Taco night in the average American home generally means ground beef, crunchy shells, and shredded cheese. There's nothing wrong with that, but other meat and fish can deliver more flavor for a fraction of the calories. Exhibit A: ahi tuna. Not only does the combination of silky rare tuna and creamy avocado fit a boatload of healthy fat into the palm of your hand, but the flavors are tough to beat, especially when crowned with a spicy slaw and the tang of a few pickled onions. Forget the fried version: This is your new fish taco recipe.
Nutrition: 330 calories, 13 g fat (2 g saturated), 460 mg sodium
Serves 4
You'll Need
4 cups shredded red or green cabbage
2 Tbsp olive oil mayonnaise
Juice of 1 lime, plus lime wedges for serving
1⁄2 Tbsp canned chipotle pepper
Salt and black pepper to taste
1⁄2 Tbsp canola or olive oil
12 oz fresh ahi or other high-quality tuna
8 corn tortillas
1 ripe avocado, pitted, peeled, and sliced
Pickled red onions
Hot sauce
How to Make It
- Combine the cabbage, mayo, lime juice, and chipotle in a large mixing bowl.
- Season with salt and pepper. Set the slaw aside. (This is best done at least 15 minutes before cooking so that you allow the flavors to marry.)
- Heat the oil in a large cast-iron skillet or stainless-steel sauté pan over medium-high heat.
- Season the tuna with salt and plenty of black pepper.
- When the oil is hot, add the tuna and sear for 2 minutes on each side, until a nice crust has developed but the inside of the tuna is still rare.
- While the pan is still hot, heat the tortillas until lightly crisp on the outside.
- Slice the tuna into thin planks.
- Divide among the tortillas and top each with avocado slices, slaw, and pickled onions.
- Serve with lime wedges and hot sauce.
Eat This Tip
Vegetables such as onions, cucumbers, and peppers pick up a perfect vinegar bite when soaked in a pickle brine. Combine equal parts warm water with apple cider or rice wine vinegar, plus a good spoonful of salt and sugar. Stir it all up, then drop in the vegetables for at least 10 minutes before serving with your fish tacos. They keep covered in the fridge for up to a week.