Blackened Salmon Tacos {Gluten Free + Dairy Free}

Level up your taco night by making blackened salmon tacos! Made with bold and flavorful blackened salmon and toppings like fresh mango, red onion, arugula, and a creamy avocado green sauce. A vibrant fish taco recipe that is so delicious! Gluten free, dairy free, and paleo / Whole30 option.

The best blackened salmon tacos

Tacos will always be at the top of the list of foods we LOVE. There’s just so many different directions you can go with flavor combinations and ingredients. Plus, they just have a way of making people happy – don’t you think? I call that taco magic.

Some of our go to taco recipes are Sheet Pan Chicken Tacos, and these Ground Pork Tacos. And today we’re chatting about the new favorite taco on the block – blackened salmon tacos!

Made with perfectly seasoned, flaky blackened salmon, fresh mango, peppery arugula, zippy red onion, and an ultra creamy avocado green sauce.

YES PLEASE.

I developed this recipe to feed 2 people, because we often prefer to eat salmon the day it’s been cooked. But if you’re feeding more than 2 or want to have some leftovers for lunch the next day the recipe easily doubles.

Or maybe you just want some for a midnight snack. Because who doesn’t love taco snacks?

Why you’ll love these fish tacos

They are:

• Bold and flavorful
• Perfectly seasoned
• Full of bright flavors
• Satisfying
• Easy to make
• Fresh and zippy
• Gluten free + dairy free
• So yummy!

Ingredients and substitutions

These easy salmon tacos are made with a colorful variety of fresh and wholesome ingredients!

Here’s what you need

• Fresh salmon – About 12 ounces of salmon is enough to make a generous serving of tacos for 2 people, but you can easily double the recipe to serve 4!
• Blackening seasoning – There’s a few different spices you could use to make a homemade blackening seasoning, but we like a combination of kosher salt, black pepper, onion powder, garlic powder, smoked paprika, dried oregano, and chili powder.
• Mango – For a bit of bright sweetness.
• Red onion – Pickled red onions or green onions would also be delicious!
• Arugula – Fresh arugula adds a nice peppery bite, but feel free to omit it or substitute with a different green like baby spinach or shredded cabbage.
• Green sauce – This avocado herb green sauce offers a welcome note of creamy bright green flavor for these tacos! Substitute sliced avocado for a quicker option.
• Cilantro – A little fresh cilantro at the end is a nice finishing touch.
• Lime wedges – Squeezed over the tacos just before serving to brighten up all the other flavors.

Recipe variations

This recipe can easily be modified a few different ways to make it your own!

You could…

• Use another firm fish like cod, halibut, or mahi mahi instead of salmon.
• Switch up the toppings. Fresh pineapple, sweet corn, jalapeño, sliced radishes, cherry tomatoes, or the creamy corn and cabbage slaw from this taco recipe would all be delicious.
• Serve the taco components over salad greens instead of tortillas for a paleo / Whole30 compatible / low carb option.

How to make blackened salmon tacos

This recipe comes together in a few separate parts – the blackened salmon, the green sauce, and prepping the toppings. But the salmon is pretty straightforward to make, and from start to finish it shouldn’t take more than 30-40 minutes to get everything on the table!

Here’s the step-by-step

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
• Prep the salmon. Remove any bones from the salmon. Mix kosher salt, black pepper, and spices together in a small bowl. Coat salmon with 1 teaspoon avocado oil and sprinkle spice mixture on the flesh side of the salmon.
• Cook the salmon. Heat 1 tablespoon avocado oil over medium heat in an oven safe skillet. When oil is hot, add salmon fillets flesh side down and sear for about 3 minutes – until blackened and easily released from the pan. Carefully flip and transfer to the oven to finish cooking. Depending on the thickness of your fillets it should take about 5-8 minutes. Transfer salmon to a large plate or cutting board to cool slightly. Break apart into medium sized pieces, leaving the skin behind. Season with juice of half a lime and 1 tablespoon of chopped cilantro.
• Prep green sauce. While the salmon is cooking in the oven prepare the green sauce. This can also be done an hour or two in advance and stored in the refrigerator until ready to serve. If you’re short on time you can substitute with some sliced avocado!
• Assemble your tacos. Warm tortillas in a skillet or warm in the oven. Fill tortillas with salmon, diced mango, red onion, arugula, green sauce, cilantro, and extra lime wedges. Serve and enjoy!

What to serve with blackened salmon tacos

Really any of your favorite Mexican themed side dishes would be delicious! 

We love serving them with Cilantro Lime Rice, One Pot Southwest Quinoa and Black Beans, Easy Guacamole, Creamy Cashew Queso Dip, Sweet and Spicy Mexican Roasted Sweet Potatoes, or Spicy Watermelon Salad with Cilantro and Lime.

How long will leftovers keep in the fridge?

If you have leftovers, the salmon will keep in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. The toppings should be prepared fresh for the best texture and flavor.

Love these easy tacos? Here’s some other yummy Mexican inspired recipes to try!

• Ground Pork Tacos with Creamy Slaw
• Sheet Pan Shredded Chicken Tacos
• Mexican Roasted Cauliflower
• Whole30 White Chicken Chili
• Dairy Free Queso Fundido with Ground Beef

If you enjoyed this recipe we’d love it if you take 5 seconds to rate and review it below. It’s also super helpful to me and other readers if you share any changes you made to the recipe.

Thank you for sharing your kitchen with NK 🙏🏼 We are so grateful you’re here!

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