These Tilapia Tacos are filled with a strawberry cole slaw, sweetened rhubarb, and ginger seared tilapia, and make an easy and delicious springtime meal.
Last month, I flew to Florida for the best friend’s wedding. I spent my time getting the obligatory “I wore SPF 5 million but I’m insanely white” sunburn, crying ugly (but happy) tears as she walked down the aisle, and eating as much fresh seafood as humanly possible.
What kind of seafood? We ate oysters– of course– because I can’t find those at home, but also mahi mahi, grouper, and whatever type of fish tacos I could find.
When I got home, I couldn’t stop thinking about fish tacos– savory fish tacos, fish tacos with fruity salsa– I wanted them all! These Tilapia Tacos are filled with strawberry and rhubarb, and are the brainchild of my seafood-obsessed mind. Want some? Keep reading!
Is Tilapia Unhealthy?
Recently, tilapia has gotten a lot of bad press. One article even said that it was more unhealthy than bacon.
Why? Most tilapia is farmed, and some poor (and even disgusting) fish farming from overseas aquaculture farms (especially from Asia).
Why else? It’s not the most “heart healthy” fish. As in, it has fewer fatty acids than salmon.
So– Is tilapia bad for you? Should we still eat it?
The answer is a big– MAYBE. Maybe we should still eat it.
Why would you want to? For one thing, it’s an inexpensive, mild-flavored protein. That makes it perfect for things like– fish tacos!
What can you do to make sure you’re buying GOOD tilapia?
The same thing you should ALWAYS DO when buying farmed fish. Look for non-imported fish from the U.S.A., or the Best Aquaculture Practices seal of approval. That way, you know that your tilapia was raised under strict regulations.
Read more: Check out this article on tilapia from Health Line, and this one from BAP.
Making Strawberry Rhubarb Tilapia Tacos
To make these Strawberry Rhubarb Tilapia Tacos, start by cooking down and sweetening the rhubarb. All you need to do is dice up some rhubarb, add it to a pot with a little sugar and water, and bring it to a boil. Then, simmer it until the rhubarb starts to fall apart.
You’re going to strain off the sweetened water (a.k.a.– rhubarb simple syrup), and put it in another container. Set the sweetened rhubarb aside.
Quick Tip: Don’t throw the syrup away! Instead– save it, and make margaritas, pour it over some yogurt, or add it to some sparkling water!
Next, sear the tilapia, and make the strawberry and cabbage slaw.
You’ll add the fish, rhubarb, and strawberry-cabbage mixture to some tortillas, add a dollop of yogurt to each taco, and dig in immediately!
Want more RHUBARB? Try these:
- Rhubarb Recipes to Celebrate Spring
- Stuffed French Toast with Strawberry Rhubarb
- Ricotta Cheesecake with Strawberry Rhubarb Topping
Want more FISH TACOS + WRAPS? Try these:
Strawberry Rhubarb Tilapia Tacos
Ingredients
Sweetened Rhubarb* (See Recipe Notes)
- 1 stalk rhubarb, diced
- 1/2 cup sugar
Ginger Tilapia:
- 2 tilapia fillets (4oz each) OR sub another thin, white, flaky fish
- 1.4 tsp salt
- 2 tsp ground ginger
- 1 TB olive oil
Strawberry Cole Slaw:
- 1 cup cabbage, shredded
- 1 cup strawberries, hulled and diced
Other Taco Ingredients:
- 4 6" flour tortillas
- 2 TB plain yogurt
- Optional: cilantro, lime wedges
Instructions
Sweetened Rhubarb:
- Add rhubarb and sugar to a small pot, and fill pot with just enough water to cover the rhubarb. Bring to a boil, then lower heat to medium. Cover, and simmer until the rhubarb stalks begin to fall apart.
- Strain sugar-water off of the rhubarb into another container, reserving 'rhubarb simple syrup' for another recipe if desired. Allow rhubarb to cool to room temperature. (If desired, put rhubarb in the fridge to speed cooling process.)
Tilapia Tacos:
- Pat tilapia dry. Pat dry again. (Wet fish will not sear). Rub fish on both sides with ginger, and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
- Heat oil in a stainless steel or cast iron pan over medium-high heat, until oil is hot and shimmers.
- While pan is heating up, toss together cabbage and strawberries, and set aside. Heat tortillas for 15 seconds in the microwave. Divide the cabbage and strawberry mixture between the tortillas. Divide all of the rhubarb between the tortillas.
- Place the fillets in the pan and set a timer for 2 minutes. Don't touch the fillets until the 2 minutes are up. Then, use a thin metal spatula to flip them. If they won't release- give them another 30 seconds. They'll release when they've finished cooking. Flip tilapia, and cook for another 1-2 minutes, until fish releases from the pan without sticking to it.
- Remove tilapia from the heat, and cut into long thin strips. Divide the fish among the tortillas. Top each taco with a dollop of yogurt. Serve immediately with cilantro and a lime wedge (optional).
Shelley
Beautiful pictures! And what a fun and different twist on fish tacos.
Dawn - Girl Heart Food
I’ve had a bunch of things with strawberry and rhubarb, but not in tacos with fish. How cool is this for spring/summer? I’m all about sweet/savoury things and bet this would taste delish! Tilapia is a pretty neutral tasting fish so I bet that the strawberries and rhubarb really shines. We grow both in our garden, but it’ll be quite some time until we see any yet. Will have to give this one a try when we do. Love tacos!!!
champagne-tastes
It’s soooo good on fish!!! Try it!!! (And I hope your spring shows up soon!)
Sandi Gaertner
I love the combination of sweet and savory flavors here!
Sophia | Veggies Don't Bite
What an awesome recipe! I love combining flavors that are unexpected. It sounds perfect for summer!
Sarah Newman, Vegan Chickpea
This is such an interesting combination! I would have never thought of it. Sounds really yummy!
Rae
What other type of fish could you use in this recipe? Love the combination of strawberries and rhubarb.
champagne-tastes
I’ve only tried it with tilapia, but mahi mahi is delicious with a fruit salsa too!
Luci's Morsels
These look absolutely delicious! What a fantastic summer recipe. I can almost taste this combination and I am going to have to try this soon. Thanks for sharing!
Meg | Meg is Well
I love the flavor combo of the rhubarb, strawberry, and ginger! I feel like the ginger in the tilapia would really pull all those flavors together. This is such a cool and different combo!
Kathryn @ FoodieGirlChicago
I just love the flavor combo in these tacos! I’m dying to give them a try!!
Julia
Wow – I had to do a double take on the recipe title. Was it a dessert taco? Was it a fish taco? Clever! Sweet and sour flavours combined with fish – sounds delicious!
Anne
Yum! These are ridiculously delicious- I love fruit on fish tacos!
Neha Mathur
This a lovely combination of sweet and savoury. Very unusual but I can already imagine the burst of flavours in this dish.