California Fish Tacos
Photo: Missvain · CC BY 4.0

History

The fish taco tradition is rooted in Ensenada and the Baja California coast, where battered and fried white fish in corn tortillas developed as street food in the mid-20th century. The format migrated into Southern California coastal cities through the 1970s and 1980s and is now a staple of Santa Barbara's casual seafood counter scene.

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Common allergens: Gluten (batter), Fish, Dairy (crema)

Make it at home

Yield Makes 8 tacosHands-on 25 minTotal 35 minDifficulty Easy

Ingredients

  • 1 lb (450g) firm white fish (halibut, cod, or local swordfish), cut into 1-inch strips
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour plus extra for dredging
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp cumin
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1 cup cold light beer or sparkling water
  • Oil for frying (vegetable or avocado)
  • 8 small corn tortillas
  • 2 cups green cabbage, shredded fine
  • 1/2 cup crema or sour cream
  • Juice of 1 lime
  • Pico de gallo: 2 Roma tomatoes, 1/4 white onion, 1 jalapeno, cilantro, lime, salt

Method

  1. Make the batter: whisk flour, baking powder, cumin, and salt together. Add cold beer gradually, whisking until smooth and just thick enough to coat a spoon. A few lumps are fine.
  2. Make pico de gallo: dice tomatoes, onion, and jalapeno finely. Combine with chopped cilantro, lime juice, and salt. Set aside.
  3. Heat 2 inches of oil in a heavy pot to 375F (190C).
  4. Dredge fish strips in plain flour, shake off excess, then dip in batter to coat evenly.
  5. Fry in batches 3-4 minutes until golden and crisp. Drain on a rack, not paper towels.
  6. Warm tortillas on a dry griddle. Toss cabbage with lime juice and a pinch of salt.
  7. Build tacos: fish, cabbage, crema, and pico de gallo. Serve with lime wedges.

Tip from the editors. The batter must be cold to fry up light; keep it in the fridge between batches. Overcrowding the fryer drops the oil temperature and produces soggy batter rather than a crisp shell.

Where to eat california fish tacos

California Fish Tacos in Santa Barbara

Santa Barbara Shellfish Company ★ 3.8

$$ SeafoodStearns Wharf

Fish-shack counter at the tip of Stearns Wharf since 1980. Same-day-landed Channel crab, sea urchin, and shellfish on a communal outdoor deck with bay views.

SignatureFresh sea urchin, Steamed rock crab, Lobster bisque

Directions

Corazon Cocina ★ 3.8

$ MexicanDowntown Santa Barbara

Michelin Bib Gourmand Mexican counter in the Santa Barbara Public Market. Hand-pressed tortillas, regional guisados, horchata. No advance reservation needed.

TryStreet tacos and ceviches

Directions

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