Simply marinated walleye and a zesty, crunchy radish coleslaw make these fish tacos a quick and delicious meal!
You'll let the fish marinate while you prep the slaw, then quickly cook in a skillet before assembling the tacos. Fish tacos are easier than you think - plus, this recipe is low carb and gluten free.
Why these walleye tacos work
FAST: Most of the time on this recipe is spent marinating the walleye and prepping the slaw. Fish cooks up quickly and you'll have fish tacos ready to go in 30 minutes!
NO FUSS FLAVOR: Between simply-seasoned walleye and a crunchy, flavorful slaw, these tacos have top-tier flavor without overcomplicating things.
Jump to:
Ingredients
WALLEYE: Also known as pickerel or yellow pike, it's found pretty easily in the upper Midwest. If you can't find it, you can substitute cod in a pinch.
MARINADE: Lime juice, lime zest, chili powder, and ground cumin make a simple marinade for the walleye. It only needs to marinate for about 20 minutes, about the time it'll take to make the slaw!
GREEN CABBAGE: I'm a big fan of crunchy cabbage in tacos - it tends to keep its "crunch" longer than lettuce. You can use green or purple cabbage for this recipe.
RADISH: Slivers of red radish add a subtle little bite to these tacos! If you aren't a radish fan, give this a try - while I pass over radishes in almost every other scenario, I love them on tacos!
RED ONION: A classic topping option. This recipe calls for marinating the red onion for a short while in vinegar, cutting some of the bite (so it doesn't overtake the tacos).
CORN TORTILLAS: While you can use any tortillas you'd like for this recipe, I am a big fan of corn tortillas with fish tacos!
COTIJA OR FETA CHEESE: A sprinkling of either cotija or feta cheese adds a bit of creaminess that brings the whole taco together.
Instructions
MARINATE: Combine the lime juice, zest, cumin, and chili/chipotle powder. Pour over the walleye and let it marinate while you prepare the slaw.
PREP THE SLAW: If you'd like, you can macerate the onions (toss with lime juice and let sit for a bit) and salt the cabbage to take out some of the bite of each. Otherwise, just slice everything thin and toss it together!
COOK WALLEYE: Heat some oil in a skillet over medium-high heat and cook the walleye for 2-3 minutes on each side, until it is no longer translucent and flakes easily.
ASSEMBLE THE TACOS: Add a portion of walleye to the middle of a tortilla, then top with a generous portion of slaw. Sprinkle with cotija or feta cheese. And go back to seconds - you'll want it!
Tips for quick, flavorful slaw
Before we dive into the recipe, I want to give a few tips for a really rockin' slaw. The name of the game with slaw for tacos is CRUNCH, so make sure to use fresh, crisp veggies and not the sad, limp cabbage that's been chilling in the fridge for a bit too long (chop that up and roast it or use it for soup).
Milder raw onions for slaws and salads
You'll notice the recipe asks you to let the raw onion chill out for a bit in lime juice (an acid). This is called "macerating," and essentially allows the acid to break down the bite of the onion and help it mellow out.
I picked up this tip from Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat by Samin Nosrat and it makes a HUGE difference. I will 100% be doing this for all my dressing, slaw, and salad recipes going forward!
Cabbage a little too much? Help it chill out
Even though I contend that slaws made for tacos should have max crunch, if you feel like the cabbage is juuuuust a little too much for you, here's a way to draw out some of the water and loosen it up a bit.
Thinly slice the cabbage crosswise and place in a colander over the sink. Toss with 1 tablespoon sea salt to draw out water and set aside. After 20 minutes, drain any water from the cabbage. (Don't worry if there isn't any. Some cabbages are more watery than others.)
I didn't include that in the recipe because I don't think it's often necessary. But you do you!
Variations and substitutions
Use cod in place of walleye.
Don't want to fuss with the coleslaw? Top with sliced raw radishes or change it up with Quick-Pickled Radishes or pickled red onion.
Skip the slaw and make chimichurri as a topping. I'd also suggest keeping red onion or radish for some crunch!
FAQs
Walleye is a freshwater fish that you may know as yellow pike or yellow pickerel. In my part of the world, though (North Dakota), we call it walleye.
Walleye fishing is a big deal around North Dakota and Minnesota, so I get requests from my local readers for recipes for the flakey white fish every year.
Cooked walleye is tender and flakey, but almost feels buttery in your mouth. If you've never had fried walleye, you've GOT to give it a try! But, paired with a crunchy, vibrant slaw, the tender texture of walleye makes awesome tacos.
Yes. Although this fish taco recipe was tested and made for walleye, you can substitute a few different kinds of fish. Walleye is a firm yet tender flakey white fish, so your best bet is to substitute another similar variety.
The easiest substitute? Cod. However, if you can get your hands on Mahi Mahi, Grouper, Bass, or Catfish, all would make great substitutes here! Just keep in mind that freshwater fish tend to have a milder "fishy" taste that saltwater fish.
But, if you can find walleye, give it a try!
More walleye recipes for your fishing surplus
- Unique Oven Baked Walleye with Chimichurri Sauce
- Easy Grilled Walleye with Mango Salsa (Gluten Free)
- Grilled Fish with Fried Plantains (Aloco)
- Paleo Fish Tacos with Mango Salsa
Or if you're here for the taco recipes, why not sign up for my email list to get my taco e-book?
Print📖 Recipe
Walleye Fish Tacos with Radish Slaw
- Prep Time: 35 minutes
- Cook Time: 6 minutes
- Total Time: 41 minutes
- Yield: 8 servings 1x
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Pan-fried
- Cuisine: Mexican
- Diet: Gluten Free
Description
Tender walleye and a bright, crunchy slaw make these fish tacos a dream! Use cotija cheese - or, if you can't find cotija, sub feta cheese.
Ingredients
For the Walleye:
- 1 ½ pounds walleye, cut into about 8 strips
- 1 tablespoon lime juice (about 1 lime)
- 2 teaspoons lime zest
- 1 teaspoon cumin powder
- 1 teaspoon chipotle powder OR chili powder
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
For the Slaw:
- ½ small (or ¼ large) head of green cabbage, cored
- ½ small red onion, thinly sliced
- 1 bunch radishes (about 8 radishes), cut into matchsticks
- ¼ cup fresh lime juice (about 4 limes)
- 1 tablespoon sea salt (optional step only)
- ½ cup chopped cilantro
- 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 6 tablespoons olive oil
For the Tacos:
- 8 white corn tortillas
- 2-3 ounces cotija or feta cheese, crumbled
Instructions
- First, prep the marinade for the walleye. Combine the lime juice, zest, cumin, and chipotle in a small bowl. Pour over walleye, gently rubbing into the fish, and set aside to marinate for at least 20 minutes.
- Meanwhile, start the radish slaw. In a small bowl, pour the lime juice over the red onion. Let it sit for 20 minutes (this basically makes them a little less pungent!). Slice the cabbage as thinly as you can.
- OPTIONAL: Place the sliced cabbage in a colander over the sink. Toss with 1 tablespoon sea salt to draw out water and set aside. After 20 minutes, drain any water from the cabbage. (Don't worry if there isn't any. Some cabbages are more watery than others.) This softens the cabbage a bit and reduces any bitter bite it may have, but results in a less crunchy slaw overall. If you skip this step, omit the sea salt from the recipe.
- Move the cabbage to a bowl with the cilantro and radishes. Add the onions, reserving the liquid. Add the red wine vinegar, olive oil, and 2 tablespoons of the onion liquid. Toss to coat.
- Now cook the walleye. Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add the walleye, cooking for 2-3 minutes on each side or until the fillets have firmed up and are no longer translucent.
- To assemble the tacos, start with a tortilla. Place a portion of the walleye across the tortilla, top with a generous portion of the slaw, and sprinkle cotija or feta cheese on top.
Mike says
WAY too much salt for dressing!!
Chelsea Joy says
Mike - you are right! As soon as I looked back through the recipe, I realized I omitted a step (the recipe instructions don't actually say to add the salt to the slaw). The step I had omitted was tossing the salt with the cabbage before making the slaw to draw out some of the moisture and soften the cabbage a little, which reduces the overwhelming crunch. Sorry for that mistake - I'm editing the recipe now!
Kayla Goebel says
Great for the summer with fishing coming around the corner!