Light Mango Salsa Tilapia Tacos (Print)

Pan-seared tilapia with zesty mango salsa in warm corn tortillas—ready in 30 minutes.

# Components:

→ For the Tilapia

01 - 4 tilapia fillets (approximately 1.1 lbs)
02 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
03 - 1 teaspoon ground cumin
04 - 1 teaspoon chili powder
05 - 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
06 - 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
07 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
08 - 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
09 - Juice of 1/2 lime

→ For the Mango Salsa

10 - 1 large ripe mango, diced
11 - 1/2 small red onion, finely chopped
12 - 1 small red bell pepper, diced
13 - 1 small jalapeño, seeded and minced
14 - 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
15 - Juice of 1 lime
16 - 1/4 teaspoon salt

→ For Assembly

17 - 8 small corn tortillas
18 - 1 cup shredded red cabbage
19 - Lime wedges for serving

# Directions:

01 - Pat tilapia fillets dry with paper towels. In a small bowl, combine cumin, chili powder, smoked paprika, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Rub spice mixture evenly over both sides of fillets, then drizzle with lime juice.
02 - Heat olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add tilapia and cook 2 to 3 minutes per side until opaque and flakes easily with a fork. Transfer to a plate and break into large chunks.
03 - While fish cooks, combine diced mango, red onion, red bell pepper, jalapeño, cilantro, lime juice, and salt in a bowl. Gently toss to combine without breaking down the mango.
04 - Heat corn tortillas in a dry skillet over medium heat or microwave for 30 seconds until warm and pliable.
05 - Layer shredded red cabbage onto each warm tortilla, top with tilapia pieces, and spoon mango salsa generously over the fish.
06 - Serve immediately with lime wedges on the side.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The whole meal is ready in 30 minutes, making it perfect for those nights when you want something restaurant-quality without the fuss.
  • One bite delivers tropical sweetness, smoky spice, and fresh lime all at once, proving that healthy eating doesn't mean boring eating.
  • It's naturally gluten-free and dairy-free, so you're not cooking two separate dinners for different dietary needs.
02 -
  • Don't overcook the tilapia or it becomes dry and falls apart into sad little flakes instead of giving you those tender, moist chunks that make the taco satisfying.
  • Prep your mango salsa ingredients ahead of time, but don't mix it until right before serving, or the lime juice will break down the mango and make it mushy instead of fresh and bright.
03 -
  • Buy tilapia that's been refrigerated and smells clean and oceanic, not fishy or ammonia-like, which is the difference between dinner tasting fresh and tasting regrettable.
  • Cut your mango by slicing down both sides of the pit, then scoring the flesh in a crosshatch pattern and popping the cubes out with your thumb instead of wrestling with it on a cutting board.
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