15 Absolute Best Toppings For Fish Tacos

Piling your tortillas with tender, flaky fish, rather than your go-to ground beef or chicken, is the perfect way to switch things up on taco night. It makes for a light, versatile, and protein-rich addition, and there are countless options to choose from, with choices such as cod, tuna, and salmon all working brilliantly. While your usual medley of taco toppings might consist of the classics like sour cream, avocado, and salsa, when it comes to fish, there's even more room for creativity. A wide variety of fresh and tasty add-ins will complement the mild, briny taste of fish exceptionally well.

Whether you're after something zesty, herbaceous, sweet, or spicy, there's a fish-enhancing taco topping for every palate. Many of these are likely already on your radar, while others might inspire you to try something new. In this line-up, you'll find everything from fruity salsas to tangy cheeses, so let's explore some of the very best toppings that are sure to make your next batch of fish tacos a standout.

Adding a generous spoonful of mango salsa to your fish-topped tortillas is a terrific way to bring some balancing sweetness into the mix. This sunny fruit has a wonderful, vibrant appearance and soft texture that fits in seamlessly alongside other spicy, savory flavors and crunchy add-ins.

To make a refreshing mango salsa, start by peeling and dicing a ripe mango into chunks. Combine this with some finely diced red onion, tomato, serrano chile pepper, cilantro, a squeeze of lime juice, and some salt and pepper to taste. Once everything has been tossed together, the salsa is ready to serve right away, but it'll also keep well in the fridge for up to three days if you'd prefer to prep it in advance.

Mango salsa will taste great with various types of fish, particularly tuna and tilapia, as well as a range of other toppings. Try pairing it with a drizzle of your favorite hot sauce, some crunchy shredded cabbage, and a dollop of creamy guacamole.

An Asian-inspired ginger slaw is the perfect pairing for fish, adding plenty of crunch and bold flavor to your tacos. And this topping is super easy to prep using wholesome ingredients. Start making the dressing by shaking up some lime juice, honey, sesame oil, grated ginger, salt, and pepper in a mason jar. Then, pour this zingy medley over a mixture of shredded red and white cabbage, carrot, onion, and cilantro, and toss everything together. You can absolutely switch up the selection of veggies in the slaw, too, with other crunchy options like cucumber, bell pepper, and green onion tasting great.

This vibrant slaw is a particularly wonderful addition to tuna tacos, where it complements those melt-in-the-mouth, pan-seared slices brilliantly. But this topping is a versatile choice, fitting in alongside various types of white fish like cod and snapper just as well. It'll taste delicious alongside something creamy to contrast the crunch, such as sriracha mayo, or a tangy cilantro lime crema, as well as other spicy toppings like sliced jalapeños or a fiery tomato salsa.

A beloved Mexican classic, fresh pico de gallo is always guaranteed to level up your taco game, and it couldn't be simpler to prepare. Step one is deseeding and chopping some medium-sized tomatoes and finely dicing onion, jalapeño, and cilantro. Stir these ingredients together, then squeeze over lime juice and sprinkle in some salt. After a final toss, you can pop the mixture into the fridge until you're ready to use it.

If you prefer a fierier pico de gallo, you can always incorporate a hotter chile variety by blending in rehydrated dried chiles like arbol or guajillo peppers. A milder result can also be achieved by switching all or some of the jalapeño for poblano pepper, or even simply sweet bell pepper.

Once you've spooned that tangy pico de gallo atop your fish tacos, consider incorporating something a little richer, too, such as guac or sour cream. This is a great way to build a perfectly balanced final dish.

You can't go wrong with a creamy homemade guacamole. Whether you prefer it smooth or chunky, mild or spicy, this classic taco topper is sure to bring heaps of rich, nutty flavor. We especially love pairing it with salmon and tuna, where it does an amazing job of enhancing the fish's natural richness.

The key to a good guac is selecting perfectly ripe avocados that'll mash with ease and yield that signature creamy texture. Once you've mashed the avo base, stir in some fresh lime juice, and fold in any other add-ins of your choice, such as diced onion or cilantro. There's also the age-old debate. Do tomatoes belong in a guac? Bobby Flay thinks absolutely not, but we reckon they're great for providing a hint of acidity and a nice pop of color. Finally, you can season the mixture with salt, pepper, and perhaps a pinch of cayenne pepper or some grated garlic. The resulting guac will taste incredible alongside a whole host of other toppings, from tangy pickled veggies to hearty refried beans.

One of the best ways to add visual appeal to your fish tacos is by topping them with pink pickled onions. Aside from their striking look, these punchy additions also bring a delightful crunchy texture and moreish sweet-tart tang. You can either go for a handy store-bought jar of onions or make some yourself. This involves thinly slicing red onions and adding them to a jar with some garlic cloves, whole peppercorns, and any other spices of your choice. Then, you'll heat a mixture of vinegar, water, sugar, and salt, before pouring this over the onions and letting everything cool. The onions will soon begin to tenderize and turn a gorgeous bright shade of pink. They'll be ready to enjoy within an hour or so.

Whether you're going for pan-seared tuna, flaky haddock, or meatier mahi mahi, the vinegary bite of pickled onions will complement the delicate flavors of the fish beautifully. They're also ideal for combining with sweeter toppings, like a mango or pineapple salsa.

Another fruity salsa that can give your fish tacos a serious upgrade is one made with pineapple. This fruit offers the perfect balance of sweetness and tang, delivering plenty of glorious sunny color and juicy bite that really pops alongside that delicate fish. To craft the perfect pineapple salsa, the fruity chunks can be paired with all of the usual suspects. Think diced red onion, jalapeño pepper, garlic, cilantro, and lime, with a good pinch of salt being essential to contrast the fruit's natural sweetness.

This topping works fantastically with meatier fish varieties, with the juiciness of the pineapple providing a delicious contrast to the slightly firmer flesh. Try spooning this salsa into tacos filled with tuna, cod, or halibut. Or, if you really feel like pushing the boat out (no pun intended), you could use it to enhance a batch of gourmet-style monkfish tacos of you're feeling adventurous, perhaps alongside some thinly sliced radish and a zesty homemade crema.

If you're looking to give your fish tacos a spicier flavor profile, consider tossing in some diced jalapeño pepper. This is a wonderfully simple addition that can do wonders in transforming the overall taste of the dish, pairing seamlessly with an array of other toppings. Make sure to dice the peppers finely, to ensure even distribution across every bite of your fish-topped tortillas. Removing the seeds and white parts is also recommended if you prefer a more mellow hit of heat. 

There's also the option to use jarred pickled jalapeños here instead, which come with the convenience of being pre-chopped and ready to use. Or you could reach for an alternative variety of chile pepper, such as ancho, serrano, or even fiery habanero.

Try incorporating jalapeños into tuna tacos along with a creamy guacamole and tangy salsa, or scattering them over beer-battered cod tacos, along with creamy crumbled cotija cheese and some crunchy red cabbage. 

A final sprinkling of fresh herbs is the perfect way to garnish your fish tacos. This is a great choice when you need something quick and simple, but totally transformative, and it's also great for leveling up the presentation of your plate.

One of the most popular additions to Mexican-inspired dishes such as tacos is cilantro, and for good reason. This herb has a bright flavor that complements the warming spices we often find in Mexican recipes. Those citrusy notes are also an amazing pairing for the delicate, slightly salty taste of fish. Another great option is dill, which pairs beautifully with salmon in more fusion-inspired tacos, bringing a fresh, grassy flavor with hints of licorice. Parsley is also a classic choice, with its clean, peppery profile being well-suited to white fish pairings, like tilapia and cod.

Fresh herbs are an excellent match for tangy toppings like pico de gallo and pink pickled onions. You can also enhance their brightness by squeezing a little lemon or lime juice over each taco, too.

If you love cool taco toppings, this versatile, Mexican-inspired condiment is a must-try. Cilantro lime crema makes a brilliant addition to a wide range of taco dishes, but it's particularly great for injecting richness and zing into fish-based recipes. To make a batch, simply blend Greek yogurt or sour cream with mayonnaise, freshly squeezed lime juice, garlic, salt, and onion powder in a food processor. Next, add fresh cilantro leaves and pulse to distribute them throughout the sauce. Adjust the seasonings as desired, and your crema is ready for dolloping over those fully loaded tortillas.

This one is sure to enhance just about any taco dish it touches, whether you're going for crispy battered fish or elegant slices of pan-seared tuna steak. Pair it with some crunchy salad veggies like ribbons of carrot and cucumber for the ultimate textural contrast. A spicy kimchi or ginger slaw would also taste incredible alongside the crema.

Sriracha mayo offers an irresistible blend of creamy, spicy, and citrusy flavors, and it's exceptionally good with fish. We often see this jazzed-up mayo served with sushi, but in tacos, it fits in just as well alongside the medley of flavorful fillings. You can absolutely pick up a handy store-bought version here, but keep in mind that making sriracha mayo from scratch requires a remarkably fuss-free method and just three simple ingredients that you may well already have in your kitchen. Just add standard mayonnaise to a mixing bowl with sriracha and lime juice and whisk everything together to combine. You can also add a pinch of salt or some chopped herbs if you'd like. The mixture is great for batch prepping, and if made with store-bought mayo, as it'll keep well in the fridge for up to a month (at least four rounds of Taco Tuesday).

To build a well-balanced taco, look for other ingredients that'll contrast with the creamy and spicy elements of the sriracha mayo. Crumbled feta or cotija is ideal for amping up the salty richness, while a fruity salsa can sweeten things up.

A staple in Mexican cuisine, cotija cheese boasts an irresistibly tangy, savory flavor. It has a slightly creamier texture and saltier profile than Parmesan, while being firmer than feta, and ideal for both shredding and crumbling. Because cotija doesn't melt when heated like many other cheeses, it's perfect for scattering over piping hot fish taco fillings, holding its shape perfectly inside those soft folded tortillas.

If you're on the fence about the fish and cheese combo, we fully urge you to give this one a try. Cotija's unique salty sharpness really brings out the fish's natural savory flavor, and complements an array of other toppings too, from spicy salsas to crunchy slaws. And, if you prefer a milder cheese, you could always go for queso fresco instead. This is another popular addition to Mexican dishes, and since it isn't aged like cotija, it has a slightly sweeter taste and softer texture.

There are plenty of different veggies you can choose from when it comes to crafting the perfect medley of fish taco fillings, but one that we'd highly recommend incorporating into your next batch is radish. Sliced thinly, this vibrant root veggie packs a bold, peppery flavor and pleasing crunch, all without overpowering the flavors of the fish and other fillings. Radishes will fit in tremendously with tender white fish varieties, like cod, trout, and flounder. Try combining them with some other crisp additions like shredded lettuce, cabbage, or cucumber, plus a dollop of spicy mayo or your favorite creamy sauce.

Pickled radishes are just as wonderful a choice here too, offering a mouth-watering blend of sweet and tangy flavors. These can easily be prepared at home by heating a brine mixture with vinegar, water, sugar, salt, and spices, and pouring this over the thinly sliced radishes in a glass jar. They'll be ready to enjoy in an hour's time, and once everything has cooled, you can store the jar in the fridge for up to two weeks.

These sweet, perfectly charred morsels are a winning taco topper. While you might have scattered grilled corn kernels over beef or chicken tacos before, don't forget that they taste just as delicious with fish. Corn can absolutely be bought frozen or canned, but we recommend buying whole cobs and grilling or broiling them to produce that gorgeous smoky char. This really brings out the natural sweetness of the corn as it browns and caramelizes under the high heat. Once it's cooked to perfection, you can simply slice the corn away from the cob and perhaps toss the kernels with a little melted butter and salt.

Corn is most typically paired with firm white fish, such as mahi mahi or barramundi. And, for a colorful finish, try pairing this topping with a medley of chopped tomato, avocado, and fresh cilantro. It's also great with creamy additions, like cotija cheese and sour cream.

Perfect for giving fish tacos a heartier feel, refried beans have a rich, savory flavor and satisfying creamy texture. Spread them onto the soft, warm tortillas before you pile on your selection of toppings, and they'll give each bite a comforting edge, all while boosting the fiber and protein content of your tacos. Refried beans are widely available in canned form, but you can also whip up a batch in the Instant Pot in under an hour. A combination of aromatics like onion and garlic and warming spices such as cumin and black pepper gives the pinto bean base its distinct taste, with the option to make things spicier with the addition of jalapeños or hot sauce.

Refried beans are great for layering with other textures and flavors, so go ahead and elevate your fish tacos further with some balancing crunch or sweetness. Try topping with a trio of pink pickled onions, mango salsa, and sliced radish?

Spicy, tangy, and loaded with probiotic goodness, kimchi is a unique and flavor-packed way to upgrade fish tacos. It's typically made by fermenting napa cabbage and other vegetables like carrot or radish in a brine with various spices and aromatics (yes, you can totally make it yourself). The resulting condiment is not only bursting with gut-friendly bacteria, but it also has a distinctly sour, umami-rich taste that makes it a wonderfully punchy pairing for fish.

When removing kimchi from the jar, it's always essential to use a clean, dry spoon to avoid introducing unwanted bacteria that could interfere with fermentation. Simply spoon out a portion and distribute it evenly on top of your fish taco. It's best to start with a small amount to ensure the kimchi's bold flavors don't overwhelm the other filling ingredients. You can always add more after trying a bite. Kimchi pairs especially well with creamy sauces like mayo- or yogurt-based dips, and also with a dollop of wholesome homemade guac.