Nothing says Spring or Summer like a Gluten-Free Crispy Fish Taco Bowl loaded with fresh Cabbage Slaw & Sriracha Aioli! (These are equally delicious when you're dreaming of warmer weather!). This easy meal comes together in just over 30 minutes and can be entirely made ahead of time!
Crispy Fish Taco Bowls
Fresh, Satisfying and Delish!
What says Spring or Summer more than Crispy Fish Tacos or a Crispy Fish Taco Bowl?
It just makes you feel the warmer weather!
Plus, we’ve been on a fish kick recently and turned our favorite gluten-free Fish Tacos into a bowl for yours truly!
Not being a big fish eater, I wanted something with a bit more veggies but still a few pieces of crispy fish and this hit the spot!
Plus it’s super adaptable and works well with a family where everyone has slightly different tastes and nutritional needs (hello teen boys!)
I started with a big bowl of crisp lettuce, added a large scoop of the pickled cabbage slaw (I’ve been obsessed with red cabbage lately!), then a few pieces of Crispy Fish, a dipping bowl of sriracha aioli and finished it with some creamy avocado and a gluten-free tortilla on the side….
SO good!
It’s super flavorful and satisfying, and allows me to have more slaw and veggies and the boys to have more fish…
Recipe adapted from Cooking Light fish tacos, the bowls look impressive but are quite simple. Best kind of cooking, right?
It’s simply crispy fish (super easy to make and can be made ahead and reheated), a quick cabbage slaw (which we like lightly pickled but can also be seasoned with simply lime juice which is super fresh tasting! Details below), sriracha aioli and your favorite gluten-free flour tortilla (we used Siete almond flour tortillas).
Let’s start with the slaw because the entire dish comes together quickly and the slaw should sit sit in the lime juice and vinegar to soften and absorb the flavors.
Here’s what in it: red or purple cabbage, tomatoes (grape, cherry, plum or whatever you have on hand), red onion, and jalpeno (seeded, so not spicy but great crunch and flavor).
And it’s all seasoned with fresh lime juice, red wine vinegar (optional but our preference), salt and a touch of sugar.
It’s a fresh, tangy and delicious flavor! and a great contrast to the crispy fish and Sriracha aioli.
All you do is gently toss the ingredients with the salt and sugar, then pour in the lime juice and vinegar, gently mix and let stand which you make the fish.
Now on to the fish!
We made them with tilapia, a very light, flaky fish, though my fish market told me that cod would also work well. As I’ve said before, as I don’t eat a lot fish and I don’t personally eat meat (though my family does), I always ask my butcher or fish counter what is the freshest and best for a particular recipe.
The tilapia are deep fried after being lightly coated with egg, then dipped in a mix of Gluten-Free GFJules all purpose flour (affiliate link) garlic powder, onion powder & red pepper which gives them the best flavor!
As an aside, you may have noticed that we are affiliate for GFJules. To learn more about why we love GFJules flour and why we have used it for 10 years, click here. Bonus: at the bottom of that post is a one-time use affiliate Discount Code.
And importantly, purchasing through an affiliate link does not change your cost at all. It generates a small percentage of the sale for me, and purchasing through an affiliate link helps me fund this website and all the recipes I share, so thank you!
Back to the fish…
I deep fried the in our Cuisinart Compact Deep Fryer (amazon affiliate link) which I absolutely adore! It makes everything super crispy but not greasy at all!
I have made these in the past with a cast iron skillet equally well.
Finally, while the fish cooks (just 4-5 minutes each batch and I did it in 3 batches), I mixed together the sriracha aioli.
The aioli is mayo of choice (vegan, avocado, canola, classic), sriracha (use more or less for greater kick) and a touch of sesame oil (sub your favorite oil).
It’s easy, creamy and packed with flavor!
When the fish is cooked, you just assemble the bowls.
Pro tip: As things can get busy during “dinner time” even when you’re all at home, I often make everything ahead of time, then simply reheat the fish in the oven, in a skillet or microwave, making it an easy dinner!
Hope you love it as much as we do!
Scroll down for the recipe and leave a comment if you try.
Easy gluten-free fish taco bowls, ready in 35 minutes! Crispy fried fish, a quick cabbage slaw and sriracha aioli paired with your gluten-free flour tortilla, greens and avocado for a satisfying meal! Can we entirely prepped ahead.
Author: Healthy Gluten-Free Family
Recipe type: Dinner, Tacos
Cuisine: Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free, Nut-Free
Serves: 4 bowls tacos
Ingredients
Crispy Fish
just over 1 lb tilapia , cut into 24 -28, approximately 3 inch pieces
While oil heats, set up an "assembly line" so you can coat the fish. In one shallow bowl, whisk the eggs. In a second shallow bowl, mix together the flour, salt, onion powder, garlic powder and cayenne pepper. Dip the fish first in the egg shaking off any excess, then dredge in the flour mixture. Set aside.
When oil is heated, carefully place the coated fish in either the fryer basket or skillet. Cook for 4-5 minutes or until golden and crispy.
If using a fryer, remove basket from fryer oil, remove fish. If frying in a skillet, use a slotted spoon to remove fish from oil, and place on a plate with paper towels to remove excess oil. Repeat until all the fish is fried.
Cabbage slaw
Place sliced cabbage, onions, jalapeno and tomatoes in a large bowl. Add sugar and salt and gently toss. Add vinegar and lime juice and toss to combine. Let stand while you make the fish.
Sriracha aioli
In a small bowl, mix together all ingredients until well combined and creamy.
Assemble
In each bowl, add 3-5 pieces of fish, a large scoop of slaw, some sriracha aioli for dipping, greens, ½ an avocado and a tortilla.
Enjoy!
Pro tip: Can be prepped ahead and fish reheated in the oven, in a skillet or microwave.
I made this dish for my family and everyone loved it! I took a short-cut and got the pre-breaded tilapia (some with Parmesan breadcrumbs and some with pecan-crust) from Fresh Market because I was rushed for time. We cut it into pieces and deep-fried the fish, but I think it could easily be pan-fried as well. Followed the recipe – slicing the cabbage and onion VERY thin is important! The Sriracha aioli was to die for and I will use that for many applications. The whole thing came together very quickly and was savored by all!
Hi! My name is Karen, and I’m the mom in our Healthy Gluten-Free Family. My posts and pictures here and on Instagram, Pinterest, Facebook and Twitter are labors of love that allow me to share a very personal journey with you, one our family has taken together — learning, experimenting and sharing how to raise a healthy happy gluten-free family. Read more ...
I made this dish for my family and everyone loved it! I took a short-cut and got the pre-breaded tilapia (some with Parmesan breadcrumbs and some with pecan-crust) from Fresh Market because I was rushed for time. We cut it into pieces and deep-fried the fish, but I think it could easily be pan-fried as well. Followed the recipe – slicing the cabbage and onion VERY thin is important! The Sriracha aioli was to die for and I will use that for many applications. The whole thing came together very quickly and was savored by all!
Thanks so much Lisa! So happy you all loved it! And love your adaptations!