30-Minute Grilled Rockfish Tacos

Loaded with big, bold flavors, these 30-minute Grilled Rockfish Tacos are topped with pickled slaw, mango salsa, and avocado dressing and are perfect for summer time grilling! Whether planning a backyard get-together with friends or Taco Tuesday with family, these cedar-plank grilled rockfish tacos are loaded with gourmet flavors wrapped up in flour or corn tortillas. 

Cedar Plank Grilled Rockfish Tacos

There are so many mouth-watering recipes to choose from during grilling season. You could try these finger-licking lemon chicken kabobs, these juicy basil pesto chicken breasts with charred tomato, or take a real bite out of the summer playbook by grilling up some steak with peaches and onions. Or, you could just stay right here with these amazing cedar plank grilled fish tacos.

Easy to make and oh-so-good, this grilled rockfish taco recipe starts with rockfish, a mild, flaky white fish that is ideal for those who aren’t sure they like fish. (Hint: It’s the same fish featured in my reader-favorite panko-crusted rockfish fillets.) To make your job easier, we grill the fish on cedar planks, then top the tacos with from-scratch slaw, salsa, and dressing to create a party of flavor. If you love fish tacos, you’re in for a treat because these are my signature tacos of summer.

What You’ll Need for Grilled Rockfish Tacos 

Don’t be intimidated by the number of items in this ingredient list. This is (obviously) not a 5-ingredient meal, but approaching each component as its own recipe makes it a lot easier to handle. Think of these fish tacos as a fully from-scratch meal with four recipes built in. You’ll need rockfish fillets (boneless, skinless), taco seasoning, cooking oil, shredded Monterey Jack cheese, and tortillas (flour tortillas or corn tortillas will do). 

Taco Toppings for Grilled Fish Tacos 

Then they are topped with all of my favorite grilled fish taco toppings. Use all the toppings or just some of them, the choice is up to you!

• Red Pepper Mango Salsa – Sweet onion, mango, and red jalapenos jazz up this tasty salsa that’s a refreshing burst of flavor on any tacos.
• Quick-Pickled Slaw – Super simple, light, and crunchy; start this slaw ahead of time, so it has time to pickle. 
• Spicy Avocado Dressing – This is the perfect sauce for Rockfish Tacos. It’s creamy, spicy, and has a bright lime flavor that’s perfect with the fish. If it doesn’t sound like your cup of tea, I recommend drizzling my garlic and herb salad dressing on top.

See recipe card for exact measurements. 

Recommended Kitchen Tools

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• Cedar plank – For grilling the rockfish
• Outdoor grill – I like the ease of a gas grill, but if a charcoal grill is your preference that’s fine too.
• Cutting boards – Separate boards for the fish or vegetables and fruits
• Sharp chef’s knife – The workhorse of my kitchen
• Squeeze bottle – Optional. For the avocado dressing.

How To Cook Rockfish Tacos

In the time it takes to soak the cedar plank and preheat the grill, you can make all the toppings for your grilled rockfish tacos. Use mise en place to set up your work station before you start cooking, then follow the steps. You’ll be digging into this grilled fish tacos recipe in no time!

• Preheat your grill to medium-high heat.
• Combine the chili powder and other spices for the taco seasoning in a small bowl.
• Oil the top of the cedar plank and the entire fish fillet. Sprinkle half of the taco seasoning on one side, then flip and season the other side with the remaining spice rub.

Grilling With Cedar Planks

Grilling fish on a cedar plank creates the perfect indirect heat location. There is no need to worry about turning the fish while cooking, which greatly reduces the risk of the fish falling apart while on the grill, falling through the grill grates, or causing flare-ups. In other words, it makes your job super easy.

You can usually find cedar planks in your supermarket’s seasonal aisle during the grilling season and year round at online retailers. In addition to these tacos, they are great for grilling salmon, asparagus, and anything else that cooks best on indirect heat, so stock up when you find them.

It’s essential to soak the plank in water for at least 30 minutes before use, as this will keep the plank from catching on fire while it’s on the grill. Make sure to oil both the fish and the plank with cooking oil to prevent sticking.

Top Tips For Rockfish Tacos

• Start soaking your cedar plank first! That 30 minutes is going to go fast once you start tackling the toppings recipes.
• The first topping recipe to tackle needs to be the slaw. While it’s a quick pickled slaw, the flavor does improve as it sits in the brine. Doing it first gives it plenty of time to go from just okay to a tangy treat.
• The avocado dressing can also be made ahead of time – there’s enough lime to keep it from discoloring for about a day, but make sure it’s packed in an airtight container. If it does get a little bit brown on the top, just mix it in before serving.
• Put the avocado dressing into a squeeze bottle or a container with a pour spout for easy use, especially if setting up a taco bar.

How To Store and Reheat Fish Tacos with Rockfish 

The salsa and slaw will keep in the fridge for 3-5 days if tightly wrapped or in an airtight container. The avocado dressing and fish should be eaten within a day or two. For best results, store all components separately.

My favorite way to reuse the leftovers is to add the fish and toppings to a bowl of rice for a delicious fish burrito bowl!

30 Minute Grilled Rockfish Tacos with Toppings

Loaded with big, bold flavors, these 30-minute Grilled Rockfish Tacos are topped with pickled slaw, mango salsa, and avocado dressing and are perfect for summer time grilling! Whether planning a backyard get-together with friends or Taco Tuesday with family, these cedar-plank grilled rockfish tacos are loaded with gourmet flavors wrapped up in flour or corn tortillas. 

4.5 stars (50 ratings)

prep: 15 minutes minutes

cook: 15 minutes minutes

total: 30 minutes minutes

servings: 4 servings

author: Renee N Gardner

Print Pin Rate

Ingredients

Quick Pickled Slaw

• 2 cups red cabbage (shredded)
• 1/4 cup apple cider or white wine vinegar
• 2 teaspoons sugar
• 1 pinch salt

Red Pepper Mango Salsa

• 1 large mango
• 1/4 cup red pepper* (diced)
• 2 tablespoons sweet onion (diced)
• 1/2 lime
• 1 – 2 tablespoons minced cilantro
• 1 pinch salt

Spicy Avocado Dressing

• 1 medium avocado
• 1/2 lime
• 1 – 2 teaspoons hot sauce**
• 1/4 – 1/2 cup water***

Grilled Rockfish

• 1 lb rockfish filet
• 3/4 teaspoon chili powder
• 3/4 teaspoon garlic powder
• 3/4 teaspoon onion powder
• 1/8 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1/8 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/8 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 tablespoon avocado or olive oil
• 1 cedar plank

To Assemble the Tacos

• 4 ounces shredded Monterey jack cheese (optional)
• 8 small flour or corn tortillas

Instructions

• Soak your cedar plank in water for a minimum of 30 minutes prior to use.

Quick Pickled Slaw

• Thinly slice the cabbage into shreds. Place in a medium size bowl along with vinegar, sugar, and salt, and toss to combine.
• Do this first so that the brine has time to pickle the cabbage. Make sure to stir it once or twice as it rests.

Red Pepper Mango Salsa

• Cut the mango, red pepper, onion, and cilantro into a small dice and place in a medium mixing bowl. Add the juice of 1/2 a lime and a pinch of salt. Mix to combine and let rest.

Spicy Avocado Dressing

• In a blender or food processor add the avocado, juice of 1/2 a lime, 1 tsp of hot sauce, and 1/4 cup of water. 
• Puree, adding more water one tablespoon at a time until thin and drizzly like a dressing. Adjust hot sauce to taste.

Grilled Rockfish

• Preheat grill to a medium-high heat.
• In a small bowl make spice rub by combining together chili powder, garlic powder, onion powder, ground coriander, ground cumin, and salt.
• Rub the olive oil on the top side of the cedar plank and the top side of the rockfish fillet. Sprinkle on 1/2 of the spice rub and rub in. 
• Flip rockfish upside down onto the cedar plank so that the seasoned side is down. Oil the top of the rockfish, sprinkle on the remaining spice rub and rub in.
• Place cedar plank in the center of your preheated grill. Close the top and grill for 10 – 15 minutes or until the fish reaches an internal temperature of 135 – 145 degrees. 
• Remove rockfish and cedar plank from the grill and allow the fish to rest for about 5 minutes. You can serve the fish directly from the cedar plank, but watch out for dribbles as the planks have a tendency to warp. 

To Assemble the Tacos

• If desired, heat your tortillas directly on the still hot grill. Turn them after a few seconds to prevent burning. 
• Assemble the tacos in any way you choose!! I like mine with a little bit of everything and an extra sprinkle of cilantro.

Recommended Kitchen Tools

Cedar plank  For grilling the rockfish

Outdoor grill  I like the ease of a gas grill, but if a charcoal grill is your preference that’s fine too.

Cutting boards  Separate boards for the fish or vegetables and fruits

Sharp chef’s knife  The workhorse of my kitchen

Squeeze bottle  Optional. For the avocado dressing.

We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Check out my Amazon shop to see all of my recommended kitchen tools.

Notes

*You can use any kind of red pepper that you choose, based on how hot you like your food. For a mild salsa try a red bell pepper. For something hotter try a red jalapeno. 

**Start with 1/4 cup of water and add one tablespoon at a time until you get the right consistency. The weather can change how much water you need. I usually use about 3/8 a cup or 1/4 cup plus two tablespoons.

***Use any kind of hot sauce you like and adjust for how spicy you want it. 

Nutrition

Serving: 2tacosCalories: 818kcalCarbohydrates: 82gProtein: 51gFat: 31gSaturated Fat: 11gPolyunsaturated Fat: 18gCholesterol: 106mgSodium: 990mgFiber: 10gSugar: 18g

Nutrition information is automatically calculated and is for general information purposes only. For the most accurate information, calculate using your select brands and exact measurements.

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