Fish Taco Slaw

Coleslaw for Fish Tacos

One of the best things about living in Florida is the access to incredible seafood. Each restaurant has a different spin on fish tacos with some type of crunchy cabbage slaw and house-made remoulade sauce or fish taco sauce.

This taco slaw is one of those restaurant recreation recipes. It’s a great all-around slaw recipe with a touch of sweetness, some tanginess from freshly squeezed lime juice, and crunch from shredded cabbage.

Our taco coleslaw recipe is incredibly easy to prepare and very versatile. The best part is that it keeps well in the refrigerator for about 3 days and works well as a side dish for several recipes, not just as a slaw for fish tacos.

How to Make Fish Taco Slaw

Here’s a brief description explaining how to make our taco slaw. The full recipe including ingredients and instructions is further down the page.

1. In a bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, lime juice, sugar, garlic powder, salt, and pepper until well blended. Then set aside.
2. In a large bowl, combine the cabbage mix, green onions, and cilantro.
3. Pour the mayo lime dressing over the cabbage mixture, and stir to combine.
4. Store taco coleslaw in the fridge until ready to use.

Tips for Success

• Use a combination of cabbage and thinly sliced onions for the slaw.
• Add freshly chopped parsley in place of cilantro if you prefer.
• For an extra kick, add jalapeno peppers or chili powder.
• Incorporate complementary flavors by adding mango, pineapple, or mandarin orange slices into your slaw mix when possible.
• Instead of purchasing packaged slaw mix, use a food processor to quickly shred cabbage and veggies instead.
• Consider mixing up different types of cabbage (red vs green) to create more visual appeal in the presentation.  
• Top off individual servings with crunchy garnishes such as sesame seeds, crushed tortilla chips, etc., just before serving!

Storage

Refrigerator: Fish taco slaw can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. To keep it fresher for longer, store the slaw without dressing or other wet ingredients and mix them together just before serving.

Can you substitute Greek yogurt or sour cream for the mayonnaise?

For a healthier version of fish taco slaw, replace the mayonnaise with equal parts plain Greek yogurt. Even if you want to mix in a bit of mayo for flavor, as long as it adds up to 1 cup the mixture will work.

Just keep in mind that some Greek yogurt is strong in flavor, so the dressing will taste slightly different.

Sour cream is an excellent substitute to use, however, we don’t advise only using sour cream in the coleslaw dressing. To get the best results, try swapping out ¼ cup of mayo or yogurt with ¼ cup of sour cream for a delicious and creamy texture!

What side goes with fish tacos?

• Mexican Rice
• Black Bean Salad
• Mango Salsa
• Fish Taco Slaw
• Guacamole
• Cilantro Lime Rice
• Corn on the Cob
• Pico de Gallo

Can you make this fish taco slaw without cilantro?

Of course! Everyone should be able to enjoy taco slaw recipe, so if someone doesn’t care for cilantro, it’s totally fine to omit it.

If you’d like something else as an alternative, fresh parsley makes for a delicious and flavorful addition.

Can you omit the sugar in this fish taco slaw?

Absolutely! If you are looking for a more tart flavor to your slaw, simply omit the sugar. We haven’t tested this recipe with any sugar substitutes; therefore, our best suggestion is to leave it out entirely.

How do you make this slaw spicy?

Actually, we have an entirely different recipe for spicy coleslaw and it is great on fish tacos! That way, we don’t have to change this recipe at all, we just use the other recipe when we want spicy coleslaw.

Other Coleslaw Recipes You May Enjoy

• Creamy Coleslaw
• Mexican Taco Slaw
• Vinegar Based Coleslaw
• Mustardy Coleslaw Recipe
• Ramen Noodle Salad