Baked Cod Tacos with Lime Yogurt and Slaw
Paprika-spiced cod, crunchy cabbage-carrot slaw and a tangy lime yogurt sauce tucked into warm corn tortillas. Eight small tacos for a fresh, easy fish dinner.
A fish taco needs a balance of soft, crisp and creamy textures. Here the fish is baked with paprika and cumin, the slaw stays fresh and crunchy, and plain Greek yogurt becomes a simple lime sauce. Warm corn tortillas hold everything together without a fried coating.
Make the slaw and sauce first, then season and bake the cod. While the fish cooks, warm the tortillas and set out the toppings. The recipe makes eight small tacos, or four servings of two. Allow about 35 minutes when the oven heats promptly and your fish is already thawed; thickness and oven performance can extend the cooking stage.
Why you’ll love this recipe
Drying the cod helps the measured spice-and-oil coating stay on its surface. Baking intact fillets keeps the flakes manageable until assembly. Fine cabbage shreds fit inside a small tortilla, while carrot adds a little sweetness. Thick yogurt holds the lime juice in a creamy sauce rather than soaking the tortillas with a thin dressing.
Before you start · Equipment
Kitchen scale; sharp knife and board; mixing bowls; fine grater; large rimmed metal baking tray; oven-safe parchment rated for 425°F (220°C); food thermometer; wide spatula; dry skillet; tongs; clean towel for tortillas.
Everything you’ll need.
Get your ingredients ready, then follow the quantities in the recipe below.
See ingredient amounts
This guide describes the original 4 servings of 2 tacos. Use the recipe card for amounts adjusted to your chosen yield.
Let the cod stay in large flakes
Bake the fillets intact rather than cutting them into tiny pieces before cooking. Once they reach the stated temperature, use a wide spatula to separate the flesh. Large flakes are easier to divide between tacos and less likely to disappear beneath the slaw.
Crunchy slaw, creamy sauce
The slaw is lightly dressed and only briefly squeezed; it should keep some crunch. The yogurt sauce goes on separately, so each taco gets both texture and creaminess. Fine shreds make a small tortilla easier to fold. Assemble just before eating to keep the tortillas from sitting in the dressing.
Thickness determines baking time
The 10–14-minute estimate assumes fillets around 1 inch thick and an oven that is fully heated. A very thick center, partly frozen fish or a crowded tray changes the timing.
- Thaw frozen fish before following this method.
- Check each fillet at its thickest point with a food thermometer.
- Remove fish at 145°F (63°C) and use clean utensils for flaking and serving.
Make a complete taco dinner
The recipe already includes the fish, vegetables, yogurt sauce and tortillas. For an extra side, serve Lemon-Dill Chickpea & Cucumber Salad in a separate bowl. Any side salad, extra sauce or other topping is additional to the nutrition listed for the tacos.
Keep leftovers separate
Refrigerate cooked fish, slaw and yogurt sauce in separate shallow covered containers within 2 hours, or within 1 hour if the room is above 90°F (32°C). Keep at 40°F (4°C) or below and use within 3 days for this recipe. Reheat only the fish to 165°F (74°C) throughout, warm fresh tortillas and add the chilled toppings. Assembled tacos lose texture quickly, so store components rather than filled tortillas.
Common fish taco questions
Is the fish fried? No, it is oven-baked with a spice coating. Can I use salmon? That changes the flavor, cooking behavior and nutrition; this formula is for Atlantic cod. Are the tacos spicy? Sweet paprika and cumin are mild, with no chili added. Can I use flour tortillas? They are a different variation with a different nutrition estimate. Do I add avocado? It is not part of this ingredient list. Can I skip the thermometer? Use one to check the thickest part of each fillet.
About the ingredients
- Atlantic cod
The nutrition calculation uses raw Atlantic cod and the prepared weight of 800 g. Choose skinless, boneless fillets of similar thickness. If frozen, thaw in the refrigerator first and follow the package instructions. Other white fish can cook differently and have different nutrition.
- A simple dry-spice coating
Sweet paprika, ground cumin, garlic powder and black pepper make a mild coating when mixed with the measured oil. Use individual spices rather than a salted taco blend. Chili powder and smoked paprika have different flavors and are not the ingredients used for this formula.
- Corn tortillas
Use eight soft tortillas, approximately 26 g each. Actual products vary, so check their weight and warm them until flexible. Flour tortillas and hard taco shells change the texture and nutrition; use the specified corn tortillas for the stated result.
- Cabbage, carrot and cilantro
Finely shred the cabbage so it folds into the tortilla. The carrot is grated, not cut into large chunks. The slaw is a fresh lime-dressed mixture rather than pickled cabbage. Include its dressing in the portions so the measured ingredients are all accounted for.
- Greek yogurt and lime
Use thick, plain nonfat Greek yogurt for the sauce. Divide the 60 g lime juice evenly between slaw and yogurt. Thin yogurt makes a looser sauce; flavored yogurt is not suitable. The sauce is white and tangy with small cilantro flecks, with no mayonnaise or hot sauce.
How to make Baked Cod Tacos with Lime Yogurt and Slaw
Mix the lime-dressed cabbage-carrot slaw and a separate yogurt sauce. Coat four dry cod fillets with spices and measured oil, bake to 145°F (63°C), then flake. Warm eight corn tortillas and divide the fish, slaw, sauce and cilantro evenly among them.
1. Prepare the crunchy slaw and lime yogurt
2. Dry and season the cod
3. Bake until the fish reaches 145°F
4. Warm the tortillas and build eight tacosWatch How To Make It
chefzelish.com
Baked Cod Tacos with Lime Yogurt and Slaw
Paprika-spiced cod, crunchy cabbage-carrot slaw and a tangy lime yogurt sauce tucked into warm corn tortillas. Eight small tacos for a fresh, easy fish dinner.
Ingredients
0 / 16 readyIngredient amounts for 4 servings of 2 tacos
Spiced baked cod
Crunchy slaw
Lime yogurt and tortillas
Let’s make it.
Prepare the crunchy slaw and lime yogurt
Heat the oven to 425°F (220°C) conventional or 400°F (200°C) fan. Wash and dry the vegetables and cilantro. In a bowl, toss the finely shredded red cabbage, grated carrot, 30 g lime juice, 5 g olive oil and 1 g salt. Gently squeeze the cabbage for about 30 seconds, then mix in 6 g chopped cilantro. Let stand for 5 minutes while you continue preparing the fish; keep any juices for serving with the slaw. In a separate bowl, stir the yogurt with the remaining 30 g lime juice and 2 g finely chopped cilantro until combined. Reserve the remaining 4 g cilantro for assembly. Keep the sauce chilled until needed.
Dry and season the cod
Line a large rimmed metal tray with temperature-rated parchment. Keep the raw fish separate from the ready-to-eat slaw and sauce. Check the cod for bones and pat dry with paper towels. Mix the paprika, cumin, garlic powder, 3 g salt and black pepper with the 20 g olive oil to make a loose spice paste. Coat both sides of the four fillets and arrange with space between them. Do not add lime juice to the raw fish or leave it to marinate. Wash hands, tools and the board after handling raw fish.
Bake until the fish reaches 145°F
Bake on the middle rack for about 10–14 minutes, starting to check at 10 minutes. Insert a food thermometer into the thickest part of each fillet, without touching the tray. Cook every portion to 145°F (63°C); thicker or colder pieces may need longer. The flesh should look opaque and separate into flakes, but use the temperature reading as the main check. Remove pieces individually if they finish at different times. Keep the cooked fish on the tray until you are ready to flake it with clean utensils.
Warm the tortillas and build eight tacos
While the fish bakes, heat a dry skillet over medium heat. Warm the corn tortillas one at a time for about 20–30 seconds per side, until flexible, following package directions if they differ. Stack inside a clean towel to keep warm. With a clean spatula, break the cooked cod into large flakes. Divide all the fish, slaw with its juices and yogurt sauce evenly among eight tortillas; scatter over the reserved 4 g cilantro. Fold gently and serve immediately, two tacos per person. There is no additional oil, cheese or avocado in the stated recipe.
Nutrition per serving
2 tacos: one-quarter of all fish, tortillas, slaw and sauce. Estimates may vary with ingredients and brands.
- Calories
- 400 kcal
- Protein
- 45.2 g
- Carbohydrates
- 33.9 g
- Fat
- 9.7 g
- Saturated fat
- 1.5 g
- Fiber
- 5.7 g
- Sugar
- 5.7 g
- Sodium
- 570 mg
Checked 10/5/2026. Values are per the serving described above, regardless of recipe yield.
Notes from the kitchen.
Helpful tips
The estimated 35 minutes includes 20 minutes preparation and up to 15 minutes cooking; warm the tortillas while the fish bakes. Oven preheating, thawing and unusually thick fillets can add time. Use 145°F (63°C) in the fish as the final cooking check.
Make it your own
Use Atlantic cod, plain nonfat Greek yogurt and soft corn tortillas for the stated formula. Other fish, full-fat dairy, salted spice blends and different tortilla products change the nutrition and may change cooking time.
Storage & freezing
Store components separately at 40°F (4°C) or below, within 2 hours of preparation, or 1 hour above 90°F (32°C). Use within 3 days; reheat cooked fish to 165°F (74°C) throughout.
At the table
Eight small tacos make four servings of two. Divide all fish, slaw, sauce and cilantro evenly. The calculation includes all 25 g oil, 4 g salt and 208 g tortillas; side dishes and extra toppings are excluded.
A little something delicious.
Keep this recipe close for the next time the craving strikes.
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