These simple, no-frills Air Fryer Fish Tacos deserve a spot on your weekly dinner rotation - pronto! Nutritious, refreshing, and delicious while being customizable for low FODMAP, dairy-free, and gluten-free, these fish tacos are family-friendly and ready in about 20-minutes when using the air fryer, although oven instructions are also included!
For an extra boost of flavor, top these tacos with chunky Instant Pot salsa or jalapeño pineapple salsa! If you're looking for more seafood recipes, try my Air Fryer Tuna Melt! Want something cozier? Try my Chicken Taco Soup or Easy Taco Skillet!
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What makes these air fryer fish tacos so simple?
These are probably the easiest fish tacos you will ever make. Simply seasoned with just garlic-infused olive oil, sea salt, and pepper and topped with easy-to-prep veggies and a 4-ingredient spicy mayo - that's all this recipe calls for. No long list of spices to measure out. No tricky breading try to adhere to wet fish.
While these items can be tasty additions to fish tacos, these particular fish tacos are for when you just need to simplify your life, as many of us need to from time-to-time.
In addition to being simple, these air fryer fish tacos can also be easily customized for low FODMAP, dairy-free, and gluten-free. If you don't have an air fryer, you should get one (lol, just kidding...not really. They're awesome). Until then, you can bake the fish in the oven, which takes about double the time (and a lot more energy consumption) but still results in a tasty fish taco.
If you're looking for a more complex but tortilla-free air fryer seafood taco recipe, try my Air Fryer Shrimp Taco Bowls. Or, you can chop a few more cups of lettuce and convert these simple fish tacos into a Paleo, low carb, and Keto compliant salad! Endless possibilities!
Equipment
My preferred method of making these fish tacos is the air fryer, but you can also use a conventional oven. They take 6-8 minutes to cook in a preheated air fryer and 12-15 minutes to bake in a preheated oven. The equipment I use includes:
- Air fryer (I use an Instant Pot Vortex Plus 10-quart Air Fryer, but smaller air fryers will work) or oven
- Baking sheet covered with parchment paper or a silicone mat
- Paper towels
- Basting brush
- Small bowl
- Citrus juicer
- Vegetable peeler
- Box shredder or similar shredding device
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Serving bowls and spoons
- Flipping spatula
- Instant read thermometer
- Large plate
Ingredients
The ingredients I use to make these air fryer fish tacos include:
Fish:
- Mild white fish fillets, like haddock, cod, or tilapia, thawed if frozen. My preferred white fish is haddock, as I feel it has the best flavor, but other types of white fish can work.
- Garlic-infused olive oil
- Sea salt and freshly-ground black pepper (not pictured above)
- Avocado oil cooking spray (not pictured above), or your preferred cooking spray - for the air fryer only, if food tends to stick to your air fryer pan.
Spicy mayo:
- Dairy-free mayo (or your preferred mayo)
- Hot sauce - low FODMAP if needed. I love Louisiana Hot Sauce, which I find about medium spicy. If you tolerate spicy food well and prefer something with more heat, Tabasco Original Hot Sauce also appears to contain only low FODMAP ingredients.
- Lime juice
- Sea salt
- Pure maple syrup or liquid stevia (or your sweetener of choice, to taste)
Toppings:
- Green leaf lettuce (or your favorite greens), chopped
- Carrot, coarsely shredded
- Radish, coarsely shredded (optional) - I love the bit of bite and beautiful color radishes bring to these tacos, but they're optional.
- Scallions, green tops only, chopped
Tortillas:
- 8 small tortillas specific to your dietary needs, warmed in a microwave if desired. If needing gluten-free or low FODMAP, use gluten-free rice flour tortillas or corn tortillas. Check labels to make sure no high FODMAP ingredients have been added.
- Or, chop a few more cups of lettuce and make a fish taco salad! You may also want to double the spicy mayo to use as a dressing.
Method
The steps I take to make these air fryer fish tacos include the following:
Preheat
Preheat air fryer (or oven) to 400°F. Cover a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
Prepare Fish
Dry fish well with paper towels and place on prepared baking sheet. Baste both sides with garlic-infused olive oil and sprinkle with salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste.
Allow to sit at room temperature while you prepare the remaining ingredients.
Prepare Spicy Mayo
In a small bowl, whisk together spicy mayo ingredients: mayo, hot sauce, lime juice, sea salt, and maple syrup or liquid stevia.
Taste the mayo and adjust hot sauce, lime juice, salt, and sweetener as desired. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.
Prepare Toppings
Prepare fish taco toppings: lettuce, carrot, radish, and scallions and place in serving bowls.
Cook fish - air fryer
If food tends to stick to your air fryer pan, spray air fryer pans with cooking spray and place fish fillets in a single layer on the air fryer pan without touching.
Air fry for 6-8 minutes, flipping halfway through with a spatula, or until the internal temperature of the fillets reaches 145°F per an instant read thermometer. Depending on the size of your air fryer, you may need to air fry the fish in batches.
Using a spatula, move fillets to a large plate. Break up fillets into pieces with the spatula.
Cook Fish - Oven
Bake fish in preheated oven on the center oven rack for 12-15 minutes or until the internal temperature of the fillets reaches 145°F per an instant read thermometer. Using a spatula, place fillets on a large plate covered in paper towel. Break up fillets into pieces with the spatula.
Assemble Tacos
Spoon fish into tortillas, top with lettuce, carrot, radish (if using it), and scallions. Drizzle with spicy mayo and enjoy.
Frequently Asked Questions
I have not tested this recipe with frozen fillets as I generally prefer not to cook any type of meat or fish from frozen. There are some recipes out there that say you can do this, but I don't have personal experience with it.
Other fish taco topping ideas include spinach, tomato-based salsa (although not all salsas may work well in combination with this spicy mayo), pineapple salsa, diced tomatoes, shredded cabbage or coleslaw mix, corn, avocado, and more. If eating low FODMAP, consult Monash University's Low FODMAP App before adding any other toppings to ensure you're only adding low FODMAP quantities and the FODMAP types do not stack with each other. This recipe is written to avoid FODMAP stacking.
When cooking the fish in the air fryer, the fish shouldn't be too soggy as the moisture drips from the fish through the air fryer pan as it cooks. However, if your fish still looks soggy, place the fillets on a plate covered in paper towel after cooking. You should do this step when using the oven method as the moisture from the fish stays on the baking sheet.
Related Recipes
Simple Air Fryer Fish Tacos (Low FODMAP, Dairy-Free, Gluten-Free Options)
- Total Time: 20 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Diet: Gluten Free
Description
Try these simple, fuss-free Air Fryer Fish Tacos for a nutritious, refreshing, and satisfying 20-minute weeknight meal that's family-friendly. Dairy-free (if needed) and customizable to be low FODMAP and gluten-free by using compliant tortillas. Don't have an air fryer? No worries – oven instructions are also included!
Ingredients
Fish:
- 1 pound mild white fish fillets, like haddock, cod, or tilapia, thawed if frozen*
- 1 tablespoon garlic-infused olive oil
- Sea salt and freshly-ground black pepper (to taste)
- Avocado oil cooking spray (or your preferred cooking spray - if food tends to stick to your air fryer pan)
Spicy Mayo:
- ¼ cup avocado oil mayo (or your preferred mayo)
- 1 teaspoon hot sauce (low FODMAP if needed - see note)
- 1 teaspoon lime juice
- ⅛ teaspoon sea salt (or to taste)
- ¼ teaspoon pure maple syrup or ⅛ teaspoon liquid stevia (or your sweetener of choice, to taste)
Toppings:
- 1 cup romaine or green leaf lettuce (or your favorite greens), chopped
- ½ cup carrot, coarsely shredded
- ½ cup radish, coarsely shredded (optional)
- 4 scallions, green tops only, chopped
Tortillas:
- 8 small tortillas specific to your dietary needs (see note for options), warmed in a microwave if desired, or...
- Omit the tortillas and chop a few more cups of lettuce to make a fish taco salad, using the spicy mayo as dressing (see note)
Instructions
- Preheat: Preheat air fryer (or oven) to 400°F. Cover a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
- Prepare fish: Dry fish well with paper towels and place on prepared baking sheet. Baste both sides of the fish with garlic-infused olive oil and sprinkle with salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste. Allow fish to sit at room temperature while you prepare the remaining ingredients.
- Prepare spicy mayo: In a small bowl, whisk together spicy mayo ingredients: mayo, hot sauce, lime juice, sea salt, and maple syrup or liquid stevia. Taste and adjust hot sauce, lime juice, salt, and sweetener as desired. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.
- Prepare toppings: Prepare fish taco toppings: lettuce, carrot, radish, and scallions and place in serving bowls.
- Cook fish – air fryer: If food tends to stick to your air fryer pan, spray the pan with cooking spray and place fish fillets in a single layer on the pan without touching. Air fry for 6-8 minutes, flipping halfway through with a spatula (you may want to check the temp at the halfway point to see where they are), or until the internal temperature of the fillets reaches 145°F per an instant read thermometer. Depending on the size of your air fryer, you may need to air fry the fish in batches. Using a spatula, move fillets to a large plate. Break up fillets into pieces with the spatula.
- Cook fish – oven: Bake fish in preheated oven on the center oven rack for 12-15 minutes or until the internal temperature of the fillets reaches 145°F per an instant read thermometer. Using a spatula, place fillets on a large plate covered in paper towel.* Break up fillets into pieces with the spatula.
- Assemble tacos: spoon fish into tortillas, top with lettuce, carrot, radish (if using it), and scallions. Drizzle with spicy mayo and enjoy. For an additional flavor boost, top with Chunky Instant Pot Salsa or Jalapeño Pineapple Salsa.
Notes
- Note: if you eat low FODMAP, these fish tacos contain spicy elements that can sometimes trigger symptoms in some people with IBS despite being low FODMAP.
- Fish: my preferred white fish is haddock as I find it has the best flavor.
- Low FODMAP hot sauce: I use and love Louisiana Hot Sauce, which I consider medium on the spicy scale, but if you’d like something spicier, Tabasco Original Hot Sauce also appears to contain only low FODMAP ingredients.
- Tortillas: if needing gluten-free or low FODMAP, use gluten-free rice flour tortillas or corn tortillas. Check labels to make sure no high FODMAP ingredients have been added.
- Fish taco salad (Keto, low carb, Paleo): while my husband and son enjoy these fish tacos in tortillas, I enjoy mine as a salad by chopping a few more cups of lettuce, using the toppings as salad ingredients and the spicy mayo as dressing. If you have more than one person enjoying these as a salad, you may want to double the spicy mayo to have enough for dressing. It's a simple salad but tasty, low carb, and eliminates the hassle of finding a tortilla compliant with your dietary needs.
- Plate covered in paper towel (oven only): when baking the fish in the oven, the fish bake in their own moisture, so they will be more wet than when cooked in the air fryer, where the moisture drips through the air fryer pan. So your tacos aren't too drippy, place the fish on a plate covered with paper towel after cooking. You will lose some flavor doing this, but it's better than having drippy tacos. This step is not needed when using an air fryer.
- Servings: makes about 8 tacos total, with 2 tacos per serving.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Lunch, Dinner
- Method: Air Fryer / Oven
- Cuisine: Mexican-Inspired
Disclaimer: This recipe is for informational purposes only and is not intended as medical or dietary advice. The author is not a medical professional. Nutrition info is an estimate and can vary depending on ingredients and preparation. We follow current guidelines for special diets like low FODMAP, Keto, and Paleo at the time of initial publication, but individual tolerance varies and research is always evolving. It’s up to each reader to check ingredient labels, stay informed with the latest research, and consult their doctor to make informed choices based on their individual needs. Storage times are general recommendations—always follow safe food handling practices. See our Terms of Use for more details.
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