Easy Fish Tacos for Tex-Mex Tuesday

There’s just something about Tuesdays that call for a little celebration—and in our house, that usually means Tex-Mex.

easy fish tacos recipe

Tex-Mex Tuesday is one of those theme meals that never loses its shine, even when it shows up on a Wednesday. It’s colorful, comforting, and an easy way to bring everyone to the table. The crowd favorite, easy fish tacos.

Now, my son Arrington hates when I tell him we’re eating “McHome” instead of McDonald’s. But if I say we’re having Taco Tuesday at home. Instant celebration. No complaints. In his opinion, if he can wrap it in a tortilla or pile it on a chip and call it a nacho, then life is good.

Now let me be clear: I identify as a pescatarian-ish. So if you catch me with wings, oxtails, or in the drive-thru line at William’s Chicken on 67 and Redbird….Mind. Your. Business.

That said, I live a mostly pescatarian-to-vegetarian life, probably 90% of the time. Not because I’m trying to prove anything—just because it works for me. Especially since we live with 25+ year pescatarians who do a good bit of the cooking—including this recipe. And, even when I cook, let me tell you, I am not making multiple meals to cater to every protein preference. So, pescatarian it is.

These easy fish tacos are a staple in our household. They’re flavorful, easy to make, and give you plenty of room to be creative with toppings. And once you start frying your own tortillas….you’ll never want to go back to the boxed crispy shells again. (But no judgement if you do—truly.)

Ingredients:

4 tilapia filets
1/4 of each color bell pepper chopped (red, yellow, green, orange)
1/2 can of Rotel
1/2 medium yellow onion chopped
Fresh cilantro (to taste)
Juice of 1/2 lime
Minced garlic
Olive oil (for searing)
Seasonings: garlic powder, paprika, onion powder, seasoning salt, black pepper
1 packet taco seasoning (use vegetable stock instead of water per packet directions)

Instructions:

Season the tilapia with garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, seasoning salt, and black pepper.
In a hot skillet, add olive oil and sear the fish on both sides until cooked through.
Once the fish is done, flake it into chunks right in the pan.
Add your chopped onions, bell pepper, Rotel, and minced garlic. Stir everything together and cook until the onions are translucent and the peppers begin to soften.
Season the veggie mix to taste, then stir in the taco seasoning packet, replacing the water with the vegetable stock.
Cover and let simmer for about 10 minutes so all the flavors come together.

Assembly:

This is where the magic happens. Build your tacos however you like, but here’s our go-to:

Shredded red cabbage
Sliced radish
Raw bell pepper medley
Avocado
Shredded cheese (preferably hand-shredded from the block)
Red/purple onion
Green onion
Raw jalapeno finely chopped
Cilantro

Optional (but always welcome): sour cream, taco sauce, picante, black olives—whatever makes your taco sing.

Pro Tips:

Fry your own tortillas (corn or flour). It’s a game changer.
Shred your cheese from the block. It melts better, taste better, and just hits different.
Sneaky vegetable. This meal is a great way to get the kiddos to eat raw vegetables, so pile them on.
Don’t like fish, replace with a plant-based crumble for a meatless meal.

Pair these easy fish tacos with some good ol’ refried beans or fluffy Mexican rice for a full plate that feels like love. Whether it’s Tuesday or not, these tacos hit every single time.