Salmon Tacos with Fresh Salsa and Avocado Sauce: I am a contributor to Amanda’s Cookin’ and this recipe first appeared on there as Salmon Tacos.
Salmon Tacos with Fresh Salsa and Avocado Sauce – These Salmon Tacos have homemade fresh salsa and a cilantro avocado sauce which will thrill your taste buds. This delicious and satisfying recipe is perfect for game day or a family dinner!
Estimated reading time: 7 minutes
Table of contents
Salmon Tacos with Fresh Salsa and Avocado Sauce
I hope everyone’s Fall is going well.
I am so happy to be sharing this beloved Salmon Taco recipe which I have been making in many different iterations over the years.
Invite the whole family over for this one because it makes about 24 small tacos, depending on how you portion it.
This recipe actually is a treasure trove of multiple recipes, let me explain.
There’s the salmon itself which is marinated in fresh squeezed lemon & lime juice, olive oil, cilantro, salt and pepper.
The salmon part of this recipe along with the simple marinade is great served with rice and/or another side dish – making it a delicious dinner in itself.
To prepare ahead and save time, you can marinade the salmon the night before.
A note about salmon
I always get Sustainable Caught Norwegian Organic Salmon whenever it’s available.
If you come across this particular variety at your local grocery store or fish market I suggest you try it even though it may be a little more pricey only because it is the most buttery, velvety, incredible salmon I have ever had, hands down – and I have had a lot of varieties and it makes a difference to get a better kind.
If you can not find that, you can opt for wild-caught which will be leaner and slightly (or not so slightly) gamier in flavor; this is good too but it does have a stronger flavor, perhaps, too strong for this particular recipe.
I always recommend whatever is the freshest, look for that sustainable label, and don’t be afraid to ask your fish market person lots of questions.
The fresh salsa has red onion, ripe tomatoes, cilantro, a spritz of fresh lemon and lime juice with salt and pepper to taste.
In this recipe, it is served as an ingredient in the tacos but on its own makes an incredible appetizer served with crispy tortilla chips.
The avocado sauce has avocado, plain Greek yogurt (or sour cream), fresh lime juice, cilantro, salt, and pepper.
I often use plain Greek yogurt as a substitute for sour cream because it tastes the same, has the same consistency, and is a healthier option.
Specifically, I use whole milk plain Greek yogurt but you can use reduced-fat or fat-free as well.
In this Salmon Tacos recipe, the avocado sauce is the magic that brings everything together.
It also stands on its own as a dip for chips or veggies, salad dressing, or sandwich spread.
This recipe is heavy on cilantro and I want you to know that if you are not a fan of cilantro you can substitute the same amount for Italian parsley and everything will still taste great.
Ingredients for Salmon Tacos
Salmon & Marinade:
- 1-½ lbs Salmon fillets (2 large or 4 small fillets- it will be further divided for the tacos)
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons fresh-squeezed lemon juice (½ lemon)
- ½ lemon sliced *optional
- 1 tablespoon fresh-squeezed lime juice (½ of a lime)
- ¼ lime sliced *optional
- ¼ cup fresh cilantro, chopped
- 2 tablespoons of butter
- Kosher salt (I suggest ½ teaspoon) and fresh cracked pepper to taste
Avocado Sauce:
- 1 ripe Hass avocado, peeled, pitted
- ½ cup Greek yogurt or you can substitute the same amount of sour cream
- ¼ cup Cilantro, chopped
- 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice (½ lime)
- salt (start with ¼ teaspoon and add from there) and fresh cracked pepper to taste
Fresh Salsa:
- 2 cups ripe tomatoes, diced
- 1½ cups red onion (1 medium onion), chopped
- ¼ cup cilantro, chopped
- a spritz of fresh lemon juice, 1 lemon wedge
- a spritz of fresh lime juice, 1 lime wedge
- salt (start with ½ teaspoon) and fresh cracked pepper to taste
For assembling the tacos:
- 24 hard taco shells *have extra on hand, just in case
- 24 small size soft corn tortillas *have extra on hand, just in case
- Cilantro, chopped
- Mexican cheese blend, shredded
- Queso Fresco, grated
- Kosher salt & pepper to taste
I used both hard taco shells along with small soft corn tortillas but you can use whichever you prefer.
I like using both because you have the crunch of the hard taco shell but it’s contained within a soft tortilla.
I opted for the corn tortillas over the flour ones because they always hold up better with all the ingredients inside the tacos.
The tacos are much improved by heating them up for a few minutes (as directed on the respective packages) in the oven or toaster oven before serving.
You can keep them warm on the table by wrapping them in a tea towel on a plate or in a basket.
Kitchen Tools Needed for Salmon Tacos with Fresh Salsa and Avocado Sauce
- a handheld citrus juicer
- a sharp vegetable knife
- a food processor
- a large cutting board
- a cheese grater
- a oven-safe baking pan for the salmon
- a mixing bowl
- small and medium serving bowls
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I hope you enjoy this Salmon Tacos with Fresh Salsa and Avocado Sauce recipe as much as my family and I do!
The overall time for this recipe of 40 mins is not long for the variety of flavors and deliciousness that this recipe holds.
If you like this recipe you may also enjoy Couscous Fritters (which goes well with fish) and Avocado Hummus.
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What’s your favorite kind of tacos?
Let me know in the comments below!
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Salmon Tacos
These Salmon Tacos have homemade fresh salsa and a cilantro avocado sauce which will thrill your taste buds. This delicious and satisfying recipe is perfect for game day or a family dinner!
Ingredients
Salmon & Marinade
- 1-½ lbs Salmon fillets, (2 large or 4 small fillets)
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons fresh-squeezed lemon juice, (½ lemon)
- ½ lemon sliced *optional
- 1 tablespoon fresh-squeezed lime juice, (½ of a lime)
- ¼ lime sliced *optional
- ¼ cup fresh cilantro, chopped
- 2 tablespoons of butter
- Kosher salt, (I suggest ½ teaspoon) and fresh cracked pepper to taste
- Avocado Sauce:
- 1 ripe Hass avocado, peeled, pitted
- ½ cup Greek yogurt or you can substitute the same amount of sour cream
- ¼ cup Cilantro, chopped
- 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice, (½ lime)
- salt, (start with ¼ teaspoon and add from there) and fresh cracked pepper to taste
- Fresh Salsa:
- 2 cups ripe tomatoes, diced
- 1½ cups red onion, (1 medium onion), chopped
- ¼ cup cilantro, chopped
- a spritz of fresh lemon juice, 1 lemon wedge
- a spritz of fresh lime juice, , 1 lime wedge
- salt, (start with ½ teaspoon) and fresh cracked pepper to taste
- For assembling the tacos:
- 24 hard taco shells *have extra on hand, just in case
- 24 small size soft corn tortillas *have extra on hand, just in case
- Cilantro, chopped
- Mexican cheese blend, shredded
- Queso Fresco, grated
- Kosher salt & pepper to taste
Instructions
- Stir the olive oil, lemon, and lime juices together and coat the salmon with the marinade. Top the fillets with the slices of lemon and lime and then sprinkle with cilantro. Put the 2 tablespoons of butter on top of the fillets. Marinate the salmon fillets for at least a ½ hour or more. You can also marinate overnight in the refrigerator.
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Bake salmon for 25-30 minutes (30 minutes always works for me). While the salmon is cooking you can prepare the avocado sauce, fresh salsa and slice the cabbage and lettuce.
- Avocado Sauce: In a food processor, combine the avocado, Greek yogurt, cilantro, lime juice, salt, and pepper. Process until smooth and then transfer to a bowl. Tip: You can also spread it with a spoon OR transfer it to a condiment container to make it easier to apply to the tacos.
- Fresh Salsa: Combine the diced tomato, chopped onion, chopped cilantro spritz of lemon and lime. Add salt and pepper to taste.
- When the salmon is done, take it out and allow it to cool for at least 5 minutes before dividing for the tacos. Serve with the shredded lettuce and/or red cabbage, fresh salsa, avocado sauce, shredded Mexican cheese, and/or queso fresco. Enjoy!
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Nutrition Information:
Yield: 24 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 219Total Fat: 13gSaturated Fat: 4gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 8gCholesterol: 32mgSodium: 206mgCarbohydrates: 14gFiber: 2gSugar: 2gProtein: 12g
Please note that the Calculated Nutrition is an estimate at best.
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I love fish tacos, and salmon only makes it healthier. I prefer making fish tacos at home because you know you’re getting the food, especially the fish fresh, which sometimes isn’t the case in some places.
Hi Marjorie, you are so right about that! Thank you for stopping by and commenting!