This 30-minute Tilapia Fish Tacos Recipe with Cabbage Slaw has just the right balance of sweet and spicy flavors, topped with a fresh crunchy cabbage slaw!
Preheat oven to 350F. Brush the inside of a 9 by 13-inch casserole dish with ½ tablespoon olive oil; arrange the fish in the prepared dish.
Whisk together the remaining 11/2 tablespoons olive oil, red wine vinegar, maple syrup, Dijon, garlic, ancho chile pepper, salt, and black pepper in a small bowl. Pour the sauce evenly over the fish.
Bake the fish until fully cooked (it will be opaque and flake easily with a fork), about 12 minutes.
For the Slaw:
Toss together all ingredients in a large bowl. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use (this can be made a day or 2 ahead).
To Char the Tortillas (Optional):
While it’s optional, I like to char the tortillas a little bit. I (carefully!) do this by using a pair of tongs to hold a tortilla over my gas burner and rotating it around until it blackens in places. This can also be done by placing the tortillas onto a grill or hot grill pan, or putting them under a hot broiler. No matter what method you use, be very careful and watch them closely!
To Assemble the Tacos:
Put some fish onto a charred tortilla and top with some slaw and repeat. I serve 3 tacos per person along with about 1 cup of slaw as a side dish (in addition to the slaw on top of the tacos).
Notes
If desired, increase the spice level by adding crushed red pepper flakes or topping with your favorite hot sauce.
You can make the slaw a day or 2 in advance and store it covered in the fridge.