Mango Salsa Tilapia Tacos (Print Version)

Spiced tilapia with fresh mango salsa in corn tortillas

# What You’ll Need:

→ For the Tilapia

01 - 4 tilapia fillets (about 1.1 pounds total)
02 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
03 - 1 teaspoon ground cumin
04 - 1 teaspoon chili powder
05 - 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
06 - 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
07 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
08 - 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
09 - Juice of 1/2 lime

→ For the Mango Salsa

10 - 1 large ripe mango, diced
11 - 1/2 small red onion, finely chopped
12 - 1 small red bell pepper, diced
13 - 1 small jalapeño, seeded and minced
14 - 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
15 - Juice of 1 lime
16 - 1/4 teaspoon salt

→ For Assembly

17 - 8 small corn tortillas
18 - 1 cup shredded red cabbage
19 - Lime wedges for serving

# How-To Steps:

01 - Pat tilapia fillets dry with paper towels. Combine cumin, chili powder, smoked paprika, garlic powder, salt, and pepper in a small bowl. Rub spice mixture evenly over both sides of fillets, then drizzle with lime juice.
02 - Heat olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add tilapia and cook 2 to 3 minutes per side until opaque and flakes easily with a fork. Transfer to a plate and break into large chunks.
03 - While fish cooks, combine diced mango, chopped red onion, diced red bell pepper, minced jalapeño, fresh cilantro, lime juice, and salt in a mixing bowl. Gently toss to combine without breaking down the mango pieces.
04 - Heat corn tortillas in a dry skillet over medium heat for 30 seconds per side, or microwave wrapped in a damp paper towel for 1 to 2 minutes until pliable.
05 - Layer shredded red cabbage onto each warmed tortilla, top with tilapia pieces, then spoon mango salsa generously over the fish.
06 - Transfer assembled tacos to serving plates and serve immediately with lime wedges on the side.

# Expert Hints:

01 -
  • The whole meal comes together in 30 minutes, which means you can actually enjoy your evening instead of spending it in the kitchen.
  • Fresh mango salsa tastes so vibrant and alive that it makes even simple fish feel like something special.
  • It's naturally gluten-free and dairy-free without tasting like you're missing anything at all.
02 -
  • Overcooked tilapia becomes dry and disappointing, so pull it off the heat the moment it turns opaque—residual heat will finish the job.
  • A truly ripe mango makes the difference between salsa that tastes fresh and vibrant versus salsa that tastes like canned fruit; squeeze gently to test for ripeness, not firmness.
  • Don't assemble the tacos too far in advance or the tortillas will get soggy from the salsa's lime juice.
03 -
  • Buy tilapia that's been frozen and thawed properly (check with your fishmonger) rather than assuming fresh is better—frozen-and-thawed fish is often fresher than what's been sitting on ice for days.
  • Make your salsa 15 minutes before serving so the flavors have time to get to know each other, but not so long that the lime juice turns the mango into mush.
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