White Fish Tacos with Pineapple Jalapeño Slaw

Are you looking for a refreshing appetizer with a kick? Look no further. These white fish tacos with a roasted jalapeño slaw will leave everyone wanting more. 

Ironically, this recipe came from a friendly Open Fire BBQ competition down in Hondo, Texas.

We were making fish tacos when we realized we needed a slaw to complete the dish. Thankfully, the kitchen on site had the bare essential ingredients needed for a slaw, and I had cabbage, pineapple, and leftover roasted jalapeños.

It came out more flavorful than expected and is now a staple recipe in my house.

White Fish Tacos with Pineapple Jalapeño Slaw

Ingredients you’ll need 

• Coleslaw mix
• Jalapeños – I roasted the jalapeño, but you can use fresh. Roasting them mellows out the spice while adding a nice smoky flavor.
• Pineapple
• White sugar
• Vinegar – preferably red wine vinegar.
• Olive oil
• Seasonings – salt, pepper, and garlic powder. 
• Fish – I used Cod as its mild flavor makes the perfect taco, but any flaky white fish can be used.
• Rub – I used Kosmos Garlic Garlic Rub. 
• Tortillas – I prefer corn for this recipe.
• Cilantro – optional for garnish.

Equipment you’ll need

• Blackstone or Griddle – The Blackstone is ideal for this dish because you can heat the tortillas on one side while cooking the fish on the other. Due to the fact Cod is so flaky, cooking it on the Blackstone ensures you will not accidentally lose any pieces through grill grates. 
• Knife
• Cutting board
• Bowl

How to make White Fish Tacos with Pineapple Jalapeño Slaw

1. Fire up the BBQ

I used a four-burner Blackstone BBQ for this cook

I heated half of the Blackstone to medium-low heat for the tortillas and the other half to medium-high for the jalapeños and fish. 

2. The jalapeños

Roast the jalapeños for about 10 minutes or until soft, then finely chop.

3. The dressing

Add the red wine vinegar, sugar, salt, pepper, garlic powder, and olive oil to a small bowl and give everything a good mix.

3. The slaw

I like to make the coleslaw at least an hour before I’m going to serve the tacos, as the flavors are better after sitting for a bit.

Put the slaw mix into a large bowl.

Add the chopped pineapple to the bowl.  

Add the dressing to the bowl and mix until the slaw is nicely coated.

Place it in the fridge until you are ready to serve.

4. Season

Season your fish on all sides.

For this recipe I season with Kosmos Garlic Garlic rub. However, any basic SPG (salt, pepper, garlic) rub will work well.

5. Cook

This is not going to take long at all. You can do both pretty much at the same time.

Place your fish on the medium-high heat. It should only take about 5 minutes to cook all together. Flip carefully after a couple of minutes.

Place the tortillas on the medium-low heat. Flip after a minute or so. Once warmed, wrap in a kitchen towel to keep warm.

6. Assemble

Grab a warmed tortilla, place a nice chunk of Cod onto it, and then finish it off with a forkful of the slaw. 

Serve and enjoy immediately!

More taco inspiration

• Leftover BBQ Pulled Pork Tacos
• Viral Smashburger Tacos with a Mexican Twist
• Smoked Beef Birria Tacos
• Smoked Beef Cheek Tacos