Fish Taco Bowls with Cilantro Lime Rice
Fish Taco Bowls are filled with grilled fish, cilantro lime rice, avocado and mango salsa. They’re a hearty, flavorful meal that’s ready in 30 minutes!
**This post was originally published in July 2015. The photos have been updated, the recipe has been simplified, and the text is more informative.
If fish tacos are on the menu when I go out to eat, it’s pretty likely that I’ll order them. The drawback is that they’re very messy, and each taco includes (2) corn tortillas each, which is just too much for me.
I prefer to eat Fish Taco Bowls over tacos any day, because I prefer rice over tortillas. And they’re so much easier to eat!
This way, I can enjoy them with a fork, and there’s more room for my favorite part.
The toppings, of course. 🙂
Why you’ll love this recipe:
- This fish taco bowl is hearty, satisfying and bursting with flavor and texture.
- It’s everything you love about fish tacos but it’s easier to eat!
- It’s on the table in about 30 minutes, and most of the components may be done in advance.
- You can choose as many or as few toppings as you like. Great options include guacamole, pico de gallo, fresh or roasted vegetables, beans, aioli or crema.
- Customize the fish with your favorite seasoning, and sub with salmon, shrimp or go meatless!
- This meal is gluten-free and dairy-free, and may also be made low carb and paleo by subbing the rice with cauliflower rice. See below for details.
What is a fish taco bowl?
Fish taco bowls are a play on fish tacos. There are no tortillas involved, and rice is typically the base.
Recipe ingredients
The best part about this recipe is that you can change it up by using your favorite toppings including jalapeños, sour cream, guacamole or pineapple salsa.
- Grilled fish. I used mahi mahi, but you can use your favorite.
- Cilantro lime rice. This is the base of the bowls. It may be substituted with plain rice, but the cilantro and lime really adds flavor.
- Mango Salsa. The sweet and savory flavors pair very well with the fish, but you can use pico de gallo or your favorite salsa.
- Avocado. The avocado provides a creamy element. Guacamole is a great substitute.
- Cabbage. The cabbage adds a nice, crunchy texture to these bowls. It may be substituted with your favorite fresh, crunchy vegetables.
- Cilantro and lime, for serving.
How to make this recipe
These bowls include a few different components, which I prepare in stages to make meal prep quicker.
- Prepare the rice. The rice takes about 20 minutes to cook, so I start that first. Once it’s cooking, prep the lime zest, juice and chopped cilantro to stir in at the end.
- Prep the salsa. The salsa tastes best when the ingredients are allowed to stand at room temperature for a minimum of 10 minutes, so I prep it before the fish.
- Prep and cook the fish. Preheat the grill to medium high. Pat the fish dry, then season with smoked paprika, salt and pepper to taste, then brush with oil. When the grill is hot, add the fish and turn the heat down to medium. Grill for 5-6 minutes per side, or until the fish flakes easily with a fork. Remove from heat and cover loosely with foil.
- Prep the remaining toppings. While the fish cooks, prep the cabbage, avocado, and additional lime and cilantro if desired.
Customize your bowls
Fish taco bowls may be customized a number of ways depending on your preferences and what you have on hand.
Fish/protein
I used mahi mahi in this recipe, but any type of seafood would work well in this fish taco bowl recipe. Try my blackened salmon and grilled shrimp to change things up.
Make these bowls vegetarian by omitting the fish and adding my Instant Pot Black Beans.
Choose a base
The base of the bowls is typically rice. Plain rice or my coconut rice may be substituted for the cilantro lime rice.
You can make this a low carb and paleo fish taco bowl by subbing the rice with my cilantro lime cauliflower rice.
Choose your toppings
The sky is truly the limit here! There are so many different toppings that you can use to customize your bowls so that they’re different every time.
Topping ideas are as follows:
- Salsa. Pineapple salsa, green enchilada sauce, pico de gallo or restaurant style salsa are great options.
- Guacamole. Homemade guacamole or store bought works.
- Pickled onions or vegetables.
- Fresh or grilled/roasted vegetables. Includes corn, tomatoes, cabbage, avocado, bell peppers, etc.
- Spicy aioli.
- Crema.
Recipe notes
- Fish takes 10 minutes per inch to cook, so cooking time will vary depending on the thickness of your fish.
- Customize fish taco bowls with your favorite toppings. Use your favorite salsa, guacamole, grilled or roasted vegetables, aioli or crema.
- Make this a paleo fish taco bowl by substituting the cilantro lime rice with my Cilantro Lime Cauliflower Rice.
More seafood recipes you’ll love:
- Blackened shrimp
- Fish in Parchment by Steamy Kitchen
- Fish tacos
- Lemon dijon salmon
- Macadamia crusted mahi mahi
- Salmon nicoise salad
If you make this recipe I’d love to hear from you! Leave a comment and rating below, or snap a photo and tag me @flavorthemoments on Instagram!
Fish Taco Bowls
Ingredients
For the fish:
- 16 ounces white fish such as mahi mahi cod or halibut*
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 1/2 tablespoon oil
For the bowls:
- Cilantro lime rice
- Mango salsa
- 1 avocado sliced
- 1 cup shredded cabbage
Instructions
- Prepare the Cilantro Lime Rice and Mango Salsa first according to instructions.
Prepare the fish:
- Pat the fish dry, then sprinkle both sides with paprika, salt and pepper, to taste, then brush with oil. Preheat the grill to medium high. Once hot, place the fish on the grill and turn the heat down to medium. Grill for 5-6 minutes per side or until the fish flakes easily with a fork. Remove from heat and cover loosely with foil.
- Prep the avocado, cabbage, lime and cilantro while the fish cooks.
Assemble the bowls:
- Divide the cilantro lime rice between (4) bowls, then top with fish, cabbage, salsa, avocado, and additional lime wedges and cilantro if desired. Serve and enjoy!
Notes
- Fish takes 10 minutes per inch to cook, so cooking time will vary depending on the thickness of your fish.
- Customize fish taco bowls with your favorite toppings. Use your favorite salsa, guacamole, grilled or roasted vegetables, aioli or crema.
- Make this a paleo fish taco bowl by substituting the cilantro lime rice with my Cilantro Lime Cauliflower Rice.
Nutrition
Nutrition is estimated using a food database and is only intended to be used as a guideline for informational purposes.
46 Comments on “Fish Taco Bowls with Cilantro Lime Rice”
Burrito bowls are one of my favorite meals to make! This sounds fantastic with that guac and the pineapple!! I’d just make it without the fish … because we all know my strange aversion to it! haha 🙂
I could eat like this every day, and the best part about it is, the fish can be subbed out easily, right? Especially if you don’t like it. haha Thanks, Ashley! 🙂
Fish taco bowls remind me of being in San Diego – I had some delicious ones there.
I love that you have added some grilled pineapple.
Thank you, Dannii! I’ve never seen a fish taco bowl on the menu anywhere, so I feel like I’m missing out! 🙂
Love all the bright flavors here! Cilantro lime rice is the best and that grilled pineapple sounds so delish!
Thank you, Medha! 🙂
Oh the fish taco bowls look sooo delicious!!!! We love cilantro lime rice and I bet it tastes so good with the taco bowls.
Thank you, Alicia! This rice was made for these bowls! 🙂
Hi Marcie, wonderful meal, love that it is fast and delicious and all my favorite foods.
Thank you, Cheri! 🙂
Mexican food is one of my favorites too, we eat it all the time! These bowls look so delicious and they’re full of everything I love. These sound fantastic, Marcie! I love the flavors too.
Thank you, Danielle! I could eat Mexican every day! 🙂
I could have a bowl of this for dinner every night! It looks so bright and beautiful! I love the cilantro and grilled pineapple with the halibut and can imagine how fresh and delicious this tastes!
I could eat this every night, too! Come on over and I’ll make some more! haha Thanks, Kelly! 🙂
I love Mexican food, and burrito bowls are one of my favorite. This one here looks fabulous! And that grilled pineapple is just awesome! I can have it for any meal of the day! LOVELY!
Thanks so much, Anu! I prefer burrito or taco bowls over regular any day! 🙂
The taco bowl looks so fresh and flavourful!! Pinning! 🙂
Thank you, Arpita! 🙂
Love fresh taco bowl all year around. Especially now with all the fresh pineapple around now.
Pinning for sure. Yum.
You just can’t go wrong with a meal like this can you? 🙂 Thanks, Ash!
So much awesome flavor in one bowl! Love anything Mexican!
Thank you, Christin! We are definitely on the same page! 🙂
Why didn’t I think of this???? You don’t have to answer that. I LOVE fish tacos. This is a champion idea
for having them. In fact I am sending this recipe over to one of my friends who has the same cravings as me. She is going to gung ho too.
Thank you, Carol, and I appreciate the share! 🙂
I love this! Looks like such an amazing bowl full of goodness. The pineapple just makes is extra special!! <3
Thanks, Jess, and the pineapple definitely made it more special! 🙂
I love Mexcian food too and salad bowls are one of my favorites! Ole!
Haha! Ole!
this looks like such an awesome dinner! we are for sure going to try it! love the grilled pineapple!
Thank you, Rachel — the pineapple was so good here! 🙂
This is **TOTALLY** my kind of meal! I see this happening in the near future!
Sounds like we’re on the same page, Jamie! 🙂
I totally missed these bowls, but they are definitely my kind of meal! Love the addition of pineapple! Pinned!
Thanks, Mira!
Wha a beautiful bowl of wonderful ingredients! Sounds delicious!
Thank you, Nancy! 🙂
Yess!! These are totally calling my name – they look amazing!
Thanks, Cathy! 🙂
I’m with you on the toppings Marcie! You can get so much more on a bowl than in a taco. I wish I had the ingredients to make this for dinner tonight. It would be a welcomed addition to the meal rotation!
It’s all about those toppings! 🙂 Thank you Leanne!
I love the look of these taco bowls!! So many delicious flavours – and I agree, so much easier to eat this way! Yum!!
Thank you Alex!
Taco bowls – what a fabulous idea, Marcie! They look like they’re bursting with flavour and the colours are so so beautiful! I have a very distinct feeling that making and eating these would make us all very happy. Thanks for sharing – I am adding these to my list!
Thank you so much Katerina!
All my favorite flavors of fish tacos in a beautiful bowl! I’m in!
I’m glad to hear that Kelly! 🙂