.
4. Add to tacos!

what to serve with fish tacos

The great thing about tacos is that they are a meal on their own. Side dishes aren’t necessary, but appreciated!

Serve with Southwest Black Beans and your favorite style of rice for extra volume. This meal will be super filling and amazing.

Or make it a Mexican air fryer feast and serve with Air Fryer Tortilla Chips and salsa.

Make air fryer fish tacos for the grownups, and serve Air Fryer Taco Pie for the kids. it’s a win win, particularly if your kids aren’t fish fans.

what type of fish is best for tacos?

You should use a firm white fish for this recipe. Fish that is too soft or flaky will fall apart in the air fryer basket, and we want nice, crispy pieces of fish for our tacos. Cod, halibut, mahi-mahi, and seabass are all good options. Use whichever you enjoy the most.

can I use taco seasoning on these?

Sure! I used a particular blend of spices to create the flavoring for the fish breading, but in a pinch, regular taco or fajita seasoning can be used instead. Use 3 teaspoons of taco seasoning in place of the paprika, salt, pepper, cumin, and parsley.

why isn’t there any oil in this recipe?

You noticed that, huh? You are correct, no oil is needed to make the fish nice and crispy. Because we’re using cornmeal, it already has lots of crunch. If you want, you can spray lightly with oil spray to get the fish extra crispy, but it’s really not required.