Easy Fish Taco Bowls

We are not hurting for good tacos here in the Central Valley. There are plenty to choose from. But when it comes to fish tacos, we have to find our way to a coast like everyone else. 

The most recent coast was, of course, Kauai last month. Speaking of which, you can expect some round-up posts about that wonderful island to show up here next week. 

I remain inspired, and hungry for fish tacos.

I haven’t said much about it yet, but we are embarking on a huge kitchen remodel. Demo starts next week. That means I am in use-up mode in the kitchen. This includes reaching to the far depths of the freezer to find the things I’ve long forgotten about. 

One of those things was some whitefish that I’m embarrassed to say how long was in there, but that was still edible. So throwing together an easy fish taco bowl became super convenient. 

This is another one of those recipes that is more of a guide because you can really use any kind of toppings you want. For the fish, I simply coated it in with the spice rub and cooked it in a non-stick skillet. It all comes together very quickly. 

These taco bowls are a great weeknight meal and perfect for meal prep early in the week to take along for lunch. Just keep all the components separate so you can reheat the rice and fish without warming up the veggies. It’s that contrast of warm, cool, and crisp that makes fish tacos so good!

What you’ll need: 

Black beans
1 (15 ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed
2 green onions, sliced
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
Juice of 1/2 a lime
1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt (I like to used smoked sea salt)

Fish
4 whitefish fillets (3 to 4 ounces each)
3/4 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt (I like to used smoked sea salt)
1/4 teaspoon ground coriander
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika

Bowls
2 cups cooked brown rice 
1 1/2 cups halved grape tomatoes
1 cup black olives, drained and halved
2 cups shredded cabbage
2 small avocados, halved and pitted
Chopped cilantro for garnish

How to make it:

Place the black beans in a medium bowl and add the green onions, cilantro, lime juice, and salt. Stir well and let sit while you finish the bowls.

To make the fish, place the fillets on a plate covered with a paper towel. Blot to absorb any excess liquid. Stir together the chili powder, sea salt, coriander, cumin, garlic powder, and paprika in a small dish. Rub each fillet with the spices. 

Heat a large non-stick skillet over medium-high (sprayed with cooking spray, if desired). Cook the fish 2 to 3 minutes on each side, until cooked through (it flakes when pierced with a fork). 

Add an equal amount of rice and beans to each of four serving bowls. Add a fish fillet. Top with tomatoes, olives, cabbage, and avocado. Garnish with cilantro before serving.