BEST Fish Taco Sauce (5 Minutes!)

Our go-to, BEST-EVER fish taco sauce is ready in under 5 minutes. It’s a versatile, creamy staple perfect for all kinds of tacos and bowls. Try it, and it will become your favorite topping!

Fish Taco Sauce Recipe

Ready for the ultimate Fish Taco Sauce? This sauce is perfect for any seafood taco, whether grilled, sautéed, or crispy fried. It’s the secret ingredient to elevate your fish tacos!

Skip the store-bought options; homemade is the way to go for flavor and freshness!

Our creamy recipe combines mayonnaise, hot sauce, lime juice, and more, delivering a perfect punch of flavor. It’s simple and customizable. Whip it up in just 5 minutes with pantry staples, then adjust the heat and ingredients to your liking.

Why You’ll Love This Fish Taco Sauce:

1. Effortless: Ready in 5 minutes, maximizing flavor without the wait.
2. Versatile: Beyond fish tacos, it’s a great topping for lots of other meals.
3. Flavorful: Achieves a perfect balance with creaminess, zest, and spice.
4. Adaptable: Easy to dial the heat up or down to your preference.
5. Convenient: Uses common ingredients already in your pantry.
6. Crowd-pleasing: Enjoyed by many different people.
7. Elevates meals: Transforms simple into gourmet-tasting dishes!

Fish Taco Sauce Ingredients

• Mayonnaise: Stick to full-fat mayo for optimal richness, or substitute some mayo with sour cream or Mexican crema for added tanginess.
• Lime juice: Use freshly squeezed lime juice and zest for the best flavor.
• Lime zest: Grate only the green skin; the white part underneath is bitter.
• Ground cumin: This is our “secret” ingredient to add a touch more freshness and flavor.
• Paprika: Choose between sweet, smoked, or hot varieties to change up the flavor.
• Chili powder: This spice varies in heat; sample before using to gauge spiciness.
• Sriracha: Can be swapped with a different hot sauce, but sriracha provides the best flavor, in my opinion!

How To Make Fish Taco Sauce

1. Combine Ingredients: Mix mayonnaise, hot sauce, and lime juice in a bowl. Use freshly squeezed lime juice for the best flavor.
2. Add Seasonings: Stir in garlic powder and smoked paprika.
3. Mix Thoroughly: Blend until smooth and well combined. For an extra smooth sauce, use a whisk.
4. Customize: Taste and adjust the heat by adding more hot sauce if desired. Start with a small amount of hot sauce and gradually add more to avoid overpowering the other flavors.
5. Chill: Refrigerate before serving to let the flavors meld. If short on time, even a quick chill will improve the taste.

More Ways To Use Fish Taco Sauce:

Apart from generously topping our beloved Fish Tacos (including these ultra-easy Fish Stick Tacos), we add this sauce to all kinds of other dishes:

1. Shrimp Tacos: Drizzle over grilled or fried shrimp in tacos or over this Blackened Shrimp.
2. Baked Chicken Tacos: Complements both grilled chicken taco meat and grilled chicken tacos.
3. Vegetarian Tacos: Great with roasted or sautéed veggies.
4. Salad dressing: Use as a zesty dressing on a mixed green or taco salad.
5. Burger spread: Apply on Salmon Burgers, fried chicken sandwiches, or Chicken Burgers for a fun twist.
6. Dip: Perfect for dipping fried seafood or veggies.
7. Grilled meats: Serve as a side sauce for Grilled Steaks or Chicken.
8. Rice bowls: Drizzle over these popular Sweet Potato Burrito Bowls.
9. Wraps: Use as a spread inside various Wraps and Sandwiches.
10. On potatoes: Use as a topping on Baked Potatoes or Roasted Potatoes.

Tips For Success

• Spice control: Adjust the heat with the sriracha or chili powder—gradually add more until the desired spiciness is reached.
• Rest time: If you have the time, let the sauce sit in the refrigerator for a while before serving. This helps to enhance the flavors.
• Season to taste: Always taste the sauce after mixing and adjust the seasoning, particularly the salt, according to your preference.
• Customization: Feel free to adjust the ingredients based on your taste. For example, add a pinch of garlic powder or some chopped cilantro for extra flavor.

More Delicious Sauce Recipes:

• Cilantro Lime Sauce with fresh cilantro and lime
• BBQ Sauce Recipe easy to make!
• Tzatziki Sauce with fresh lemon
• Tartar Sauce our favorite topping for baked Fish Sticks!
• Fry Sauce the best dipping sauce for fries!

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5 from 1 vote

Fish Taco Sauce

By Chelsea Lords

Our go-to, BEST-EVER fish taco sauce is ready in under 5 minutes. It's a versatile, creamy staple perfect for all kinds of tacos and bowls. Try it, and it will become your favorite topping!

Prep Time: 5 minutes minutes

Total Time: 5 minutes minutes

Servings: 4

Equipment

• Juicer and microplane (Note 1)

Ingredients  

1x2x3x

• ▢ ½ cup full-fat regular mayo
• ▢ 3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice, plus 1/4 teaspoon lime zest
• ▢ ½ teaspoon paprika
• ▢ 1½ teaspoon chili powder
• ▢ ⅛ teaspoon ground cumin
• ▢ 1 teaspoon sriracha sauce
• ▢ Fine sea salt & pepper, to taste

Instructions 

• COMBINE: In a small mixing bowl, combine all ingredients. Season to taste. (I add ¼ tsp salt and ⅛ tsp pepper).
• MIX: Whisk ingredients together until sauce is smooth. Taste and adjust to personal preference.
• REFRIGERATE: Cover bowl with plastic wrap or a lid, and refrigerate sauce until you're ready to use it. Chilling allows flavors to meld.
• ENJOY: Before serving, give sauce a quick stir to refresh its consistency. Enjoy it drizzled over your favorite fish tacos or as a dipping sauce on the side!
• STORAGE: The flavors can intensify over time, so if you've stored it for more than a few hours, you might want to check the seasoning again before serving. Store in an air-tight container in fridge for a week.

Recipe Notes

Note 1: Kitchen tools: This juicer is an excellent investment if you juice a lot of citrus. A microplane is also nice for zesting citrus.

Note 2: Spice control: Adjust heat with sriracha or chili powder—gradually add more until the desired spiciness is reached.

Note 3: Customization: Feel free to add or reduce ingredients based on your flavor preferences. For example, add a touch of garlic powder or a bit of chopped cilantro for an extra flavor dimension.

 

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 196kcal | Carbohydrates: 2g | Protein: 0.5g | Fat: 21g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 13g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 12mg | Sodium: 217mg | Potassium: 42mg | Fiber: 0.4g | Sugar: 0.4g | Vitamin A: 372IU | Vitamin C: 4mg | Calcium: 8mg | Iron: 0.3mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

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