Street Tacos
Served with Cabbage Slaw and Tropical Fruit Salsa
As we find ourselves in the middle of Hispanic Heritage Month, we want to celebrate and elevate one of the most beloved staples of Mexican cuisine—the taco.
Once the star of taco stands and street carts, tacos have now become a household favorite. Some examples of traditional taco fillings include pastor (pork), carne asada (steak), chorizo (sausage), and pescado (fish). This One Potato Street Taco recipe features fresh mahi mahi and vibrant organic cabbage slaw, paired with a zesty homemade tropical salsa, bringing bold, authentic flavors to the table for our version of tacos de pescado. It’s our way of honoring the rich culinary traditions we’re inspired by, and trust us—you’ll be hoping for leftovers after this irresistible meal! We recommend using wild caught mahi mahi, and organic cabbage. In fact, organic cabbage and mangoes are part of the Clean 15 - the Environmental Working Group's list of the fruits and vegetables with the least amount of residual pesticides.
Serving Suggestion
To complete your meal, heat and serve some seasoned black beans or refried beans (your preference) or Spanish rice on the side with the cabbage slaw and tropical fruit salsa.
Vegetarian Substitution:
Vegetarians, you probably have your favorite protein substitute in mind for taco filling, such as crumbled tofu, sliced tempeh, seitan, or jackfruit. You can follow the recipe for the cabbage slaw and tropical fruit salsa, and fill your tacos with your preferred protein or seasoned beans.
Before diving into today’s recipe, One Potato wishes shana tova to those in our community who celebrate Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year.
This holiday season there are SO MANY vibrant cultures, traditions, and stories we’re going to be sharing with you from members of our community. Keep an eye on your inbox and our Substack posts for more One Potato interview segments, more personal essays about food and family, and bonus content from our subscribers sharing their family recipes. We are continuing to grow and improve our newsletter in real time, with you.
And now…to this week’s Recipe, with all the extras:
Meal Prep
Keep Some Salsa Verde on Hand: Maintaining a homemade sauce library is a great way to add flavor to basic homemade dishes, and a fun weekend activity to do with the kids. This week and next week we’re sending you recipes for Hispanic Heritage Month that benefit from the One Potato homemade Salsa Verde.
Prep the Vegetables: Pre-slice all vegetables (cabbage, radishes, onions, jalapeño, cilantro) and store them in airtight containers for up to a day in advance.
Make the tropical fruit salsa in advance: You can make the fruit salsa a night or two before you’re serving this meal. As a bonus, the flavors will meld together, enhancing the taste.
Time Savers
Use Pre-Made Slaw or Pre-Cut Veggies: If you're in a hurry, you can buy pre-shredded cabbage and pre-sliced radishes to save time.
Buy fresh fruit salsa from your local market.
Batch Cook the Fish: You can prepare and cook the mahi mahi filets in batches. To keep them warm and crispy, place them on a baking sheet in a warm oven at 150°F while you cook the rest or continue prepping the rest of the meal.
Use Frozen or Pre-Cut Tropical Fruit: You can use frozen diced pineapple and mango to save time on peeling and dicing fresh fruit. Let it thaw before making the salsa.
Make extra or make ahead:
Make a second or third meal: The fruit salsa will stay good for two or three days in the refrigerator, and the flavors will continue to deepen. Make extra, add some drained black beans, and you can have a delicious bean and fruit salsa dip with tortilla chips for lunch; add some protein such as grilled chicken and serve on top of a healthy salad; or use it as a component in a burrito or burrito bowl with white or brown rice.
Make extra cabbage slaw: This slaw makes a lovely sandwich or salad topper, and will keep for a few days in the refrigerator.
One Potato recommends reading through the full recipe before starting to cook - that way all the steps will go more smoothly.
Street Tacos // Tacos de Pescado
For 4 Servings
PREP TIME: 20 minutes COOK TIME: 10 minutes TOTAL TIME: 30 minutes
One Potato Kitchen Tools: large plate, large sauté pan, spatula, paper towel, cutting board, chef’s knife, large salad bowl or mixing bowl
From Your Pantry: salt (kosher or sea), pepper, sugar, canola or olive oil
Ingredients:
1 lb. mahi mahi filets
1 c. flour
2 tsp. adobo seasoning
1 small red onion (finely sliced)
1 ½ c. purple and green cabbage (julienned)
3 radishes (finely sliced)
1 small bunch cilantro (roughly chopped)
¼ c. rice wine vinegar
1 tsp. sugar
4 - 8 corn tortillas
1 avocado (sliced)
1 jalapeno (de-seeded and diced, if desired)
cotija cheese (for serving, to taste)
1 lime (sliced, for garnish)
For Tropical Fruit Salsa
1 c. pineapple (peeled & diced)
1 mango (peeled & diced)
1 red bell pepper (diced)
1/2 small red onion (diced)
2 Tbsp cilantro (chopped, optional)
2 Tbsp fresh mint (chopped, optional)
1 Tbsp fresh basil (chopped, optional)
juice of 1 lime
Printable Shopping List Here - The Instacart shopping cart does not include pantry staples.
Directions:
Prepare the Slaw:
Prep Vegetables: In a bowl, toss together the cabbage, radishes, and onion with a sprinkle of salt. Add diced jalapeño for spice, or leave out depending on your preference.
Combine the sugar and the rice wine vinegar, and then pour over the prepared vegetables. Toss well, and let rest in the fridge for 15 minutes.
Add cilantro to the cabbage mixture before serving.
Pro Tip I: Jalapeño seeds can burn your hands so use caution when removing them.
Pro Tip II: Omit the cilantro or substitute with parsley if your family is a no cilantro family!
Prepare the Tropical Fruit Salsa:
Combine Ingredients: Place all the ingredients in a bowl and stir to combine.
Pro Tip: Use diced frozen fruit and combine all ingredients in a bowl a day in advance. This will allow the salsa to create its own vibrant flavor from the pineapple and mango juices.
Prepare the Fish:
Coat the Mahi Mahi Filets: Combine the flour and adobo seasoning in a bowl and stir to incorporate. Transfer the flour mixture onto a large plate. Dredge the mahi mahi filets in the flour, pressing down lightly until completely coated on both sides.
Cook the Filets: Warm 1 Tbsp of canola oil in a large sauté pan set over high heat. Gently place the filets into the pan, then reduce heat to medium. Cook for 3-4 minutes or until the bottom is golden brown. Use a spatula to flip the filets and cook until the other side is golden. Remove filets from the pan and lay them on a paper towel to absorb excess oil.
Assemble the Tacos:
Warm the Tortillas: If desired, warm tortillas 1 or 2 at a time between two damp pieces of paper towel for 10 seconds in the microwave.
Pro Tip: Alternatively, tortillas can be warmed by carefully, directly placing them one at a time over a low stove top flame for 10-20 seconds - do not leave unattended. This will give the tortillas a slightly charred flavor.
Build the Tacos: Top each warmed tortilla with a little cabbage mix, followed by avocado slices, a piece of the mahi mahi, a squeeze of lime, some cotija cheese, and a dollop of tropical salsa.
Serve:
Serve and Enjoy! You can serve with additional avocado and lime slices, radishes, sour cream, and Salsa Verde for garnish.
Substitutions and Dietary Considerations
Gluten-Free: Substitute the flour for dredging the fish with a gluten-free flour alternative (e.g., rice flour or a gluten-free flour blend, such as Cup4Cup flour), and be sure to use gluten-free corn tortillas.
Dairy-Free: Omit the cotija cheese or use a dairy-free cheese alternative for those who are lactose intolerant or avoiding dairy.
Spice Sensitivity: Jalapeños are optional. Leave them out if you're serving those sensitive to spice, or substitute with a milder pepper (e.g., poblano or bell pepper).
Types of Fish: You don’t have to use mahi mahi, but can substitute any type of white, mild fish that you prefer or can source at your local store. If you prefer a flakier, lighter fish, tilapia is a great option. Cod or halibut also work well in this recipe.
Getting Kids Involved
Dumping and mixing is as easy and safe as it gets, so kids of any age can help assemble the cabbage slaw and mix together the fruit salsa.
Kids can assemble their own tacos.
Pro Tips
Picky Eaters? To get kids to try new flavors and sides, let them be the master builders of their own tacos by putting the toppings in separate bowls and creating a DIY bar.
Kids not fans of tacos? Use any tortilla chips that you have on hand with the same toppings, and now you have a DIY nacho bar!
Tips for using our online Shopping List
For this recipe, we’ve saved you time by filling your shopping cart! All you need to do to have the ingredients quickly delivered is
Select your preferred store and delivery service (Instacart will show you how many items are available at your preferred store; if you would prefer organic, a different brand, or if the ingredient is not available at that store, simply click “show alternatives”)
Confirm the items and quantities that you want to purchase - Click “Add # Ingredients to Cart” (Check the items in your cart against the ingredients list to make sure they’re all there.)
Check out and schedule your delivery
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