If crispy fish tacos are your go-to order at a taco shop, you're going to love this homemade version even more! These Baja beer battered fish tacos are made with tender cod, pantry staples, and a cold beer. Add a creamy chipotle sauce and cilantro lime slaw and you've got a restaurant-style fried fish taco that's ready at home in just 30 minutes.
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Recipe Highlights
Inspiration: After creating (and loving!) my beer battered shrimp tacos, I had to find other ways to use this batter. Mission accomplished!
What makes it special: The beer batter fries up light and crunchy without any breadcrumbs. It's the real-deal! These tacos taste like your favorite taco truck but are way more affordable!
Serve with: A few of my favorite taco side dishes include skillet charred corn, jalapeno rice, and beans. And grab some tortilla chips to dunk in salsa, guacamole, and my favorite beef queso dip.
Ingredients Notes
- Cod: I use cod because it's mild, flaky, and holds up well to frying. Plus, it's always available at my grocery store. You can also use another firm white fish, like halibut, mahi mahi, or tilapia.
- Beer: A light Mexican beer, such as a lager similar to Corona, Dos Equis, or Pacifico works best. It creates a crisp, airy batter without overpowering the shrimp.
- Dry mix: I use a combination of all purpose flour, cornstarch, and baking powder. This trio creates the perfect batter texture. The flour gives structure, cornstarch lightens it, and baking powder helps the coating puff up while frying.
Feeling tropical? Swap out the spicy pico de gallo and top these fish tacos with mango salsa instead! It pairs so well with the crispy beer battered cod.
How to Make Beer Battered Fish Tacos
In a large mixing bowl, combine olive oil, lime juice, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Once whisked together, toss in the cabbage mix and chopped cilantro.
To make the chipotle sauce, toss all the ingredients into a small food processor and blend until smooth. Pour into a small bowl and set aside.
My favorite time-saving tip is to make the chipotle sauce and cabbage slaw ahead of time, so it's ready to go when I start frying the fish. I usually make them the morning before I know I'm going to cook this recipe, but you can make them up to 1-2 days in advance.
Stir together the dry ingredients for your batter in a large bowl. Wait to add beer to the dry mix until you're ready to fry, then pour it in cold and whisk until smooth.
Meanwhile, pour canola oil into a heavy-bottomed pot and bring it to 350-375ºF (a fry thermometer is super helpful here).
Dip each piece of cod into the beer batter, letting the excess batter drip off. Gently lower it into the hot oil using tongs or a spider strainer.
Work in small batches so the pot doesn't get overcrowded. Fry fish for 3 to 4 minutes, until the outside is crisp and golden brown.
Transfer the fried fish to a wire rack or paper towel-lined plate to drain off excess oil.
Time to assemble! Start with a warm tortilla, swipe on some chipotle sauce, layer on the crispy fish, and slaw. Add an extra drizzle of sauce if you're feeling bold, and serve immediately.
I like to finish my beer battered fish taco recipe with avocado slices, cilantro, and pico de gallo. Serve with a lime wedge for that classic taco shop touch.
Tips For Frying Fish Like a Pro
Pour cold beer into the dry flour mix right before you're ready to fry. The chill creates steam and carbonation helps create little air bubbles that expand in the hot oil, giving you that signature puffy, golden coating.
Use a deep fry thermometer to keep the oil between 350-375°F. Too hot and the batter burns before the fish cooks; too cool and the fish absorbs too much oil.
Although you can use a paper towel lined plate, I prefer to cool fried fish on a wire rack to allow airflow so the bottom doesn't get soggy.
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Crispy Beer Battered Fish Tacos (Baja Style)
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Equipment
- heavy bottom pot like a Dutch oven or cast iron skillet
- tongs or spider strainer
Ingredients
- 1 pound cod or similar firm white fish
- 5 cups canola oil
- 1 cup flour
- ¼ cup cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon EACH: garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, and salt
- ½ teaspoon cayenne
- 12 ounce cold beer a light beer like Corona or similar
- tortillas corn or flour
- pico de gallo optional topping
- avocado slices optional topping
Creamy Chipotle Sauce
- ¼ cup mayonnaise
- ¼ cup sour cream
- 2 chipotles peppers in adobo sauce
- 2 Tablespoons lime juice
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Cilantro Lime Cabbage Slaw
- 2 cups coleslaw mix or shredded cabbage
- ½ cup cilantro chopped
- 3 Tablespoons olive oil
- 3 Tablespoons lime juice
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon EACH: salt and black pepper
Instructions
- For the sauce: Add all ingredients of the sauce to a small food processor and blend until smooth. Set aside.
- For the slaw: In a large bowl, whisk together the olive oil, lime juice, garlic powder, salt and pepper. Add coleslaw mix and cilantro to the bowl. Toss to combine. Set aside.
- Pat the cod dry with paper towels and cut into 1-inch wide strips/sticks. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Heat canola oil in a heavy bottom pot to 350-375°F. Use a fry thermometer for accuracy. While the oil heats, make the batter.
- For the batter: To a large bowl add flour, cornstarch, baking powder, and spices. Just before you're ready to fry, pour in the cold beer and whisk until smooth.
- Working in batches, gently dip the cod pieces into the batter, coating them fully. Carefully lower each piece into the hot oil using tongs. Take care not to overcrowd the pot.
- Fry for 3-4 minutes, or until the coating is golden brown and crispy. Remove fish from the oil with tongs or spider strainer.
- Transfer fried fish to a wire rack or paper towel-lined plate to drain. Repeat until all fish is cooked.
- To assemble tacos: Spread a spoonful of chipotle sauce on the bottom of each tortilla. Add 1-2 pieces of crispy fish, top with a scoop of slaw, pico de gallo, and avocado slices. Drizzle with extra chipotle sauce if desired. Serve immediately and enjoy!
Notes
- When fully cooked, the internal temperature of cod should reach 145°F.
- Storage & Reheating: Store any leftover fried fish in an airtight container lined with a paper towel to soak up moisture. Keep it in the fridge for up to 2 days. To reheat and restore crispiness, place the fish on a wire rack over a baking sheet in a 375ºF oven or air fryer for 5 minutes. Avoid the microwave as it'll make the batter soft and soggy.
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