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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 Cajun-inspired flavors along with gluten-free panko breadcrumbs, the salmon is coated in a perfect, crunchy crust. Served in tortillas with a tangy 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.
Step One: Make the Serrano Slaw
You’ll start this recipe by first making the serrano slaw. Simply add all of your slaw ingredients to a large bowl then toss to combine. You’ll set this aside while you make the rest of the taco elements, allowing the flavors to meld and the serrano slightly pickle.
Step Two: Make the Aioli
Next, you’ll make the quick aioli. Simply combine the three ingredients then set aside.
What You’ll Need:
- Homemade Mayo
- Lime Juice
- Your Favorite Hot Sauce — it’s El Yucateco for me!
Step Three: Cook the Salmon
Now it’s time to cook up the crunchy salmon. Start by making your panko mixture with gluten-free panko and a few dried spices. You’ll simply coat each piece of salmon in a simple egg wash — 1 egg plus 1 teaspoon of water whisked — then coat all sides in the panko mixture. Once all coated, you’ll fry the pieces in olive oil in a non-stick skillet then set the cooked salmon onto a plate lined with paper towels.
Step Four: Assemble
Now, it’s time to assemble the tacos! Slightly crisp up the tortillas either over the flame of your gas stove or in a dry skillet on an electric stovetop. Add slaw to the bottom of your warmed tortillas the top with 1 to 2 pieces of salmon. Drizzle with the aioli then top with cilantro, and, of course, serve with lime wedges and more hot sauce if desired!
I also highly recommend making these Crunchy Blackened Salmon Tacos next time you are hosting a small, casual dinner party because you can make the slaw and the aioli ahead of time and then all you need to do is fry up your salmon and assemble the tacos. 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 a time, 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!
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Restaurant-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!
Thank you so much, Christy!!! I am so glad you loved it!
Hi! These look delicious – making these next week. Unfortunately, I can’t have egg. Any recommendation on another way to bind it?
Hi 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!
Good 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.
So good!
Made 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:)
Made 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!
love that idea!!
OMG these are delicious! Thank you for another fabulous recipe!
You are most welcome!
Just made these for lunch and they were incredible! Such a great recipe, I didn’t tweak a thing.
Omg 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.
hoooray!!!
AMAZING! Adding to the keeper list. Loved by all!
Can I make the slaw and aioli the day before? I’m hosting a Friday night dinner party.
Wow! The spice combo is perfect! Will definitely be making these again, including with other fish or even chicken. Thanks for a great recipe!
Alex does it again. These were so simple but had extraordinary flavor. Thank you, Alex!
Aw thank you, Izzah. You are the sweetest. Glad you lovedit.