Now, this is a new taco recipe that I hope you all will try IMMEDIATELY! These Crunchy Blackened Salmon Tacos with Serrano Slaw are absolutely perfect in every way!!
I love making blackened salmon, it’s one of my favorite go-to recipes. For these tacos, I’ve taken inspiration from my recipe here and transformed the salmon into a fantastic taco that you will want to put on your weekly dinner rotation! Using some Cajun-inspired flavors along with gluten-free panko breadcrumbs, the salmon is coated in a perfect, crunchy crust that is packed with so much flavor. Served in tortillas with a tangy, crisp serrano-slaw and a drizzle of creamy aioli, the end result is just magic! And if preferred, these would be great to serve in bibb lettuce cups.
I also highly recommend making these Crunchy Blackened Salmon Tacos next time you are hosting a small, casual dinner party! You can make the slaw and the aioli ahead of time, that way all you need to do is fry up your crunchy blackened salmon and heat up the tortillas and dinner is served in no time with ease! I recommend serving alongside Martha’s Mexican Rice and maybe a nice side salad — and, of course, a margarita!
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Crunchy Blackened Salmon Tacos with Serrano-Slaw

Ingredients
For the Slaw:
- 2 cups very finely shredded red cabbage
- 2 cups very finely shredded green cabbage
- 1 tbsp finely chopped fresh oregano leaves or 1 tsp dried
- ¼ cup evoo
- 2 tbsp fresh lime juice
- 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- 1 serrano very thinly sliced
- Pinch of Salt
- Pinch of Pepper
For the Aioli:
- 3 tbsp homemade mayo
- 1 tbsp lime juice
- 2 tsp your favorite hot sauce I used El Yucateco
For the Salmon:
- 1 lb salmon, skin removed (preferably center-cut) cut into 2-inch strips
- ½ tsp cayenne
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- ½ tsp black pepper
- 1/3 cup panko I use Aleia's gluten-free panko
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 1 egg
For the Tacos:
- 8 tortillas I use Siete Grain-Free Cassava Tacos
- cilantro finely chopped
- 1 lime, cut into wedges
Instructions
For the Slaw:
- In a large bowl, combine all of the ‘for the slaw’ ingredients. Toss until well combined. Set aside to let the flavors mend while you prepare the salmon.
Prepare the Aioli:
- In a small bowl, combine all of the ingredients and stir until smooth. Set aside.
For the Salmon:
- In a small bowl, combine the cayenne, thyme, paprika, garlic powder, kosher salt, pepper and panko. Stir until well combined.
- In a separate bowl, combine egg with 1 tsp water and whisk until well combined.
- Heat the olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat.
- While the pan is heating, individually dip the salmon into egg wash and shake off excess. Next, roll the salmon into the panko mixture until evenly coated. Gently place into the hot pan and cook until the salmon is cooked through and golden brown on each side, 2-3 minutes per side.
- Transfer cooked salmon to a paper towel-lined plate.
Assemble the Tacos:
- First, char your tortillas. You can do this 2 ways:
- For a Gas Stovetop: Fire up the burners on your stove to the lowest setting. One at atime, carefully place a tortilla directly on the burner and flip after about 45 seconds. As you finish cooking the tortillas, place them onto a towel and close the towel up to steam the tortillas and keep them warm.
- For an Electric Stovetop: Place the tortillas in a dry (no oil) stainless steel skillet over medium heat and cook them for about 30 seconds on each side.
- Next, place a small amount of the slaw in the bottom of the charred tortilla and top with two of the salmon pieces. Drizzle with the aioli and sprinkle with cilantro. Serve with lime wedges and enjoy!
48 Comments
Jennifer
March 5, 2022 at 11:33 pmMy family (and friends!) are HUGE fans of all of your recipes, Alex! This one was INSANELY delicious – thank you for continuing to create phenomenally flavorful and healthy recipes!!
Kassey
January 11, 2022 at 7:27 pmQuestion! It doesn’t say when to season the fish … before the egg, or with the panko?? Thanks!!
Alex
January 11, 2022 at 8:59 pmThe seasonings are mixed with the panko! So you will dip the salmon into the egg then roll it in the panko/seasoning mixture.
Ashley
November 7, 2021 at 4:37 pmI have made these over and over and over and overrrrr again. The PERFECT fish tacos and the textures are heavenly. I dream about them… must try!!
Heidi Adams
October 5, 2021 at 4:42 amThis recipe is fabulous and such a fun way to work salmon into the rotation in a different way! I definitely recommend trying the recipe and building the tacos exactly as Alex has recommended. He will not be disappointed! Delicious
Emily B.
September 14, 2021 at 10:45 pmThis was epic! The flavors go so well together! Honestly this is one of the best fish tacos that I’ve had ever (including restaurants!!!) Highly recommend!!!!!
Tina
July 22, 2021 at 4:14 amMade these tonight on a whim, WOW, these were off the charts! I only had red cabbage so added some shredded carrots and green onion for the slaw and used sour cream instead of mayonnaise. These truly had 5* restaurant quality flavor ( and Dallas has a lot of good tacos!) 😃 Thank you again for another go-to!
Sheri G
July 14, 2021 at 1:42 amThank you for another fantastic recipe! I used cod and it was amazing. The panko mixture was delish and cooked up so beautiful and crispy. Definitely a keeper!
Joni
July 13, 2021 at 9:42 pmThese are excellent! The final tacos definitely have a kick (with the aioli & slaw), but so delicious. The fish sticks were a hit with my daughter too 🙂
Hillary Morgan
July 11, 2021 at 11:18 pmThese were so delicious! My husband doesn’t love salmon and was definitely wary but he even liked them and said he would eat them again – which is a huge win for me bc I love salmon. We cut ours a little smaller – into a sort of “nugget” size – and added guacamole and some Yellowbird Habanero Condiment on top. So refreshing for summer! Thanks Alex!
Wendy-Anne Hamrick
June 29, 2021 at 4:15 amAmazing recipe! The serrano slaw and aioli provide the perfect amount of heat. The blackened seasoning is spot on. I love it! <3
Claire
May 21, 2021 at 2:38 amThese were so easy and delicious! Felt like I was eating fish tacos at a restaurant! Thanks Alex for another great recipe!
Claire
May 20, 2021 at 4:58 pmHi Alex, I’m planning to make these tacos tonight. And I would love to serve a side salad with them. What do you recommend? I am absolutely in love with your black truffle bibb lettuce salad but I am not sure the flavors would mingle well.
Alex
May 20, 2021 at 5:57 pmI personally think the truffle salad goes with all the things– but here is another great option! (minus the chicken!)
https://thedefineddish.com/del-corazon-ensalada/
Christy
May 13, 2021 at 1:55 amRestaurant-quality! Absolutely love this recipe and I can’t wait to make it for company, although it will also be on regular rotation in our house! I used frozen salmon individual portions from Whole Foods. I took the salmon out of the freezer and put it in a bowl of water, prepped the slaw, aioli, and panko mixture and egg, and by then, the salmon was completely defrosted. We added shredded carrots and orange pepper strips to our tacos and will add avocado next time, too! Thank you for this fabulous recipe!
Alex
May 13, 2021 at 12:40 pmThank you so much, Christy!!! I am so glad you loved it!
Brooke Bonime
May 7, 2021 at 5:16 pmHi! These look delicious – making these next week. Unfortunately, I can’t have egg. Any recommendation on another way to bind it?
Alex
May 10, 2021 at 12:07 pmHi Brooke! I haven’t yet tried this– but I’ve read the best substitute for an “egg wash” is milk. So perhaps some almond milk or whatever DF milk you love most here would work!
Brooke Bonime
May 12, 2021 at 12:20 amGood to know! I didn’t see your response until after I made them. I tried a mix of vegan butter and avo oil and it worked great. LOVED the recipe. My bf couldn’t get enough.
Randi
May 6, 2021 at 5:04 pmSo good!
Johanna
May 6, 2021 at 3:53 amMade these tonight, and omg, they were amazing! My entire family absolutely loved them! I felt like a little food truck cook, lol! Thank you, as always for another awesome recipe! Definitely adding this to my go to recipes:)
Hannah
May 5, 2021 at 11:14 pmMade these tonight and they were perfect! We loved the combination of flavors! For anyone else who has to be gluten & grain-free – I crushed up Siete chips and used them instead of the panko and it worked perfectly. Thanks Alex!
Alex
May 6, 2021 at 1:06 amlove that idea!!
Julie Macdonell
May 8, 2021 at 11:50 pmOMG these are delicious! Thank you for another fabulous recipe!
Alex
May 10, 2021 at 12:02 pmYou are most welcome!
Suzie
September 12, 2021 at 6:42 pmJust made these for lunch and they were incredible! Such a great recipe, I didn’t tweak a thing.
Kate
May 4, 2021 at 6:21 pmOmg WOW, threw these together for lunch but made the salmon in the air fryer instead of pan frying. The spice blend and seasoning ratios on everything were perfect and the air fryer did a great job crisping up the fish. Can’t wait to make again! Will be a regular in my rotation.
Alex
May 4, 2021 at 6:43 pmhoooray!!!
Leslie Belcher
May 4, 2021 at 1:54 pmAMAZING! Adding to the keeper list. Loved by all!
Liz
May 3, 2021 at 3:26 pmCan I make the slaw and aioli the day before? I’m hosting a Friday night dinner party.
Therese
May 3, 2021 at 3:00 amWow! The spice combo is perfect! Will definitely be making these again, including with other fish or even chicken. Thanks for a great recipe!
Izzah
May 3, 2021 at 1:59 amAlex does it again. These were so simple but had extraordinary flavor. Thank you, Alex!
Alex
May 3, 2021 at 11:56 amAw thank you, Izzah. You are the sweetest. Glad you lovedit.
Elizabeth Garrison
May 3, 2021 at 1:39 amThese tacos were 💯 Super crunchy and seasonings were perfect – it too spicy just a lovely compliment to the fish! The slaw was a great addition, as was the aioli. I made it all exactly as you wrote it! Thank you again Alex for a great meal!
Coral
April 30, 2021 at 1:29 amThese tacos are 🔥🔥🔥 Highly recommend! We used Trader Joe’s jicama taco shells instead of regular shells and they were fantastic.
Michelle
April 28, 2021 at 12:34 pmThese were AMAZING!!! SO simple and delicious! My husband is not a huge fish fan and he went back for seconds!
Angela
April 27, 2021 at 10:46 pmThese tacos are amazing!!!
Suzi
April 25, 2021 at 1:58 pmI am not a big commenter but these tacos required it! They were absolutely delicious! The slaw is so crisp and tart against the strong flavors of the salmon. I served it with mashed black beans and a tomato, cucumber and avocado salad tossed with lime juice, olive oil and a pinch of salt. Perfect summer dinner!
Alex
April 25, 2021 at 6:41 pmyay!! thank you for taking the time to comment!! I LOVE IT! xoxo
Shannon
April 26, 2021 at 10:45 pmThese were absolutely amazing and such an easy weeknight dinner! You are my go to for new, healthy dinner options. Thanks so much!
Beejoli
April 24, 2021 at 6:03 amThis was SO GOOD and so quick! Best dinner ever. Thanks Alex!
Alex
April 25, 2021 at 6:57 pmyay! so glad! Thanks for the love
Shannon
May 2, 2021 at 10:37 pmholy moly!!! your recipes never disappoint but these were just next level. absolutely delicious and so easy to make
Kelsey
April 23, 2021 at 12:35 amI just made these. SO good! Amazing mix of flavors.
Jill Scribner
April 22, 2021 at 11:27 pmWell done! This dish reminded me of Dive restaurant in Highland Park, Dallas, TX. There, they serve the fish as finger food on a kid’s plate with plantain chips. I was immediately brought back to that place when cooking these up. I ended up using Mahi Mahi, which is firm, has a mild taste, and is easy to cut and fry. We opted out of the tortillas and dipped them in the hot sauce. This recipe just made it to our favorite list!
Blaire
April 21, 2021 at 2:33 pmI’m not a fan of salmon. Would this work with a different fish?
Alex
April 21, 2021 at 6:09 pmhalibut, shrimp, and mahi mahi would be great subs!
Amanda
April 21, 2021 at 1:03 amLovely! Made this tonight and it was perfect. Thanks, Alex!