Think of the best tacos you’ve ever had in your life. Not the frozen beef tacos you bought from the grocery store, but the spicy, sizzling, flavor-packed tacos you bought from a street vendor or an authentic Mexican restaurant. Now imagine making tacos of that caliber at home–no restaurant trip or week-long vacation required.
These grilled halibut tacos are filled with fresh halibut and loaded with salsa, vegetables, and spices to make a flavorful entrée that’s as colorful as it is delicious.
If you’ve never made salsa verde before, it might seem a little intimidating, but it’s actually quite a simple process: simply roast the vegetables, mix them together in your food processor, and you’re ready to go.
You can experiment a little with different herbs and vegetables to suit your taste.
You can of course use store-bought salsa verde to save on some time if you prefer.
This salsa verde was also specially formulated to go well with the grilled halibut. When you’re preparing a light, flaky fish, you want a salsa verde that’s spicy and savory but not overpowering.
Mango might seem like an unusual ingredient for tacos, but it adds the perfect burst of sweetness to an otherwise meaty, spicy dish. When you’re serving spicy food, consider complementing it with a cold condiment or side dish.
Many people serve their tacos with sour cream, but you could also serve a Mexican pasta salad, corn pudding or a summery chilled soup. Make sure you’ve got plenty of water on hand for your friends who aren’t used to spicy dishes.
For dessert, you might consider serving a traditional Mexican dish like flan or fried ice cream.
The sweeter and creamier, the better–after those delicious sizzling tacos, your guests will appreciate something a little milder.
If you enjoyed these grilled halibut tacos, please share the recipe!
Grilled Halibut Tacos with Salsa Verde
Ingredients
For the Salsa Verde:
- 1 lb. tomatillos - husks removed and sliced in half
- 1 yellow onion - sliced
- 4 garlic cloves - peeled
- 2 tbsp. olive oil
- ½ cup fresh cilantro leaves
- 1 serrano pepper - seeded
- 1 tbsp. lime juice
- Salt and pepper - to taste
For the Tacos:
- ¼ cup lime juice
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 3 tbsp. Mexican seasoning mix - (or taco seasoning)
- 2 lbs. halibut fillets
- 8 corn tortillas - 6 inches
- 2 cups cabbage - shredded
- 1 cup mango - diced
- Red chili pepper - sliced, to garnish
- Salt and pepper
Instructions
For the Salsa Verde:
- Preheat oven to 325°F. Place the tomatillos, onion and garlic on a baking pan. Drizzle with the olive oil and cover with foil. Bake until tender (about 30 mins.). Cool to room temperature.
- Transfer the cooked vegetables to a food processor. Add the cilantro, serrano pepper and lime juice. Cover and pulse until chunky. Season with salt and pepper. Refrigerate until serving.
For the Tacos:
- In a large plastic bag, add the lime juice, oil, salt, and Mexican seasoning mix and shake to combine. Add halibut. Seal the bag and turn to coat the fish evenly. Refrigerate for up to 1 hour.
- Drain and discard marinade. Lightly oil the cooking grates. Grill halibut over medium-high heat for 4-6 minutes on each side or until the fish flakes easily with a fork. Keep an eye on it as it cooks quickly.
- Season again, if needed. Flake fish into 1 ½” pieces.
- Warm the tortillas by heating the grill to medium-low. Grill them until warm, less than 1 minute per side. You can keep them warm on a plate, covered with a clean kitchen towel.
- To serve, top tortillas with cabbage, fish, diced mango and tomatillo salsa. Garnish with red chili peppers, lime wedges and more fresh cilantro.
Equipment
Nutrition
Nutrition information on In the Kitch is provided as a courtesy and is an estimate only. It may not include toppings and/or sauces.
Frequently Asked Questions
Halibut should be grilled over medium or medium-high heat. You don’t want it to be on the grill too long or it can dry out, so a quick cook is ideal. Foodsafety.gov recommends cooking white fish to an internal temperature of 145°F.
Some sides that would compliment halibut tacos well are guacamole, Caesar salad, coleslaw, cucumber salad, Queso dip, cilantro-lime rice and grilled corn.
Hungry for more? Try our Simple Honey-Dill Dipping Sauce