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Baked Fish Tacos with Lime Cabbage Slaw

Smoky spiced white fish baked in 12 minutes, tucked into warm corn tortillas with a crunchy lime and yogurt cabbage slaw and avocado. All the flavour of fried fish tacos with a fraction of the oil, and 29g of protein a serving.

Lunch

35

Serves 4 (2 tacos each)

Corn tortillas filled with spiced baked white fish, purple cabbage slaw, avocado and coriander, with lime wedges

Ingredients

  • For the fish
  • 500g/1lb 2oz skinless, boneless white fish fillets, such as cod, haddock or pollock
  • 1 tsp smoked paprika, 1 tsp ground cumin, half a tsp garlic powder and half a tsp mild chilli powder
  • A quarter tsp salt
  • 1 tbsp (15ml) olive oil
  • For the slaw
  • 200g/7oz red cabbage, very finely shredded
  • 1 medium carrot (about 100g/3½oz), coarsely grated
  • 4 tbsp (60g) 0% fat Greek yogurt
  • 2 limes: juice 1 (about 2 tbsp/30ml) and cut the other into wedges
  • 10g/a loosely packed ⅔ cup fresh coriander (cilantro), chopped
  • A pinch of salt
  • To serve
  • 8 small corn tortillas (about 25g/1oz each; labelled gluten-free if needed)
  • 1 ripe avocado (about 150g/5oz flesh), sliced

Method

  1. Heat the oven to 200C (180C fan, 400F) and line a baking tray (baking sheet) with baking paper (parchment paper).
  2. Make the slaw: mix the yogurt, lime juice and a pinch of salt in a bowl, then stir in the cabbage, carrot and most of the coriander. Set aside; it softens slightly as it stands.
  3. Pat the fish dry with kitchen paper (paper towels). Mix the paprika, cumin, garlic powder, chilli powder, salt and oil into a paste and rub it over both sides of the fish. Lay the fillets on the tray.
  4. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, depending on thickness, until the fish is opaque all the way through and flakes easily with a fork.
  5. While the fish bakes, warm the tortillas: wrap them in foil and put them in the oven for the last 5 minutes, or heat them one at a time in a dry frying pan for 20 to 30 seconds each side.
  6. Break the fish into large flakes. Fill each tortilla with slaw, fish and a few slices of avocado, scatter with the remaining coriander and serve 2 tacos each with lime wedges.
  7. Best eaten fresh. Leftover fish keeps in the fridge for up to 2 days; eat it cold or reheat until piping hot. The slaw is best on the day it is made.

Why it works

Two tacos have about 29g of protein and 8g of fibre for 341 calories, including the tortillas, slaw and avocado. White fish such as cod, haddock and pollock has about 1g of fat or less per 100g, so most of the fat comes from the avocado.

Baked, not battered. Fish tacos from a taco stand are usually battered and deep-fried. A spice rub and a hot oven give plenty of flavour with one tablespoon of oil for four people.

Why corn tortillas. Small corn tortillas are the traditional choice in Mexico. They are naturally gluten-free, smaller than most flour wraps and a source of fibre. Check the pack if you need them to be strictly gluten-free, as some are made with a little wheat.

The slaw does the work of sour cream. Red cabbage and carrot in a lime and Greek yogurt dressing add crunch, freshness and fibre with very little fat.

Fish guidance. In the UK, the advice is at least two portions of fish a week, one of them oily; US guidelines suggest at least 8oz (about 225g) of seafood a week for adults. Cod, haddock and pollock are low in mercury. For another white fish dinner, try the lemon and dill fish parcels, or for vegan tacos, the sweet potato and black bean tacos.