Kirbie's Cravings

Beer Battered Fish Tacos

Beer battered fish tacos are easy to make at home and you can dress them up with all of your favorite toppings. The beer in the batter creates an extra crunchy coating so the tacos are filled with crispy breaded fish.

overhead photo of three Beer Battered Fish Tacos

I was thinking the other day that If I ever leave San Diego (which I don’t hope to do any time soon), I’m pretty sure I’ll miss fish tacos even though they have never been very high on my list of favorites dishes to order when we eat out.

It’s like when I went to college and started missing dishes my mom cooked daily that I didn’t think twice about when living at home. I will say though that my fondness for beer battered fish tacos has been growing, especially in this last year. I’ve mentioned before that Mr. K is a big fish taco fan, so we do eat them often.

I had leftover tortillas after making homemade Fritos so, I decided to make homemade fish tacos in the very unlikely event we move somewhere that doesn’t have them. Of course, Mr. K. loved this idea. Fish tacos without leaving the house? Let’s just say he was very supportive.

I’ve had a lot of different kinds of tacos and I really enjoy beer battered ones the best. You can’t really taste the beer, but the alcohol helps make the coating crunchy and thick.

photo of two tacos on a plate

Ingredients

  • Tilapia (or other white fish fillets)
  • All-purpose flour
  • Cornstarch
  • Baking powder
  • Pale ale
  • Whisked egg
  • Shredded cabbage
  • Diced red onion
  • Salsa
  • Mexican crema
  • Corn tortillas
  • Lime wedges
  • Vegetable oil for frying

How to Make Fish Tacos

In a small bowl, whisk the flour, cornstarch, baking powder. Add the beer and egg and stir The batter will be lumpy. Place the rest of the flour in a separate small bowl.

Heat the oil in a pot over medium heat. While the oil heats, slice the fish into strips and bread them. Start by coating each strip in flour and then dip it in the beer batter.

Place the battered fish in the hot oil in batches and cook them until they are golden brown. Flip them over and fry the other side until golden brown. Drain them on paper towels to absorb the excess grease. Repeat this process with the rest of the fish.

Place the fried fish on the tortillas. Top with shredded cabbage, onion, salsa, cheese, and lime juice.

close-up photo of tacos

Recipe Tips

You can use other types of fish for these tacos, too. Any firm white fish will work so you could try halibut, cod, mahi-mahi, or snapper.

For the beer, we like pale ale but other beers work well, too. Try Mexican beer (like Dos Equis, Corona, or Tecate), or choose another lager, or any light-style beer you like to drink. I would avoid darker-style beers because it will change the color of the batter and the flavor will overwhelm the dish.

If you don’t have a deep fryer, or if you’ve never deep-fried before, make sure you use a heavy-bottomed pot for frying. Also, you can use a thermometer to measure oil heat. This can help make sure the oil is not too hot or cool. Aim for a temperature of 350°F using a candy or deep-fry thermometer that clips to the side of the pot.

If you don’t like corn tortillas, you can also use warm flour tortillas.

You can save leftover fried fish in the refrigerator, but it won’t stay crispy. Because of this, I usually only cook as much fish as we can eat in one sitting.

photo of tacos on a cutting board

The tacos were delicious and Mr. K. was very happy. We’ll definitely make these again.

More Taco Recipes

Beer Battered Fish Tacos

Servings: 8
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 25 minutes
Course: Main Dishes
Cuisine: American
Golden, thick and crunchy battered fish strips, folded in corn tortillas, for classic fish tacos.

Ingredients

  • 2 lbs tilapia uncooked
  • 3/4 cup + 3/4 cup all purpose flour
  • 1/4 cup cornstarch
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 1 cup pale ale
  • 1 whisked egg
  • 1 cup shredded cabbage
  • 1/2 cup diced purple onion
  • 1 cup premade salsa
  • 1/2 cup Mexican crema
  • small corn tortilla rounds about 10-12
  • lime wedges
  • vegetable oil for frying

Instructions

  • Slice fish into strips. In a small bowl, combine 3/4 cup flour, cornstarch, baking powder and whisk. Add in beer and egg and mix. The batter will be lumpy. Add remaining 3/4 cup flour to a separate small bowl.
  • Add vegetable oil to pot being used for frying and turn stove heat to medium high. Coat fish in flour, then into beer batter and gently place into hot oil. Cook a few minutes until golden brown and then flip and cook other side until golden brown. Repeat with remaining fish strips until finished.
  • Add 1-2 fish strips to tortilla rounds. Top with shredded cabbage, purple onion, salsa, Mexican crema and lime juice.

Notes

Slightly adapted from Better Home and Gardens

The nutrition information provided are only estimates based on an online nutritional calculator. I am not a certified nutritionist. Please consult a professional nutritionist or doctor for accurate information and any dietary restrictions and concerns you may have.

Did you make this recipe?I'd love to see it! Mention @KirbieCravings and tag #kirbiecravings!

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2 comments on “Beer Battered Fish Tacos”

  1. You’re killin’ me this morning, love these!!