Grilled Salmon Soft Tacos
Submitted by happyzhangbo
Grilled salmon soft tacos with cabbage slaw, citrus salsa, and cilantro-serrano crema. A chile-rubbed 20-minute summer grill dinner loaded with fresh acid, creamy heat, and crunchy texture.
YIELD
4 servingsPREP
10 minCOOK
8 minREADY
20 minThis is what fish tacos should be: four distinct components doing four different jobs in every bite. Salmon fillets get a quick rub of olive oil, red chile powder, lime juice, salt, and pepper, then grill skin-side down until just cooked through. Eight minutes, no flipping, done.
The toppings are where the payoff lives. Shredded cabbage with red bell pepper and red onion tossed in rice vinegar brings sharp crunch. The cilantro crema smooths it out with sour cream, serrano, and scallion green bite. Segmented oranges and limes with more cilantro and chile become a jewel-toned citrus salsa. Acid, heat, crunch, cream. That’s the math.
Load everything onto warm whole-wheat tortillas and build each taco bite your way. Twenty minutes from grill-on to table.
Chef Tips
- Start salmon skin-side down on a clean, oiled grill and don’t move it. The skin releases naturally when it’s ready to flip, usually around the time the fish is nearly cooked through.
- Supreme the oranges and limes over a bowl. That means cutting the segments away from the membranes with a paring knife so you get clean citrus with no bitter pith.
- Dress the slaw right before serving. Cabbage wilts fast in vinegar and oil, and you want crunch on the taco.
- Seeded serrano gives you warmth. Leave the seeds in for serious heat.
Variations
- Swap salmon for grilled shrimp or mahi-mahi for a lighter fish taco.
- Use Greek yogurt instead of sour cream in the crema for more tang and less fat.
- Add a handful of sliced avocado for creamy richness if you’re skipping the crema.
Ingredients
Directions
Preheat grill to medium-high.
Combine oil, chile powder, lime juice, salt and pepper in a small bowl.
Rub the spice mixture liberally over salmon.
Grill the salmon, skin-side down, until it is just cooked through, about 8 minutes.
Cut each fillet lengthwise into 2 pieces and remove the skin.
To serve, place 2 tortillas on each plate.
Evenly divide the fish, Cabbage Slaw, Citrus Salsa and Cilantro Crema among the tortillas.
For the Cabbage Slaw:
Toss cabbage, bell pepper, onion, vinegar and oil in a large bowl. Season with salt and pepper; toss again to combine.
For the Cilantro Crema:
Combine sour cream, cilantro, scallion greens, chile, salt and pepper in a small bowl until smooth.
Citrus Salsa:
With a sharp knife, remove the peel and white pith from oranges and limes and discard.
Cut the orange and lime segments from the surrounding membranes and coarsely chop.
Gently toss the oranges, limes, cilantro, chile, vinegar, oil, salt and pepper in a large bowl until combined.
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