California’s Baja Fresh Fish Tacos with Zarandeado Sauce

When you think of California cuisine, fish tacos are sure to come to mind. This iconic dish, which originated in Baja California, Mexico has become a staple along the Golden State’s coast. California’s long Pacific shoreline and abundance of fresh seafood make it the perfect place to enjoy this flavorful and refreshing meal.

Baja-style tacos gained popularity in Southern California during the 1980s, largely thanks to surfers who discovered them on trips to Baja California, Mexico.

Fun fact: Baja California is a Mexican state on the Baja California Peninsula that borders the U.S. state of California. It’s Mexico’s northernmost and westernmost state, and is bordered by the United States to the north, the Gulf of California to the east, the Pacific Ocean to the west, and Baja California Sur to the south. 

The combination of crispy battered fish, crunchy cabbage, and zesty sauces quickly won over locals and tourists alike. Today, you’ll find fish tacos on menus from San Diego to San Francisco, each with its own unique twist.

Although deep-fried tacos often steal the spotlight, griddle-cooked or “grilled” tacos are equally popular throughout Southern California.

I always give instructions with step-by-step photos in my posts just in case some readers have questions. But if you are just here for the recipe, click the JUMP TO RECIPE tab under the title and it will take you straight there. You can also print the recipe card with full instructions or you can click one of the SHARE BUTTONS and save it for later!

The history of fish tacos in the United States is somewhat debated, and there isn’t a universally agreed-upon “first” restaurant to serve them. However, Ralph Rubio, founder of Rubio’s restaurant chain, is frequently cited as the person who introduced the classic “Baja Fish Taco” to a wide American audience. 

The story goes that Rubio first tasted fish tacos while on a college trip to San Felipe, Baja California, in the 1970s. Inspired by this discovery, he opened the first Rubio’s Fresh Mexican Grill in San Diego in 1983, and he featured his baja fish tacos recipe on the menu.

While Rubio’s wasn’t necessarily the very first place in the U.S. to serve fish tacos, it’s often considered the restaurant that popularized them and brought them into mainstream American cuisine.

For this week’s Taste the Nation feature, I’m excited to share my version of Homemade Baja Fish Tacos. This recipe was inspired by the San Diego Fish Tacos from America’s test kitchen. I have made a few minor tweaks based on my family’s personal preferences. 

The combination of golden brown fish, fresh toppings, and the bold flavors of the spicy sauce creates a perfect balance of textures and tastes. It’s a celebration of California’s coastal cuisine, blending Mexican traditions with local ingredients and flavors.

Let’s Gather Up the Ingredients

Organizing all of your ingredients ahead of time not only streamlines the cooking process but also ensures you have everything required to complete the dish successfully. You can find the exact amounts in the recipe card below.

Pickled Onions

• Red onion

• Apple cider vinegar– or whatever vinegar you have on hand.

• Sugar

• Kosher Salt

Zarandeado Sauce

• Mayonnaise

• Sour cream

• Chipotle peppers in adobo sauce

• Dried chile pod– I used a Puya chile because that’s what I had on hand, but you can use any dried chile you like.

• Hot sauce– we use Frank’s but other varieties of Mexican hot sauces, such as Tapatío, Cholula, or Valentina, can be substituted.

• Beer– you are only going to use a small amount so use what you enjoy drinking and sip on the rest while you cook.

• Yellow Mustard

• Fresh garlic

• Soy sauce

• Worcestershire sauce

• Mexican Oregano– substitute any oregano you have on hand.

• Black pepper

• Kosher salt

• Lime zest (optional)

Fish

• Mahi Mahi fillets– or other mild white fish. Fresh cod, or other flaky white fish varieties, such as bass, haddock, and halibut, would also be excellent choices.

• Kosher salt

• Black pepper

• All-purpose flour

• Vegetable oil

• Butter

Tacos

• Red cabbage

• Green cabbage

• Corn tortillas– you could also use flour tortillas if you prefer.

• Cilantro

• Avocado

• Lime wedges-for serving

Tips for success: Use a mandoline to slice the cabbage as thin as possible. The combination of red and green cabbage is for aesthetic reasons; you could certainly use a single variety of cabbage instead.

​Now Let’s Get Cooking

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FOR THE PICKLED RED ONION: Place sliced red onion in a medium bowl. Bring the vinegar, sugar, and salt to simmer in a small saucepan over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until the sugar dissolves. Pour the vinegar mixture over the onion, pressing the onion below the surface of the liquid. Let the onion cool completely for about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Tips for success: Pickled onions can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for a couple of weeks. We store ours in a mason jar and use them throughout the week on hot dogs, burgers, and sandwiches, as well as in salads and wraps.

FOR THE ZARANDEADO SAUCE: Process all of the ingredients in the bowl of a food processor or blender until smooth, about 20 seconds. Reserve 6 tablespoons of the creamy sauce for cooking the Mahi Mahi. 

Tips for success: The sauce can be prepared and refrigerated up to 2 days in advance.

FOR THE FISH: Cut the fish into equal “taco size” pieces. Adjust the oven rack to the middle position and heat the oven to 200 degrees F. Set a wire rack on a rimmed baking sheet. Sprinkle the pieces of fish with about a teaspoon salt and pepper. Place flour in a shallow dish. Dredge the fish in the flour, shaking to remove excess, and transfer to a large plate.

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Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until just smoking. Add 1 tablespoon of the butter and cook until the foaming subsides. Add half of the fish pieces to the skillet in a single layer and cook, without moving them, for about 3-4 minutes. 

Drizzle the Mahi Mahi with 3 tablespoons of the reserved sauce and then gently flip the pieces over. Shake the skillet gently to distribute the sauce and let the fish continue to cook until just cooked through, 1 to 2 minutes longer. Remove the skillet from the heat and, transfer the fish to the prepared wire rack.

Transfer to the oven to keep warm while you cook the remaining fish pieces. 

Wipe out the skillet with paper towels and repeat with the remaining 1 tablespoon oil, 1 tablespoon butter, pieces of Mahi Mahi, and 3 tablespoons of the reserved sauce.

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FOR THE TACOS: Combine red and green cabbage in a bowl. Build tacos by placing the fish in the center warm corn tortillas, followed by cabbage, cilantro, Zarandeado sauce, pickled onions, avocado, and a squeeze of fresh lime juice if desired. Serve immediately.

Whether you’re enjoying these delicious Baja Fresh Fish Tacos on a sunny beach or in your RV kitchen, they are sure to transport you to the California coast. So grab a cerveza, dig in, and taste the nation – one delicious bite at a time!

More Mexican-Inspired Recipes to Try

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As always, I will be back next week with more delicious recipes from my RV kitchen to yours!