These Inside Out Fish Tacos turn out to be more like an enchilada-style fish taco casserole.
Fish Taco Casserole
I know this recipe sounds kind of weird. Fish in a casserole… what?! It’s basically a bunch of delicious fish tacos layered casserole-style instead of served classically in a tortilla. This recipe comes from a cookbook that I collaborated on when I was in the Junior League of San Diego: California Sol Food. It’s a typical Junior League cookbook that is full of great recipes!
🛒 Ingredients Needed:
- breadcrumbs
- chili powder
- ground cumin
- firm white fish
- canola or vegetable oil
- flour tortillas
- tomato
- onion
- salsa
- shredded Monterey jack cheese
- shredded cabbage
- sour cream
- salt and pepper
- lime wedges
✏️ How to make Fish Taco Casserole:
*The complete, printable recipe is in the recipe card at the end of this post.
- Preheat the oven to 350℉.
- In a low, wide bowl, mix together the breadcrumbs, chili powder, salt, pepper, and cumin.
- Cut the fish into 6 serving-size pieces. Dip each piece of fish into the breadcrumb mixture. In a skillet, heat the oil. Fry the fish for 2 to 3 minutes on each side, or until golden brown.
- Spray a 9×13-inch baking dish with cooking spray. Place a layer of three tortillas in the bottom of the dish. Arrange the fish on top of the tortillas. Place the sliced tomatoes, chopped onion, and ½ of the salsa on top of the fish. Sprinkle with ⅓ of the cheese. Cover with the three remaining tortillas. Place another layer of tomatoes, onion and salsa on top. Sprinkle with the remaining cheese. Bake for 20 minutes.
Cut into 6 servings.
➡️ Tips and Substitutions:
- For the firm, white fish- try using halibut, sea bass, orange roughy or tilapia.
- Use fried corn tortillas in place of flour tortillas, if you’d like.
- Experiment with using crumbled Cotija cheese in place of Monterey jack.
✔️ Make Ahead Tips:
This dish may be prepared earlier in the day, covered and refrigerated until baking.
Place the shredded cabbage on the plate and top with a serving of fish taco. Serve with sour cream and lime wedges. You can also serve with additional salsa, sliced avocados or guacamole.
❤️ What I Love About This Recipe:
- I love that it’s a unique twist on tacos. After all, there are recipes for taco casserole, so why not fish taco casserole?
- This is one of those recipes where you can display all of the optional toppings and just let everyone choose their favorites.
- Here are some topping ideas: salsa, sour cream, guacamole, extra tomato, chopped fresh cilantro and hot sauce.
Fish Taco Casserole
Ingredients
- ½ cup dried breadcrumbs
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon ground cumin
- 1½ pounds firm white fish (such as halibut, sea bass or orange roughy)
- 2 tablespoons canola or vegetable oil
- 6 medium flour tortillas, divided
- 1 large tomato, sliced
- 1 medium yellow onion, chopped
- 1 cup salsa, divided
- 12 ounces shredded Monterey Jack cheese, divided
- 1 cup shredded cabbage
- ½ cup sour cream, for serving
- lime wedges, for serving
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350℉.
- In a low, wide bowl, mix together the breadcrumbs, chili powder, salt, pepper, and cumin.
- Cut the fish into 6 serving-size pieces. Dip each piece of fish into the breadcrumb mixture. In a skillet, heat the oil. Fry the fish for 2 to 3 minutes on each side, or until golden brown.
- Spray a 9×13-inch baking dish with cooking spray. Place a layer of three tortillas in the bottom of the dish. Arrange the fish on top of the tortillas. Place the sliced tomatoes, chopped onion, and ½ of the salsa on top of the fish. Sprinkle with ⅓ of the cheese. Cover with the three remaining tortillas. Place another layer of tomatoes, onion and salsa on top. Sprinkle with the remaining cheese. Bake for 20 minutes.
- Cut into 6 servings. Place the shredded cabbage on the plate and top with a serving of fish taco. Serve with sour cream and lime wedges. You can also serve with additional salsa, sliced avocados or guacamole.
Notes
- This dish may be prepared earlier in the day, covered and refrigerated until baking.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
I added enchilada sauce to this before baking. It was absolutely outstanding and has become a family favorite.