Cilantro lime sauce for fish tacos is delicious and easy to throw together. A must on your air fryer fish tacos with cabbage to take them from good to out of this world great. Plus a kitchen hack on how to serve it too when company comes over!
I will start by saying we LOVE easy fish recipes. We have it at least once a week in one form or fashion, and haven’t found one that doesn’t please our pallet. Let me show you our favorite cilantro lime sauce for fish tacos and what fillets we love to pair with it! 😉 (previously sponsored by Gortons fish, originally published 3/18, affiliate links present)
Cilantro Lime Sauce for Tacos
Oh yeah….and I will show you how to make air fryer taco shells or a taco bowl too, now that’s a fun way to serve it! Ok, so first of all remember when I said I look for EASY meals I can whip together…..let’s explore that for a second.
You can opt to buy the purple cabbage, regular cabbage, cilantro, etcetera and make your own red cabbage coleslaw to fill your fish tacos but seriously I don’t. It just doesn’t make sense when you can find a bag of all of that in a bag where the bagged salads are and just whip up your own dressing, or buy a bottle.
Next I grab some Gorton’s Gourmet Fillets in the freezer section. Remember we’re going for tasty and EASY. You can bake as is or slice diagonally so it cooks faster.
We have bought Gorton’s beer battered and good ol’ fashioned air fryer fish sticks for years but now they have extra large fillets of cod now that have no MSG, no artificial flavors and taste amazing! You can even make our air fryer fish and chips if you are in a real hurry!
Want to go healthier?? I have instructions on how to cook air fryer frozen fish that is not breaded at all for you. Air fryer shrimp no breading is a nice option too if you want to make “fancier” shrimp tacos.
Ingredient Notes
- Some sour cream, I do not recommend using low fat anything y’all
- for lower fat I would use plain greek yogurt instead
- I like Best Foods mayonnaise vs. Miracle Whip
- Fresh lime juice is a must, or lemon juice works too
- 1/2 tsp oregano for sure
- Chili powder if you want a bit of spice, or a dash or hot sauce is great too
- 3/4 tsp dill we love but optional
- Salt and optional pepper for seasonings
- 2 tbsp cilantro chopped is needed for the prime ingredient
- 1 roasted jalapeno diced, if you want a kick of heat
As long as you have all your add ins diced up really nice and small I do not think a food processor is necessary at all. Taste at the end and adjust seasonings as you wish before serving. This even works when cooking frozen fish in the oven. Brush some on to keep it moist and give it flavor. Or on our Instant Pot fish tacos is great.
Now if I am serving this empenada dipping sauce when people are coming over I have a little kitchen hack that makes it present really well. Serve your sauce inside a hollowed out head of cabbage!
- Of course it does, and it is always a conversation piece when people come over. Serve it with any variety really.
- Follow Cooking Cod steps to keep it flaky and moist, on top of your mustard sauce with salmon, tilapia, air fryer mahi mahi, the list goes on and on.
Buy a few heads and serve your coleslaw in another, diced tomatoes in another, use it for all your toppings that are cold on your serving table.
How to Make Cilantro Lime Sauce
- Add all ingredients in a bowl.
- Whisk together until smooth
- Can garnish with some fresh dill or cilantro on top
- If you want to make a great presentation hollow out the top of a head of cabbage and serve it inside like the picture below.
There are a few optional ingredients for your sauce because of course some people like a bit of spice and some don’t want it spicy at all. In the end it is a really EASY white fish taco sauce recipe that our family loves. If you are loving this recipe too you could make a larger batch and save.
How to save leftover sauce with mayonnaise
If sealed in a container this white sauce will stay well in your fridge for a few days. Great for your leftover favorite fish tacos served the next day because it will bring moisture and added flavor once you reheat it up. I would not add to the top until your protein is heated unless you don’t mind that it will be warmed too. Jump to recipe and get started.
Cilantro Lime Sauce Recipe
Ingredients
- 1/2 c sour cream
- 1/2 c mayonnaise
- 1/2 lime
- 1/2 tsp oregano
- 1/4 tsp chili powder, if you want a bit of spice
- 3/4 tsp dill
- 1/4 tsp salt, optional
- 2 tbsp cilantro, chopped
- 1 jalapeno, diced, if you want more spice
Instructions
- Add all ingredients in a bowl. If you want to make a great presentation hollow out the top of a head of cabbage and serve it inside like the picture below.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
1. You could add avocado to the creamy fish sauce for a creamier texture
2. Add a splash of hot sauce for a bit of heat
3. Some like to add a squeeze of orange juice for a citrusy flavor
1. Use fresh cilantro for the best flavor.
2. Lime juice should be freshly squeezed.
3. Taste the white fish sauce as you go and adjust the seasonings to your liking.
