These healthy fish taco bowls are light but satisfying, simple but bursting with flavor, and easy enough for a weeknight. Meal prep friendly!
If you're new to cooking seafood, this fish taco bowl recipe is a great place to start. It's incredibly easy, but so good!
You can prep the slaw dressing ahead of time. All you have to do when you're ready to serve is bake the fish (less than 15 minutes!) and blend the slaw dressing with avocado and toss with the cabbage. You'll sauté the cauliflower rice if you're using it and dinner is ready!
This easy weeknight dinner is gluten free, paleo and dairy free as well. You can easily customize if and add your favorite toppings – get my ideas for mixing it up below the recipe!
Paleo Fish Taco Bowls with Cilantro Lime Slaw
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup cilantro
- 2 T lime juice
- 1/2 tsp cumin
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp pepper
- 10 oz coleslaw mix
- 1 avocado
- 4 tilapia fillets, 4-6 oz each
- 1 bag cauliflower rice (optional)
- 1 T olive oil
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425 F. Place sheet pan in oven to preheat.
- For slaw dressing, in a blender combine: 1/2 cup cilantro, 2 T lime juice, 2 T water, 1/2 tsp cumin, 1 avocado, 1/2 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp pepper.
- Toss dressing w/ coleslaw mix.
- Place tilapia fillets on hot sheet pan and bake ~12mins until flaky.
- If using cauli rice, place in medium sauté pan w/ 1 T olive oil over med-high heat. Cook, stirring until desired texture (~4-5 mins).
- Serve tilapia over slaw & cauli rice (if using).
What is the nutrition like in this fish taco bowl recipe?
For a dish with only ten ingredients, this fish taco bowl recipe packs in quite a bit of nutrition! Here are a few of the nutritional benefits you can expect from this tasty meal:
Cilantro (Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Vitamin K, Folate, Potassium, Manganese)
Cilantro supports the health of your brain, possibly reducing the risk of Parkinsons and Alztheimers disease as well as anxiety. In addition, one of cilantro's biggest benefits is its prevention of blood sugar spikes. Finally, cilantro has antimicrobial elements and thus may help prevent food poisoning. It's worth noting that many studies on cilantro use cilantro extract, rather than the leaves.
Limes (Vitamin C, Antioxidants)
The combination of vitamin C and antioxidants makes limes great for your immune system. Vitamin C is also highly beneficial for your skin, with anti-aging effects. Limes are also good for your heart, beneficial for preventing kidney stones and may even help prevent certain types of cancer.
Cumin (Iron, Antioxidants)
Cumin is known for a variety of health benefits including aiding in indigestion. This spice is also an excellent source of iron and antioxidants.
Cabbage (Vitamin K, Vitamin C, Folate, Manganese, Vitamin B6, Fiber, Antioxidants)
Like other cruciferous vegetables, cabbage is good for reducing inflammation. It's high fiber content also supports healthy digestion.
Avocado (Vitamin K, Folate, Vitamin C, B Vitamins, Potassium, Folate, Healthy Fats)
Loaded with nutrients like potassium, folate and healthy fats, avocados are good for your heart, your eye health, and even your mood. Moreover, they also benefit your brain, bone density and blood sugar levels.
Tilapia (Choline, Vitamin B12, Vitamin D, Selenium, Omega-3 Fatty Acids)
Tilapia is good for both your heart and bones. It is also one of the most budget-friendly types of seafood!
Cauliflower (Vitamin C, Vitamin K, Folate, Vitamin B6, Potassium)
Containing tons of vitamins and nutrients, cauliflower is a great choice to regularly include in your diet. It's particularly high in vitamin C, fiber and certain antioxidants that may slow the growth of cancer. Cauliflower is also high in choline, which is important for brain health.
Variations on Fish Taco Bowls
It's well known that I'm a bit obsessed with one-bowl meals. Sweet Potato Breakfast Bowls, Southwest Vegetarian Buddha Bowls, Chorizo Bowls with Veggies – I love them all! One reason for my unabashed fondness for bowl meals? The multitude of topping possibilities!
It is just so easy to vary this type of recipe by changing up the toppings, or even the base for that matter. Particularly if you're feeding kids or a large group, I recommend laying out a spread of toppings and letting everyone build their own bowl. Here are a few ideas for variations and extra toppings if you feel like getting creative:
- Add pepitas for a little extra crunch!
- Sprinkle on some cotija cheese or queso fresco if you eat cheese.
- Feel like adding a bit more of a veggie punch? Add shredded carrots, halved cherry tomatoes, sliced radishes or chopped bell peppers.
- Mix up the base by serving on rice or quinoa if you eat grains OR serve the fish and slaw on corn tortillas for actual tacos instead of taco bowls. This is an area where you can definitely offer options.
- Thinly sliced red onions, either raw or quick pickled, give the taco bowls a little extra bite. (Make sure you know the best way to chop onions with my quick video!)
- Use a different fish, like cod or salmon, or try these with shrimp!
Can I meal prep the creamy cilantro lime slaw?
Yes! Prep the creamy cilantro slaw to make your life a little easier when you plan to serve.
One caveat – I do not recommend blending in the avocado ahead of time. It won't look or taste as fresh. Instead, mix all of the other slaw dressing ingredients together during your weekly meal prep. Then, on the day you plan to serve, give it a quick whir in the blender with the avocado before tossing with the coleslaw mix. You can do that while your fish is cooking away in the oven for maximum efficiency!
Check out this easy cheat sheet for the best possible meal prep:
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What are some other easy seafood dishes?
I know seafood can seem intimidating if you're not used to cooking it but I'm a huge believer in including seafood in my diet, both from a health and a deliciousness perspective. If you have no idea where to begin, read my 5 Tips on Choosing the Best Fish. The first step to cooking delicious seafood is knowing what to buy!
I also recommend listening to this episode of my podcast, Meal Prep Monday: Overcome Your Fear! 3 Seafood Items You Should Not Be Intimidated By.
I'm also sharing 3 of my favorite easy seafood dishes below!
Grilled Coconut Shrimp with Lime
I'm all about shrimp for weeknight dinners. What other healthy protein cooks in less than ten minutes?
The tropical flavor profile on these is perfect for summer (or whenever you need a hit of summer flavor to get you through the colder months!)
Teriyaki Salmon Bowls
A homemade sauce can really elevate a simple dish and the homemade teriyaki sauce in this recipe is no exception!
The veggies are served raw so this meal comes together really quickly. Plus it almost always makes the list when I ask subscribers about their favorite dishes – it's a must-try!
Cornmeal Crusted Catfish
I've been making this dish for years and it stands the test of time!
Healthy comfort food at its best, the catfish has a simple cornmeal coating and bakes in the oven. You can sub a different fish, like tilapia or salmon, if you can't find catfish or if it's not your thing.
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