What To Serve With Fish Tacos (Our 38 BEST Side Dishes)

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Looking for ideas for what to serve with fish tacos? We’ve got you covered with 38 of our own side dish recipes that will accentuate and elevate all of your favorite fish tacos, whether grilled or fried.It’s not all tex-mex, either. Expect the unexpected!

Thanks to diverse ingredients and condiments, fish tacos have risen in popularity for their crispy texture and flavor combos. Fish tacos are a tex-mex-inspired meal made from a mixture of fried or grilled fish like tilapia or cod, corn or flour tortillas, salsa, and cabbage slaw or pickled onions, topped with cream sauce and lime juice. Delicious! 🌮 And of course everyone has their own way of crafting a delicious fish taco.

If you’re curious about what to serve with fish tacos, this recipe guide should offer meal inspiration. We use a lot of fresh ingredients, from avocado to pineapple to mango in the salsas we recommend. Grilled favorites and homemade air fryer tortilla chips, take your pick.

We are going for easy here as well as tasty, and we hope we’ve made the list for your new favorite…list!

What To Serve With Fish Tacos

1. Air Fryer Sweet Potato Fries

I’m starting out this list with something maybe not so obvious, but sweet potatoes are a natural pairing for fish, and fish tacos are going to win with these sweet potato fries around. I’m a huge fan of how the air fryer makes quick, tasty, crispy work of nearly every vegetable I’ve put into it, and these are no exception. Light and crispy, less fat and a skosh better for you than using white potatoes, you’re gonna like these if you like sweet potatoes at all.

2. Fresh Mango Salsa

Another fantastic side item for fish tacos is our fresh mango salsa. It combines zesty but spicy ingredients such as red bell pepper, lime, mango, cilantro, and sea salt.

If you’re not into mango, feel free to substitute it with peaches, strawberries, or pineapple. It’s sweet and juicy flavor all the way down!

3. Caesar Salad

This version of Caesar salad complements the flavor and texture of your fish tacos. It’s creamy, light, and versatile! What makes it unique, too, is the absence of anchovies in the mixture. 

You can make the dish heartier by adding other ingredients to your liking. I love tossing some crispy bacon, grilled chicken, and sometimes radishes.

4. Grilled Pineapple

If you’ve never lobbed off a thick, juicy wheel of fresh pineapple and heard it sizzle on a hot grill, this is your chance! While we encourage you to mop this fruit with a mix of butter and sugar, you can control the sweetness.

5. Quick-Pickled Cucumber Salad

What’s a good side dish for fish tacos? Cucumber salad! This salad has a refreshing, crisp texture coming from cucumbers, white vinegar, a bit of sugar, salt, garlic powder, and onion. Let the cucumber salad chill in the fridge for like 30 minutes or more.

This is to allow the flavors to reach their potential. I LOVE this side dish with all Mexican food, but there’s something about them with fish tacos.

-chef’s kiss-

6. Baked Zucchini Fritters

A food processor will help you make quick work of the zucchini, but these rather unconventional sides for fish tacos will win you over. WIN, I tell you! Crispy and cheesy, the kinds of cheese really bring out the best in the other ingredients like panko and egg. Make the “batter” ahead and bake them up as you cook your fish for the tacos. So good.

7. Cut Carrots In The Microwave

Admit that you forgot you had carrots just hanging out in the crisper drawer for a week or more, and now they are on their last collective legs. Well, this is an easy recipe for cooked carrots in the microwave—a simple side dish that steams fresh carrots with a bit of water, and you add some butter and salt at the end right before serving. The delicious sweet flavor of carrots comes shining through with this side dish, and fish tacos are the better for it.

8. Cilantro Lime Rice

There’s nothing wrong if you stick with the basics when choosing sides for fish tacos—like this Cilantro Lime Rice! You might be surprised how this simple rice recipe can improve the flavor of your main dish. It has a tangy kick that you and your family will love. 

Bear in mind to cook your rice properly, though. Also, use long-grained rice if possible as this variety comes out drier and fluffier after cooking. 

9. Marinated Tomato Salad

If you’re still confused about what to serve with fish tacos, then our next entry might very well be the one you’re looking for! The dish offers a taste of summer that might outshine your main entree.

What’s more, this salad is so easy to whip up. Simply slice or dice ripe tomatoes into bite-sized pieces. Combine them with red onion, fresh basil, olive oil, and balsamic vinegar. 

Make it even heartier by adding cucumber, avocado, or mozzarella for a creamy flavor profile.

10. Apple-Carrot Slaw

Start with an easy grocery store bag of coleslaw mix, or just pre-shredded cabbage, and add a few easy pantry items like a fresh apple, mayo, sour cream, bit of sugar and apple cider vinegar, and this will give your fish tacos some elevated crunch with a hint of sweetness.

11. Corn On The Cob

If you want to partner your fish tacos with something smokey, I highly recommend my Corn On The Cob recipe. The trick to achieving a delicious final product is to pick out the freshest corn if possible. This recipe has endless possibilities when it comes to variations.

12. Jiffy Mix Corn Casserole

In case you haven’t tried it, fish tacos taste great with this savory, sweet, and kicky Jiffy Corn Casserole. Pretty famous on the American Thanksgiving table, this side dish deserves more year-round love. Add snipped cilantro or diced jalapenos to make it a skosh more Taco-Tuesday-esque, but it’s so so good as a hearty side for fish tacos, you’ll thank me.

13. Tex-Mex Quinoa Salad

Though it could be a star of the meal, this Tex-Mex quinoa salad can also act as a supporting dish for your fish tacos. The salad is brimming with so much flavor coming from fresh tomatoes, red onion, corn, black beans, cotija cheese, fresh lime, and avocados. Plus, you can make this salad before your big day! 

And if you’re running out of cotija cheese… replace it with parmesan cheese or any other Mexican cheese that you can get your hands on.

14. Shrimp-Stuffed Avocados

Another must-try side for fish tacos is my version of Shrimp Stuffed Avocados. The dish might look intimidating, but it’s straightforward to make! If you want to make the recipe tasty, pick out fresh and ripe avocados.

Here’s a tip on picking ripe avocados: Look for avocados with dark outer skin, have a gentle give when pressed lightly around the “neck,” but be careful to leave avocados with indentations, as they may indicate bruising.

15. Grilled Tomatoes

So it tooks us a minute to get this right, because I have a tendency to keep nudging food on the grill. The trick to these is to let them be so they get the char on them. It takes four minutes per side to get the char, so don’t touch ’em. They are amazing with every food you can imagine (except maybe cheesecake), but as a side for fish tacos, your guests will want way more of these than you thought possible.

16. Goat-Cheese Stuffed Cherry Tomatoes

Tiny tomato lovers, unite! Colorful, cute and delicious, these take some time to prep, but worth it.

Okay, so this one is more of an appetizer, but I love these little sweet n’ tangy pops of flavor so much!! Something about the goat cheese and tomato together just make these so scrumptious. They have so much flavor, they just may outshine your fish tacos, so fair warning.

A sharp paring knife and the tip of a spoon will allow you to hollow the tomatoes out, no problem.

17. Watermelon Salad

This salad offers the right balance of sweet and savory taste that creates a harmonious and filling flavor when combined with fish tacos. Tweaking the ingredients makes this recipe a bit fun. Include cherry tomatoes, cucumbers, red onions, corn, or any vegetable to your liking. 

If you’re not a fan of feta cheese, consider substituting the ingredient with fresh mozzarella balls or goat cheese.

18. Roasted Mini Bell Peppers In The Air Fryer

You won’t believe me when I tell you this but nothing on this list, possibly the entire foodie internet is as easy AND delicious as bell peppers roasted and charred lightly in the air fryer. While my recipe says to use some olive oil and S&P, you don’t even need it. If your peppers come pre-washed, you don’t even need to do that. Toss them in whole cook on high heat. They are sweet, soft, and smoky and go with fish tacos (and literally every dinner ever).

19. Roasted Butternut Squash

Fish tacos are usually light fare rather than hearty, so if this is this case, like if you are using grilled fish and you really want a side with substance, this flavorful squash has an aromatic garlic and rosemary profile you are going to love. We offer tips for those new to cooking a whole squash.

20. Mexican Street Corn

Mexican street corn or Elote is sweet but contains most of the flavors that the taco has, mixed with cheese and butter. When one eats Elote together with tacos, one will notice the nice mixture of flavors instantly with the Elote giving a subtle sweetness that teases them to eat more.

21. No-Mayo Red Cabbage Slaw

This is a mild slaw that looks gorgeous on every plate and accompanies many tex-mex meals like a boss, adding crunch without overpowering the dish. Especially if you’ve got a spicy fish taco, and you’ve got no liking for mayo in your slaw slash taco topping, this is the side dish for fish taco you’ve been waiting for. Let this one have at least 30 minutes in the fridge for those flavors to combine and add more salt to taste if you need it.

22. Farro Salad With Roasted Vegetables

I LOVE farro. It’s chewy and nutty in a way that is different from quinoa, milder than barley, silkier than rice. And while I call this one a salad, it can be served hot, room temp or chilled and be delicious all the ways. It takes some time to make but the air fryer makes shorter work of getting the vegetables just right. But the flavor combo will add a hearty side dish to your fish tacos and probably become the star of the meal. I may be biased on this one, but I think you’ll love it.

23. Homemade Raw Blender Salsa

This blender salsa is a bit unconventional but it’s the real deal. Just chop, blend, and eat. Every fish taco deserves this kind of treatment. A few roma tomatoes, whole or minced (jar) garlic, red onion, fresh cilantro, plenty of salt and lime, and you don’t even have to chill it before you dig in (though we recommend that you do). And if you are a garlic lover like me, you can add more, but it WILL be very pale. Your guests might think you’ve blended up a garlic salsa. Come to think of it, not such a bad thought.

24. Taco Dip

This is a nice, light dip with an easy-peasy sour cream base with a packet of taco seasoning and a handful of fresh ingredients plus a cheese of your choice. Goes great with tortilla chips, naturally, and can be your topping for fish tacos all in one nice dish.

25. Steamed Green Beans With Lemon

Repeat after me: light and fresh! light and fresh! Ok, you get me. Fresh green beans are so versatile they are really a side for everything. But on Taco Tuesday, they are a dream come true. If you love the bright taste of lemon, this recipe features a lemon butter sauce tossed with the beans at the end. Pure yum.

CookingChew Recommends: Easy Fish Tacos from Mom on Timeout

26. Easy Arugula Salad

Ever have arugula? It’s an acquired taste, like cilantro. You either love it or you hate it. And this easy salad is a great primer without a lot of work. We whipped up a lemony vinaigrette that tempers the peppery flavor of arugula while not weighing it down too much. Especially if your fish tacos are a bit spicy, this light-n-lovely salad will cool you down a bit.

27. Pineapple Avocado Salsa

Ah, the kind of side dish that goes alongside, on top, in the middle of, or eaten with a spoon before, during, and after you enjoy your fish tacos! Fresh pineapple, even the kind you buy cut up for you in the produce case, is so important. The ingredients just simply sing with garlic, green onion, and cilantro, so it’s not a spicy-heat unless you add jalapeno.

28. Oven Roasted Zucchini & Tomatoes

Gently roasted in the oven with a seasoning blend of your choice, this is a moist dish, with the juices from the tomatoes simmering the zucchini. A thoughtful way to use up those zucchini and tomatoes you got from your generous neighbor, this is delicious the next day with eggs, too. Make your fish tacos proud that you are having a healthy serving of veg tonight.

29. Mexican Layered Tortilla Casserole

I’ll be honest, here; I will add this cool-looking tex-mex casserole to every list I possibly can. You can leave out the ground beef and just use the corn, salsa, black bean, and rice filling, but it’s so incredibly cheesy, fun to make and fun to serve (you cut it like a birthday cake) that it’s worth making this as a fun side fish for dish tacos (er, you know what I mean). Did I say cheesy? It’s just so good.

30. Homemade Air Fryer Tortilla Chips

Here’s a little something for the chefs out there who prefer to make things themselves and avoid the store-bought options. These are the how-tos on how to prepare the chips, which you can use to scoop up anything that gets dropped from your fish tacos.

Serve with salsa for something light and refreshing!

31. Skillet Fried Corn With Canned Corn

There’s something almost romantic about corn and fish, the natural sweetness of corn that elevates the ocean elements of seafood. This skillet corn tastes better than it looks. We cooked it just a skosh too long, and so it appears very dark. You don’t have to char the corn within an inch of its life like we did, but it was tasty that way too. Check this one out if you want some luscious buttery corn with a bite of smoky finish to go alongside your fish tacos.

32. Cold Cucumber & Avocado Soup

This chilled soup is a lovely appetizer or side, a savory and sippable, creamy side dish for your fish tacos. We found that some of our guests loved it, some didn’t like it at all, but it’s easy to make in advance of your mealtime, too. Have chicken stock, Greek yogurt, fresh cucumbers, ripe avocados and a few spices on hand, and you’ve got a unique side for fish tacos right there. Add more stock if it’s too thick for your taste.

33. Baked Avocado Fries

Warm and crispy avocado fries fresh out of the oven is a heaven-sent side dish for tacos. You may have ten other side dishes for fish tacos, just make sure this delectable recipe is one of them. Panko is the secret to the extra-crispy exterior.

34. Creamy Avocado Sauce

Whether you use this sauce as a sauce, dip, or spread, you can count on this easy side dish for tacos to make a splash at the table. It comes together in a flash with all raw ingredients. Eat straight out of the food processor or chill for an hour before inhaling.

35. Grilled Peach Salad

You can count on the grill to make lots of vegetables and meats pop, particularly a nice filet of fish. So if you’ve grilled up your tilapia, save some room for cut fresh peaches and be ready for a flavor explosion. Serve as is or create a grilled peach salad with champagne vinaigrette to die for.

And you can be certain it will pair up extremely well with your fish tacos.

36. Easy 3-Ingredient Chili Dip

Since you already know that you’ll have tortilla chips, why not make a crock-pot of this easy chili -flavored dip? Consider it an easy, cheesy appetizer instead of a side dish for fish tacos, because this is definitely a stick-to-your-ribs kind of dip. It seems like you’ll need more to add to the mix, but I swear, you will be surprised how much flavor it has with one can of chili, a can of Rotel tomatoes, and some Velveeta. (Just be sure to keep it warm for serving; you know what happens to cold Velveeta.)

37. Air Fryer Green Beans

I will never be done extolling the virtues of an air fryer in the kitchen. It continues to be used even more often than my conventional often and ALMOST as much as my stovetop. It’s just so handy, and the more I use it, the tastier foods turn out. If you love green beans with everything, these crisp, seasoned green beans are going to be amazing with your fish tacos, and they couldn’t get any easier or faster to cook.

If you need something a bit more on the canned green beans side of things, we have you covered there, too.

38. Mexican Martini

If all else fails, you can always have your fish tacos with some alcohol. And why not serve something up that’s Mexican-themed as well? Presenting: The Mexican Martini.

It’s just like your ordinary martini, except that instead of using Vodka, the drink is prepared with Tequila instead and served with a slice of lime, which gives it some margarita vibes.

It complements the flavor of the fish taco well, as the alcohol enhances the acidity of the fish resulting in a more flavorful taste.

Remember to drink in moderation, though! This martini carries a kick.

The bottom line

If I still have time to prepare my side dishes after creating my taco, I typically whip up three of my favorites: Farro Salad With Roasted Vegetables, Steamed Green Beans With Lemon, or Goat-Cheese Stuffed Cherry Tomatoes. 

More Recipes To Try

• Chipotle’s Copycat Corn Salsa
• Peach Salsa
• Chili’s Copycat Salsa
• Mexican “Layer Cake” Tortilla Casserole
• 21 Mexican Soups

Love this recipe? Share it with your people 💕