These incredible Blackened Salmon Tacos topped with avocado salsa are incredibly fresh and flavorful! Served on charred corn or flour tortillas with crunchy romaine lettuce, these easy fish tacos come together in less than 30 minutes for a wonderful dinner any night of the week!
These tacos are ready for Taco Tuesday! Switch up your taco game by also trying our Smoky Chicken Tinga Tacos, Grilled Pork Tacos al Pastor, or Baja Fish Tacos!
Table of Contents
- You’ll love this Salmon Fish Taco Recipe
- Salmon Fish Tacos Ingredients
- How to Make Salmon Tacos
- Avocado Salsa for Blackened Salmon Tacos
- What to put on this Salmon Fish Tacos Recipe
- What to serve with Salmon Tacos
- How to store Salmon Fish Tacos
- Salmon Tacos Recipe FAQs
- More Easy Salmon Recipes
- Salmon Tacos Recipe
I have an obsession with fish tacos and eat them whenever I get the chance. My baja fish tacos recipe that I posted a while back is always a huge hit with the family and still one of my favorite seafood recipes I’ve shared on the blog. But this easy fish tacos recipe is totally different and will be gracing our table on repeat this summer.
You’ll love this Salmon Fish Taco Recipe
These delicious blackened salmon tacos speak to my soul. Rich, tender, flaky salmon crusted with spicy (but not too spicy) seasoning teams up with a super simple avocado salsa that’s kinda like guac, except not since the avocado is diced, not mashed, and kinda like salsa, except not since there’s no tomato in it. Just go with it, okay?
All of that gets piled onto small tortillas that we like to char on the stove top or grill for that authentic food truck feel.
This is one seriously happy-making fish taco recipe that will make you want to slow down and savor while you dream about relaxing vacations and eating al fresco at the ocean in Mexico.
Salmon is easily my favorite fish. I love all seafood, but salmon was my first love when it came to fish and I doubt it will ever be replaced. These salmon tacos are great for entertaining, but they are also a favorite on busy weeknights because they can be made from start to finish in under 30 minutes.
Our girls devour them on taco night and always ask for more.
Salmon Fish Tacos Ingredients
- Salmon: I used Coho salmon fillets with the skin on because it tastes amazing and I love its beautiful, deep red salmon color.
- Spice rub: I made my own blackening seasoning of chipotle chili powder, ancho chili powder, paprika, kosher salt, cumin, onion powder, garlic powder, ground coriander, dried oregano, and black pepper. All spices I always have on hand in my cupboard, but if you don’t have chipotle or ancho chili powder you could just sub regular chili powder instead and it would be good. You could also add some cayenne pepper if you want it extra spicy.
- Tortillas: I can never make up my mind whether I prefer warm corn tortillas or flour tortillas with these salmon tacos. Both are delicious!
- Avocado Salsa: Made with ripe avocados, red onion, jalapeño, fresh cilantro, minced garlic, and fresh-squeezed lime juice.
- Lettuce: I love the extra crunch and contrast some crispy chopped romaine lettuce gives, but this Asian slaw would also be delicious on these salmon tacos.
The spice mixture is so good on this salmon. It creates the most incredible crust that perfectly compliments the flavor of the fish without overwhelming it. You can use as much or as little of the rub as you like, but I tend to sprinkle it on pretty generously.
The best salmon fish tacos absolutely need the best salmon.
Salmon is a delicious, nutritious fish with lots of health benefits. It’s packed with protein and omega-3 fatty acids, so it’s something I love feeding my family at least once a week.
How to Make Salmon Tacos
Thaw the salmon portions in the fridge, then mix together the spice rub and sprinkle over the fish to coat. Then you have to make a decision about whether to cook the salmon on the stove top, the grill, or bake it in the oven.
On the Stove Top
To cook the salmon on the stove top:
- Heat a little oil in a large skillet over medium heat, then lay each fresh salmon filet in the hot skillet with the flesh side down.
- Cook salmon for about 3-4 minutes per side, until the skin is crispy and the flavorful salmon develops a nice crust and is opaque and cooked through. It should flake easily with a fork.
The biggest pro of cooking the salmon on the stove top is that you can do it indoors, which means blackened salmon tacos year round! The downside is that you don’t get those gorgeous grill marks or smoky grill flavor. We probably make these salmon tacos in the cast iron skillet more than we make them outdoors just because it seems to be so convenient.
On the Grill
If you do backyard entertaining during the summer, grilled salmon tacos are the way to go though. To cook salmon on the grill:
- Preheat grill to medium high heat and make sure the grill grates are clean. Brush the clean grill grates lightly with oil.
- Grill the salmon filets flesh side down, then flip using a spatula to cook on the other side until the skin is crispy and the salmon is opaque and cooked through, about 3 minutes per side. It should flake easily with a fork.
I love the smoky, charred flavor a grill adds and that you can char the tortillas right on the grill next to the salmon. The downside involves heating up the grill and depending on where you live, you might not be able to grill year round. But grilled salmon tacos is my favorite approach when we are having friends over for a backyard cookout.
In the Oven
You could also bake the salmon, if that’s preferable to you. To bake the salmon in the oven:
- Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil lightly sprayed with cooking spray for easy clean-up.
- Bake for about 12-15 minutes, until the salmon is opaque and cooked through. It should flake easily into large pieces with a fork.
Avocado Salsa for Blackened Salmon Tacos
This avocado salsa is so easy to pull together. The biggest trick is to dice the avocado so that when you stir everything together it doesn’t get mashed up like guacamole.
I use a sharp knife to score the avocado inside it’s skin, then use a spoon to scoop out the diced avocado into a bowl. Then just add the chopped cilantro, finely diced jalapeno and red onion, minced garlic, a little salt and pepper, and lime juice and give everything a stir.
You can make this first and then cover tightly with plastic wrap and store in the fridge while you cook the salmon so that it’s ready to go when it’s time to eat your salmon tacos.
What to put on this Salmon Fish Tacos Recipe
I think these salmon tacos are just perfect served on warm tortillas with the creamy avocado salsa, some crunchy romaine, and a squeeze of fresh lime juice, but here are some more ideas for dressing up your salmon tacos.
- Corn: Just grill a couple of cobbs of corn and slice the kernels off the cob, then sprinkle them on your tacos!
- Salsa: I’ll never say no to homemade restaurant-style salsa, corn salsa, pineapple salsa, or mango salsa.
- Pico de Gallo
- Cotija cheese
- Extra cilantro
- Lime wedges
- Diced fresh mango
- Sliced green onions
What to serve with Salmon Tacos
If you are looking for some delicious sides to round out your meal, these are some of our favorites
How to store Salmon Fish Tacos
If you cook extra salmon to meal prep and have some leftover for lunches later in the week, you can keep it separate from the tortillas and fixings in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. I don’t really recommend freezing the cooked salmon and reheating.
Salmon Tacos Recipe FAQs
Absolutely! Fish tacos made with salmon is one of our favorite versions and a great way to changes things up for taco night!
If you happen to have a large piece of salmon rather than filets, there is no need to cut it before cooking. You can just grill or sear the salmon, depending on your preference for the cooking method. By the time it’s done, the salmon should just flake off without needing a knife to cut it.
Adding a fish taco sauce to your blackened salmon tacos is a great way to boost flavors. My favorite is the avocado salsa shown here, but you could make an easy avocado crema by blending avocado with a little sour cream and lime juice, then seasoning with salt and pepper. Or I have a great white taco sauce included in my Baja fish tacos recipe that would also go well with these salmon tacos.
More Easy Salmon Recipes
Love salmon? Here are more of our favorite salmon recipes for you to try! Most are super quick and easy to make for delicious and healthy weeknight meals!
- Garam Masala Salmon
- Smoked Salmon Scrambled Eggs
- Smoked Salmon Chowder
- Miso Salmon
- 15 Minute Pan Seared Salmon
Fish & Seafood
Brown Sugar Soy Sauce Salmon
Fish & Seafood
Hot Smoked Salmon
Fish & Seafood
Baked Salmon with Mango Salsa
Did you make this recipe?
Let me know what you thought with a comment and rating below. You can also take a picture and tag me on Instagram @houseofnasheats or share it on the Pinterest pin so I can see.
Salmon Tacos
Ingredients
Salmon
- 4 (6-ounce) salmon filets
- 1 teaspoon chipotle chili powder
- 1 teaspoon ancho chili powder
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 3/4 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
- 1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 2 Tablespoons vegetable oil
Tacos
- 8 corn or flour tortillas
- 2 cups romaine lettuce, shredded
- 1/4 cup chopped red onion
- 2 Tablespoons chopped cilantro
- 1 lime, cut into wedges
Avocado Salsa
- 2 medium ripe avocados, diced
- 1/3 cup chopped red onion
- 3 Tablespoons chopped cilantro
- 1 jalapeno, seeds and membranes removed, diced
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- Juice of 1 lime
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
Salmon
- Arrange the salmon on a plate or cutting board. In a small bowl, combine chipotle chili powder, ancho chili powder, paprika, salt, cumin, onion powder, garlic, ground coriander, oregano, and black pepper. Sprinkle each salmon fillet generously with the spice rub on the flesh side only.
- In a large cast iron skillet or heavy-bottomed pan over medium heat, heat 2 tablespoons of oil. When the oil is hot, add the salmon flesh side down. Cook for about 3 minutes per side until skin is crispy and the salmon is cooked through and flakes easily with a fork. The salmon should be opaque throughout.
- Transfer the cooked salmon to a plate and use a fork to break the salmon into large chunks.
- Char the tortillas on a gas stove top or grill, then fill each tortilla with salmon, lettuce, red onion, cilantro, and avocado salsa. Serve with a lime wedge.
Avocado Salsa
- In a large bowl, add the diced avocado, red onion, cilantro, jalapeno, garlic, and lime juice, gently stirring just to combine. Taste and season with salt and pepper as needed.
I have never seen blackened salmon tacos before, they sound absolutely incredible – especially topped with that scrumptious avocado salsa!
Now this is what I’m talking about! I love the coriander in the seasoning and the avocado salsa is such a perfect accompaniment. This is a new favorite that I’ll be making regularly for sure! Thanks!