Healthy Fish Tacos (with broccoli slaw)

I am a caviar girl on a bologna budget, and freshwater fish is not always a viable option. So... looking to trim the food budget, I reluctantly bought a very large $10.00 bag of frozen sole at Superstore (to try it) and made these easy and Healthy Fish Tacos (with broccoli slaw).

I don't like that 'fishy taste' that often accompanies saltwater fish, so I tried this food hack, where you soak the fish in milk to remove the fishy taste, and it worked! So if you want to get rid of that 'fishy' taste in saltwater fish and save money, use frozen fish and defrost fillets in MILK. Yes, this really works! I didn't even think I would like fish tacos, much less LOVE them. Because of this little food hack, now I do! This recipe is Weight Watchers Friendly @ 3 WW points.

🥘 Ingredient Notes

For these healthy fish tacos, you'll need:

• Fish. Sole is the best frozen fish for this fish taco recipe because the milk trick works really well with it, but you could substitute another saltwater fish (see variations and substitutions below
• Milk. You can use any kind of milk. I use 1% or 2% milk because it's what I have on hand. If you use a freshwater fish or don't mind the 'fishy taste', skip the milk soaking.
• Broccoli slaw. I prefer the broccoli slaw, but if I can't get it I use coleslaw or broccoli salad mix.
• Fresh lime and cilantro. I highly recommend using both fresh lime and cilantro for a burst of freshness and authentic flavor.
• Mayonnaise. I use Hellman's ½ the fat.
• Agave. I prefer to use agave as a sweetener because it has a more subdued taste than honey, and you only need half the amount of honey. It's also allergy-friendly.
• Tamed jalapenos or pepperoncini. Tamed jalapenos have a nice bite, but aren't too hot. Pepperoncini is even a little bit milder.

*Please see recipe card for full list of ingredients and quantities

📖Variations & Substitutions

• Fish - you can use cod or another saltwater fish as a substitute
• Garlic - you can use minced garlic from a jar, if you don't have fresh garlic
• Salsa - you can use any type of salsa or make your own Salsa -Pico de Gallo, or alternatively, you can use a creamy sauce
• Spicy - you can increase the spice level by using regular jalapenos instead of tamed.
• Taco shells - you can use hard taco shells, soft taco shells, or corn tortillas (gluten-free)
• Lime juice - fresh is the best, but you could substitute lime juice from concentrate (you'll need ½ the amount of fresh)
• Cajun seasoning - you could substitute chili powder or chili powder for the Cajun seasoning
• Green onions - you could substitute red onion
• Oil - you could use canola or another vegetable oil in place of olive oil (or skip it and use a non-stick cooking spray to reduce WW points)
• Add-ins- avocado slices

How to get rid of the fishy taste in fish

Use milk! If you like the price of frozen saltwater fish, but not the 'fishy taste', you will love this cooking hack! You simply soak the fish in milk for about 1-1.5 hours, and you will be blown away by how well it works.

🔪 How to Make Fish Tacos with Broccoli Slaw

Heads up: The fish needs 1.5 hrs to thaw in the milk!

1. Step 1: Place fish in a shallow pan (bottom of a broiler pan or large cake pan, or roaster. *Skip soaking the fish in milk if you are using freshwater fish or don't mind the fishy taste of saltwater fish.

2. Cover the fish in milk for 1-1.5 hours, and flip halfway through. The milk doesn't have to completely cover the fish. I defrost it on the counter, but you could put it in the fridge. You could do this overnight in the fridge, as well.

3. Step 3: Prepare the broccoli slaw: Place the coleslaw in a medium bowl, and sprinkle with ¼ teaspoon of salt.

4. Step 4: In a small. bowl, whisk together the dressing ingredients: minced garlic, lime juice, agave, and mayonnaise.

5. Step 5: Mix in tamed jalapenos or pepperoncini and green onions.

6. Step 6: Pour dressing over the broccoli mix and toss to combine.

7. Step 7: Once the fish is fully defrosted (which should only take 1-1.5 hrs) on the counter, prepare the fish: Drain the milk, then pat the fish dry with paper towels (you will need quite a few). 

8. Step 8: Heat olive oil in a non-stick pan and fry fish over medium-high heat, sprinkling salt, pepper, and Cajun seasoning.

9. Step 9: Cook until there is some browning on the bottom, then reduce to medium-low. Break apart as you cook and cook until flaky. Meanwhile, soften the taco shells by placing them in the microwave for 5-10 seconds.

10. Step 10: Serve the fish on a platter with the taco shells, slaw, cilantro, avocado, lime, and salsa on the side (or in separate bowls), letting each diner assemble his or her own tacos.

👪 Serving Size

This healthy fish taco recipe makes 8 fish tacos. But you can half, double or triple the recipe by simply clicking on the serving number and selecting the number of servings you'd like. The ingredient quantities will automatically adjust.

🔢WW Points

This Weight Watchers fish taco recipe is 3 WW points. *I only include ¼ cup of milk in the recipe WW calculations, as that's all that would be absorbed (at the very most)

🥗 What to serve with fish tacos

I love to serve fish tacos with Air Fryer Carrot Fries (shown), or Sweet Potato Fries with Garlic Mayo Dip. It also pairs well with this Strawberry Pean Spinach salad or garden salad.

If you are making it as part of a Cinco de Mayo celebration, try these Broccoli Slaw Fish Tacos with Healthy Mexican Street Corn (Elote) (and Coconut Lime Tres Leches Cake for dessert!

🌡️Storage

If you have leftovers or want to make this easy fish tacos recipe in advance, you can store it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days. However, you need to store the slaw separately from the fish. The taco shells can be stored separately at room temperature. These ingredients don't stand up well to freezing.

❔Recipe FAQs