Fish Tacos with Frozen Costco Tortilla Tilapia
One of my favorite weeknight dinners is tilapia tacos with frozen tortilla crusted tilapia from Costco. This easy meal is ready in less than 30 minutes, is healthier than takeout, and is actually a really delicious recipe. Even if fish is not your go to protein, these tacos might just change your mind. This non-traditional taco recipe is a nice break from ordinary beef tacos but is full of flavor and a little spice. The best part is these tacos can be made at the drop of a hat and require no thawing time. This is a great recipe for anyone who wants an easy dinner the entire family will enjoy! Let me show you how to make these simple fish tacos with frozen Costco tortilla tilapia. Full recipe card below.
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What is Tilapia?
Tilapia is freshwater fish with a very mild taste. Unlike salmon which has a very pronounced flavor, tilapia is a much lighter fish both in taste and calories. Salmon gets its rich taste from the high amounts of omega 3 fatty acids where as tilapia has a much lower concentration. Another key difference is tilapia is a warm water fish and salmon is a cold water species. Tilapia is also a fairly inexpensive fish making it a great option for a variety of dishes with bolder flavors.
If you are trying to incorporate more fish recipes into your diet for the first time, tilapia is a great place to start since it has a much milder flavor than other popular alternatives.
Why I Love Fish Tacos
First of all, I am a big fish lover and will order fish over steak any day. While tilapia is not my favorite fish, it is definitely a close second to salmon. Fish in general is healthier than red meat or pork and it usually cooks faster too. But all that aside, fish tacos are a great way to eat a little better and add fresh ingredients while still enjoying the appeal of a taco.
I have been making these frozen fish tacos for years and usually make this recipe at least once a week for dinner. This recipe has a ton of flavor but is so easy to make anyone can do it!
Ingredients
Most taco recipes have very similar basic ingredients that are consistent across the board but vary in types and quantities. I will break down what I use and why and what ingredients can be substituted or left out.
Tilapia FilletsĀ – I buy the frozen tortilla crusted tilapia at Costco and I always have a box in my freezer. They are located in the freezer section and bake frozen for only 12-15 minutes. No thawing required! The crust on these adds a ton of flavor and requires no additional seasonings which makes these so easy!
I also buy the Kirkland signature tilapia loins which I love making delicious buttery lemon tilapia with, but these do require thawing and a little more prep work. So next time you are at Costco, make sure you grab a box of these! You could even make easy tilapia bowls with these same ingredients by subbing rice for the tortillas. While you can make similar fish tacos with fresh tilapia filets topped with tortilla chips, the ease of this dish comes from the fact that the fish is already crusted and can simply be baked frozen.
TortillasĀ – I usually use the small tortillas, but not the street taco size. I feel those are a little too small. I normally use flour tortillas because corn tortillas tend to fall apart easily. But you can definitely use corn instead if you prefer or are gluten free. I also brown my tortillas a little in a pan on the stovetop with a little olive oil. This part is definitely optional, but adds a little crunch and extra flavor vs room temperature tortillas.
Corn – I always add a little corn to my tacos for some extra sweetness. I use canned corn because I almost always have one in my pantry but you could make it even easier with the microwave bags. I heat up a can on the stovetop with a few tablespoons of butter and some seasonings. I have also used corn straight out of the can before. This is definitely not quite as good, but can be done in a pinch.
OnionĀ – Adding fresh onion to a dish adds a lot of extra flavor and is my go to. I normally use a raw white or yellow onion diced small but a red onion would be great here too since I do not cook the onion. To speed up the chopping process, I use this slicer. It is truly a game changer when it comes to prep work and can even shred cheese too!
CilantroĀ – Fresh cilantro adds so much flavor to a dish. I do not recommend using dried cilantro because I don’t think it tastes anything like real cilantro. If you don’t have the real deal, I would just skip it.
LimesĀ – A little lime juice really helps brighten up this dish and adds a little acidity to balance it out. I use a lime wedge as a garnish for the tacos and in the corn mixture. A few squeezes on top is just the right amount.
AvocadoĀ – This is the perfect compliment to the Mexican style flavors in these fish tacos and it adds a bit of creaminess. Avocado is one of my favorite toppings but I could probably put it on just about anything, haha!
Sour CreamĀ – Normally I add a dollop of sour cream to my tacos on the bottom of the tortilla. It helps keep the fish in place and creates a more balanced bite so all the extras are not on top.
Corn SeasoningsĀ – As I mentioned above, I normally heat my can of corn on the stovetop with some butter or margarine and add some seasonings. While this part is optional, it definitely takes it up a notch. I use a custom blend of chili powder, garlic powder, and salt, and pepper. I never measure this part out but 3-5 shakes of each should do it, less on the salt.
Cooking MethodĀ – The tilapia bakes in the oven on a baking sheet. To make cleanup super easy, I line my pan with aluminum foil so all I have to do is throw it away after dinner. No pan washing required!
Once the tilapia is cooked I use a spatula to cut each fish fillet into smaller pieces to fill the tacos.
I heat the corn up in a small pot on the stovetop and brown the tortillas in a small frying pan. The tilapia can bake while you make the rest and in less than 30 minutes, dinner is ready. I have not made the tilapia in the air fryer yet, but I will be soon and I will let you know how it goes!
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Fish Tacos with Frozen Costco Tortilla Tilapia
- Total Time: 25 minutes
- Yield: 4-6 Tacos 1x
Description
Have a box of Costco frozen tilapia in your freezer but don’t know what to do with it? Try these easy fish tacos with frozen Costco tortilla tilapia. These healthy and delicious tacos are a quick dinner ready in less than 30 minutes while still having tons of flavor and freshness. A simple combination of crispy tilapia, on a tortilla with corn, avocado, lime and sour cream make this an easy dish everyone will love. A whole new take on taco Tuesday!
Ingredients
- 3 Costco Tortilla Crusted Tilapia Fillets
- 4–6 Small Tortillas
- 1/4 cup Onion diced
- 1 Avocado pitted and sliced
- 2 tbsp Fresh Cilantro chopped
- 15.25 oz Corn drained (1 can)
- 1 tbsp Butter or Margarine
- 1/2 tsp Garlic Powder
- 1/2 tsp Chili Powder
- 1/2 tsp Salt
- 1/4 tsp Pepper
- 1 Lime halved and quartered
- Shredded Cheese (for topping)
Instructions
- Pre-heat oven to 400.
- While oven is heating dice the onion and cilantro and slice the avocado. Set aside for topping the tacos. To speed up chopping, I use this slicer.
- Spray a cookie sheet with cooking spray and bake frozen tilapia fillets for 12-15 minutes according to Costco tilapia cooking instructions.
- While the tilapia is baking, in a small pot over medium low heat, add the can of corn with the butter and seasoning mixed in. Add the juice of one lime wedge. Cook for 10-15 minutes or until warm.
- While the corn is heating, over medium heat add a tablespoon of olive oil to a small frying pan and heat up the tortillas. Heat each side of each tortilla for about 30 seconds to a minute and set aside. Be careful not to over cook these. You want them to still be soft enough to fold in half.
- When the tilapia is done, use a spatula or a knife to cut each fillet into small bite size pieces for the tacos.
- Add dollop of sour cream to the bottom of each tortilla and add a single layer of tilapia.
- Add corn, onion, avocado, cheese and cilantro to each taco.
- Garnish with a lime wedge.
Notes
Three fillets makes 4-6 tacos depending on the size of the taco and how full you stuff them. I usually make three fillets for two people.
- Prep Time: 10
- Cook Time: 15
- Category: Entree
- Method: Bake
- Cuisine: American, Mexican
What to Serve With Tilapia Tacos
When I make these for dinner I usually do not make a side dish. I stuff our tacos full of corn, fish, and avocado and usually 2-3 tacos per person is more than enough. However, I have also made this for a larger crowd and made the corn as a side dish rather than a filler. You can also add black beans to the corn for a more filling side.
I have also served my go to coleslaw mix as a side and even as a topping for these tacos. You can also serve these tacos with a side of rice. I prefer jasmine rice as it has more flavor than brown or white rice. If you are looking for a sauce to put on top, my copycat Chuy’s jalapeno dip goes great with these!
When to Make Fish Tacos
This is the perfect weeknight meal when you are running short on time. At the risk of sounding cheesy, I usually make these for taco Tuesday but any night works just fine. This recipe is a family favorite and doesn’t take a long time to make. You can make this fish dish for dinner, lunch, Cinco de Mayo, on Fridays during lent, or for taco Tuesday. The good news is no matter when you decide to make this easy recipe, I am confident it will be a great addition to your weekly meal rotation and even your picky eaters will enjoy it!
Looking for more seafood recipes? Try my air fryer salmon fish tacos, peanut butter Pad Thai with shrimp, spicy tuna sushi poke bowl, Ninja air fryer salmon bites, or my favorite holiday crab puff appetizers on English muffins.
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