Perfect Fish Tacos

Crispy battered fish tacos served with fresh cabbage slaw, avocado, and all the fixings. Made with red snapper or white fish fillets fried to golden perfection in a light and crispy club soda batter, these tacos are a delicious combination of textures and flavors.

8 servings

1 hr

Published October 4, 2025

Ingredients

•2 pounds skinless red snapper or other mild white fish fillets
•1 cup all-purpose flour
•1 cup white rice flour
•2 teaspoons kosher salt
•2 cups club soda
•8 cups Vegetable oil
•24 pieces small corn tortillas
•1 serving Cabbage and Jicama Slaw
•1 serving Fresno Chile Hot Sauce
•1 serving garnishes
•1 piece deep-fry thermometer

Cooking Instructions

1.
Remove any pin bones from fish fillets (using tweezers makes this easy). Cut each fillet in half lengthwise. Cut each half on a diagonal into 1" strips. (Work with the natural shape of the fish as you cut; this will help the pieces stay together instead of falling apart when frying.)
10 min
2.
Whisk all-purpose flour, rice flour, and salt in a medium bowl. Gradually whisk in club soda until no lumps remain; adjust with more club soda or rice flour as needed to make it the consistency of thin pancake batter-it should be pourable, but thick enough to coat the fish.
5 min
3.
Fit a large pot with a deep-fry thermometer and pour in oil to measure 2". Heat over medium-high heat until thermometer registers 350°.
10 min
4.
Working in batches of 5-7 pieces at a time, coat fish in batter, letting excess drip off, then carefully place in oil (to avoid splattering, lower fish into oil pointing away from you). Don't overcrowd the pot: The oil temperature will drop dramatically and fish may stick together.
5 min
5.
Fry fish, turning occasionally with a fish spatula or slotted spoon and maintaining oil temperature at 350°, until crust is puffed, crisp, and golden brown, about 5 minutes.
5 min
6.
Transfer to a wire rack set inside a rimmed baking sheet; season immediately with salt.
2 min
7.
While fish is frying, use tongs to heat tortillas one at a time directly over a gas burner, moving them often, until lightly charred and puffed in spots, about 1 minute per side.
15 min
8.
Transfer to a plate; cover with a clean kitchen towel to keep warm. (If you don't have a gas stove, wrap up a stack of tortillas in a sheet of foil and heat in a 350° oven until warmed through.)
3 min
9.
Top tortillas (we like two per taco) with fish, slaw, hot sauce, avocado, cilantro, and pickled jalapeños. Serve with lime wedges.
5 min

Perfect Fish Tacos

8 servings

1 hr

Published October 4, 2025

Ingredients

•2 pounds skinless red snapper or other mild white fish fillets

•1 cup all-purpose flour

•1 cup white rice flour

•2 teaspoons kosher salt

•2 cups club soda

•8 cups Vegetable oil

•24 pieces small corn tortillas

•1 serving Cabbage and Jicama Slaw

•1 serving Fresno Chile Hot Sauce

•1 serving garnishes

•1 piece deep-fry thermometer

Cooking Instructions

Remove any pin bones from fish fillets (using tweezers makes this easy). Cut each fillet in half lengthwise. Cut each half on a diagonal into 1" strips. (Work with the natural shape of the fish as you cut; this will help the pieces stay together instead of falling apart when frying.)

10 min

Whisk all-purpose flour, rice flour, and salt in a medium bowl. Gradually whisk in club soda until no lumps remain; adjust with more club soda or rice flour as needed to make it the consistency of thin pancake batter-it should be pourable, but thick enough to coat the fish.

5 min

Fit a large pot with a deep-fry thermometer and pour in oil to measure 2". Heat over medium-high heat until thermometer registers 350°.

10 min

Working in batches of 5-7 pieces at a time, coat fish in batter, letting excess drip off, then carefully place in oil (to avoid splattering, lower fish into oil pointing away from you). Don't overcrowd the pot: The oil temperature will drop dramatically and fish may stick together.

5 min

Fry fish, turning occasionally with a fish spatula or slotted spoon and maintaining oil temperature at 350°, until crust is puffed, crisp, and golden brown, about 5 minutes.

5 min

Transfer to a wire rack set inside a rimmed baking sheet; season immediately with salt.

2 min

While fish is frying, use tongs to heat tortillas one at a time directly over a gas burner, moving them often, until lightly charred and puffed in spots, about 1 minute per side.

15 min

Transfer to a plate; cover with a clean kitchen towel to keep warm. (If you don't have a gas stove, wrap up a stack of tortillas in a sheet of foil and heat in a 350° oven until warmed through.)

3 min

Top tortillas (we like two per taco) with fish, slaw, hot sauce, avocado, cilantro, and pickled jalapeños. Serve with lime wedges.

5 min