Get ready for your new favorite way to eat fish tacos.
Oh my goodness. And I mean goodness. The mango salsa you’re going to make to top these salmon tacos is simply out of this world. I love a great standard fish taco with crispy fried fish, a tangy slaw, maybe some jalapeño slices, definitely topped with a crema – this is usually my go-to dish at any Mexican restaurant. But now that I’ve made these salmon tacos, I don’t think I’ll ever be satisfied with any other kind of fish taco again!
I’m not sure I can adequately explain my reverie, but I am definitely going to try. Let’s start out by saying that I love salmon – you know I do, because I’ve waxed poetic about it so many times and written about so many delectable salmon recipes. But rubbing the salmon filets with taco seasoning and some olive oil just gives them this incredible flavor. And, really, I would have been perfectly happy to eat the salmon just like that. But then came this bright, fresh salsa with its sweetness from the mango and the corn, the clean cucumber crunch and the bite of the red onion, the earthy cilantro, and all of it tossed together with the rich honey and the tart lime. Honestly, this is one of the best things I’ve ever eaten!
You’ll love how quickly this delicious dish comes together. While my salmon is baking, I just toss all of the salsa ingredients into a bowl and gently mix everything together. Warm your tortillas and then fill them with the flaky spicy salmon, topped with this soft, sweet and savory salsa and enjoy, enjoy, enjoy!
Any kind of tacos, including these salmon tacos, go beautifully with some Refried Beans and some Baked Rice, and I recommend these sides for a perfect dinner. But if you want to round out this meal with something sweet for dessert, wow everyone with this Chocolate Flan Cake.
Preparation is the key… to unbeatable salmon tacos
This recipe seems simple, and it is. But the key to perfect salmon tacos is making sure that everything is prepared perfectly.
Let’s start with the salmon. First, pat it dry to ensure that the taco seasoning will stick. One of the (many!) things I love about salmon is how easy it is to cook. That said, you can overcook it, which will make it more difficult to flake, and those tender, flaky pieces are one of the things that make this dish so delish. While your oven is heating up to 425 degrees (the hot oven is key here), take your salmon out of the fridge and let it get its chill off for a few minutes on the counter. Once it’s in the oven, check it at the ten-minute mark: it should be perfect and flake easily. If it’s not quite done, remove it from the oven anyway and cover it with some aluminum foil: that will provide what’s called “carry-over cooking” and when you’re ready to serve, your salmon will be ready, too.
You can also make the salsa ahead of time, or while the oven is preheating; the longer those ingredients sit together in the bowl, the more all the wonderful flavors will meld together. Finally, get a little char on your tortillas – that will add a great textural component to this already incredible dish.
How to Make Ahead and Store?
Store the salmon and the mango-corn salsa separately, each in airtight containers, in the refrigerator: they will last for up to 3 days. You can also freeze the cooked salmon in an airtight container for up to 3 months, and the salsa can be frozen for 1-2 months (though its texture and flavors may change).
Serving Suggestions
One of the things I love to do when I’m thinking of side dishes is to find ones that use the same or similar ingredients to those I’m using in my entree. So when I serve salmon tacos, I will often pair them with a corn dish to match the corn in the salsa, like Creamy Corn Casserole or Grilled Corn Salad with Fresh Herbs or even plain old (but delicious!) Corn on the Cob.
There are so many other ingredients in that mango-corn salsa that inspirations for side dishes seem endless! This Mango and Arugula Salad complements these tacos so perfectly, and for the adults in the room, I love to serve a big batch of Mango Margaritas. This Cucumber Salad brings even more of the freshness we get from the cucumber in the salsa and to add another huge burst of flavor, pick up on the red onions by making these Pickled Red Onions and laying them right on top of the salsa on your salmon tacos!
Salmon Tacos
Ingredients
- 1 lb salmon fillet
- 2 tsp taco seasoning
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 ripe mango diced
- 1/2 cucumber diced
- 1/2 cup corn kernels fresh or frozen
- 1/4 cup red onion finely chopped
- 1/4 cup fresh cilantro chopped
- 1 tbsp honey
- 1 lime zest and juice
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 8 small corn tortillas
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 425°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Rub the salmon fillet with taco seasoning and olive oil, then place it on the prepared baking sheet.
- Bake the salmon for about 10 minutes or until it flakes easily with a fork.
- While the salmon is cooking, combine the diced mango, cucumber, corn kernels, red onion, cilantro, honey, lime zest, lime juice, and salt in a bowl to make the salsa.
- Warm the corn tortillas in a dry skillet over medium heat for about 30 seconds on each side or until they are pliable and slightly charred.
- Once the salmon is done, break it into chunks suitable for taco filling.
- Assemble the tacos by placing salmon chunks on each tortilla and topping them with a generous amount of the mango corn salsa.
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