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    Home > Meal Type > Main Dishes

    Crispy Fish Tacos with Brown Sugar Onions and Spiced Sour Cream

    Last Updated: Jun 28, 2025 · First Published: Mar 30, 2016
    Author: Claire | Sprinkles and Sprouts · Comment: 8 Comments

    Jump to Recipe SaveSaved!
    4 from 4 votes
    These fish tacos are taco heaven! Soft flour tortillas are filled with crispy fish, sweet and sour brown sugar onions and an amazing creamy taco sauce. From Sprinkles and Sprouts

    These crispy fish tacos might be our favourite type of tacos! A bold statement but the soft flour tortillas are filled with crispy fish, sweet and sour brown sugar onions and an amazing creamy taco sauce. This is taco heaven!!!!!

    These fish tacos are taco heaven! Soft flour tortillas are filled with crispy fish, sweet and sour brown sugar onions and an amazing creamy taco sauce.

    I first published this Crispy Fish Tacos with Brown Sugar Onions and Spiced Sour Cream in March 2016. But I have given the post a little update so I thought I would boost it to the top of the blog again. Enjoy x

    I saw a meme recently that said "We should not be teaching our children about Taco Tuesday........Tacos are for every day"

    It made me smile! And so true!! And we eat a lot of tacos!!!! Which is why earlier in the week I posted my recipe for homemade soft flour tortillas.

    These fish tacos are taco heaven! Soft flour tortillas are filled with crispy fish, sweet and sour brown sugar onions and an amazing creamy taco sauce.

    It is the school swimming carnival today, so I am currently sat outside on a wet concrete seat shouting for team blue! And my Mr 8!

    He is a determined rather than accomplished swimmer. He so wanted to try the 50m front crawl, and he finished, last place but he finished. So proud of his effort, as at the turn he looked like he was ready to get out and call it a 25m race. But he kept going. So proud of you buddy, we can't all be great at everything but your effort can't be faulted. Check out my Instagram account for lots of daily life at Sprinkles and Sprouts, including Mr 8 doing me proud. Love that kid!!!!

    I do however have a damp bottom! And I haven't found a coffee machine YET!!!!!

    Want to save this recipe?

    We'll email this post to you, so you can come back to it later!

    These fish tacos are taco heaven! Soft flour tortillas are filled with crispy fish, sweet and sour brown sugar onions and an amazing creamy taco sauce.

    So let's talk tacos. Soft tacos rather than hard tacos. (I find them easier to eat)

    We eat a lot of tacos, with so many different fillings, but today I wanted to share these amazing crispy fish tacos. I first had fish tacos at a little Mexican restaurant in the back of beyond. In all honesty the restaurant wasn't that great, (but it was open when nothing else was!!) my fish was soggy and the tortillas were a bit dry. But the taco sauce was so delicious!!!

    These fish tacos are taco heaven! Soft flour tortillas are filled with crispy fish, sweet and sour brown sugar onions and an amazing creamy taco sauce.

    This is my version. Sour cream mixed with a delicious blend of herbs and spices and plenty of coriander and lime juice. But all that savoury sour cream needs a hint of sweetness and so I came up with the brown sugar onions. Red onions that have been soaked in some lime juice then sprinkled with crunchy brown sugar. The lime juice takes away the raw taste (plus it turns them a beautiful jewel pink!) and the sugar is the perfect balance.

    These fish tacos are taco heaven! Soft flour tortillas are filled with crispy fish, sweet and sour brown sugar onions and an amazing creamy taco sauce.

    I suggest cabbage as the 'salad' filling, because it is authentic and it tastes so good! It gives such a wonderful crunch to the dish.

    If you don't want to make the fish yourself then both of the big supermarkets here in Australia do packets of freshly breaded fish fillets that would be perfect for this. But this homemade crispy fish is so good I urge you to have a go yourself. I promise it is worth the messy fingers 😉

    Enjoy x

    Get the Recipe

    These fish tacos are taco heaven! Soft flour tortillas are filled with crispy fish, sweet and sour brown sugar onions and an amazing creamy taco sauce.

    Crispy Fish Tacos with Brown Sugar Onions and Spiced Sour Cream

    Claire | Sprinkle and Sprouts
    These fish tacos might be our favourite type of tacos! A bold statement but the soft flour tortillas are filled with crispy fish, sweet and sour brown sugar onions and an amazing creamy taco sauce. This is taco heaven!!!!!
    4 from 4 votes
    Print Recipe
    Prep Time 20 minutes mins
    Cook Time 5 minutes mins
    Total Time 25 minutes mins
    Course Main
    Cuisine Mexican
    Servings 4 -6
    Calories 591 kcal

    Ingredients
     
     

    For the Sauce

    • 1 cup sour cream
    • ½ teaspoon cumin
    • ½ teaspoon ground coriander
    • ½ teaspoon dried dill
    • ½ teaspoon dried oregano
    • ½ lime
    • small handful of fresh cilantro

    For the Brown Sugar Onions

    • 1 red onion
    • 1 lime
    • 1 tablespoon light brown sugar

    For the Fish (if not using store bought breaded fillets - see note 1)

    • 1 lb firm white fish fillets (I use Hoki)
    • ½ cup plain flour
    • 2 eggs
    • 1 cup panko breadcrumbs
    • 1 tablespoon polenta/cornmeal (optional but it does add a crunch!)
    • salt
    • olive oil

    To Serve

    • 2 cups white cabbage
    • 8-10 flour tortillas (get my recipe)
    • 1 green chilli (optional)

    Instructions
     

    For the sauce

    • In a small bowl, mix together the sour cream, cumin, coriander, dill, oregano and the juice from the lime.
    • Chop the fresh coriander and them mix that though the sour cream.
    • Cover and place in the fridge for the flavours to mingle.

    For the Brown Sugar Onions

    • Peel the red onion and then cut into thin half moon shapes.
    • Squeeze over the lime juice and set them aside whilst you prepare the fish.
    • Just before you serve the tacos sprinkle the sugar over the onions and give them a quick stir. It might not all completely dissolve but this is what makes them delicious!

    For the Fish

    • Cut the fish into chunky fingers.
    • Set up a production line with three bowls.
    • Put the flour in the first bowl.
    • Break the eggs into the second and give them a good beat with a fork.
    • Place the panko breadcrumbs and polenta into the third bowl.
    • Line a tray with non-stick cooking paper.
    • Dredge the fish fingers in the flour mixture, then shake off any excess.
    • Dip the fillet into the egg and then turn it in the breadcrumbs.
    • Place the breaded fish onto your tray and continue with the remaining fillets.
    • Cover and refrigerate until you are ready to cook (see note 2)
    • Place some sheets of kitchen towels on a large platter and place a large non-stick frying pan over a medium heat.
    • Add a generous slug of oil and place in your fish fillets (don't over crowd the pan, this will take a couple of batches)
    • Cook for 2 minutes on one side and then carefully flip and cook for a further 2 minutes or until just cooked through.
    • Place the cooked fish on your platter to drain off any excess oil.
    • Add more oil to the pan and cook the remaining fillets

    To Serve

    • Shred the cabbage
    • Gently warm the tortillas in the microwave or a dry frying pan. (see note 3)
    • Then layer up your tacos.
    • If you like it spicy then sprinkle over finely chopped green chillies.

    Notes

    1. You can use store bought breaded or battered fish goujons or fillets for this recipe instead.
    2. Once prepared the fish will keep in the refrigerator for ¾ hours.
    3. Get my recipe for homemade soft flour tortilla here.
    Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

    Nutrition

    Calories: 591kcal | Carbohydrates: 66g | Protein: 36g | Fat: 20g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Cholesterol: 168mg | Sodium: 70.4mg | Potassium: 70.8mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 11g | Vitamin A: 510IU | Vitamin C: 24.4mg | Calcium: 207mg | Iron: 5.2mg

    Nutrition is per serving

    For more great recipes follow me on PinterestFollow @sprinklessprout

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    Comments

    1. Rosa says

      May 24, 2018 at 12:22 am

      5 stars
      This recipe is sooooo good. We don't eat any other tacos ever in our household.

      Reply
      • Claire McEwen says

        May 24, 2018 at 6:12 am

        Rosa, thank you so much for coming back to comment, it means so much.
        AND I am sooooo happy your family enjoys these, they are a big favorite in our house too 😀

        Reply
    2. Bronwyn says

      March 17, 2016 at 10:34 am

      These look excellent. I will have to try some this weekend

      Reply
      • Claire McEwen says

        March 18, 2016 at 4:08 pm

        Thank you Bronwyn I hope you love them 🙂

        Reply
    3. Nagi@RecipeTinEats says

      March 17, 2016 at 3:21 am

      5 stars
      ?Fish tacos! They were my FAVE in Mexico!!! I totally have to try this, I've been meaning to make fish tacos since I got back!

      Reply
      • Claire McEwen says

        March 18, 2016 at 4:09 pm

        Fish tacos are sooooo good. I bet they were amazing in Mexico!

        Reply
    4. Dorothy Dunton says

      March 11, 2016 at 12:47 am

      Hi Claire! I must admit I've never had a fish taco. I love tacos so I don't really know why I've never made them with fish! I am going to have some very soon! Usually when I make tacos I put the "stuff" in a hard shell and then wrap a soft flour tortilla around it - you get the crunch without the mess! 🙂

      Reply
      • Claire McEwen says

        March 12, 2016 at 8:55 am

        That is GENIUS Dorothy!!!!!!!!!!
        p.s Fish in tacos is delicious 🙂

        Reply
    4 from 4 votes (2 ratings without comment)

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    a lady slurping pasta from a fork while holding a rustic bowl

    I'm Claire and I love food!!


    I dream about food and I am happiest when I am in the kitchen cooking. Whether that is dinner for my family, snacks for drinks with my girlfriends or testing new recipes for my site, the kitchen is my happy place. Sprinkles and Sprouts is where I share it all and I am so happy you are here.

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