Ditch the tortillas and make these Fish Taco Bowls instead! Juicy grilled fish is served over a bed of cilantro lime rice, and there’s plenty of room to pile on the toppings! This is an easy weeknight dinner that comes together in about 30 minutes!

fish taco bowl wit fork buried inside and sliced jalapeño on top

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 most of the time, 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 to pile on the toppings!

fish taco bowl in white bowl with salsa, cabbage and avocado

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.
  • 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.

Recipe ingredients

The best part about this recipe is that you can change it up by using a wide variety of toppings.

  • 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 white or brown rice, or even cauliflower rice for a low carb substitute.
  • Mango Salsa.  The sweet and savory flavors pair very well with the fish, but 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.
angled overhead shot of fish taco bowl over rice with toppings

How to make this recipe

These bowls include a few different components, which I typically 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 Mexican 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:

FAQs

What is a fish taco bowl?

Fish taco bowls are served over a bed of rice with a wide variety of toppings such as guacamole, salsa, crema or aioli. They’re a lot less messy as they can be eaten with a fork!

What kind of fish is best for fish tacos?

These fish taco bowls include mahi mahi, but cod, halibut or salmon are also great options.

Can this recipe be made in advance?

Prepare the fish and cilantro lime rice up to 2 days in advance, then prep the toppings just before you’re ready to assemble your bowls.

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.
fish taco bowl tilted slightly with fork and linen

More seafood recipes you’ll love:

Did you try this recipe?  If so, be sure to leave a review below and tag me @flavorthemoments on Facebook and Instagram

fish taco bowl wit fork buried inside and sliced jalapeño on top

Fish Taco Bowls

Servings: 4 taco bowls
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Additional Time: 0 minutes
Total Time: 35 minutes
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!
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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:

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

Serving: 1bowl, Calories: 301kcal, Carbohydrates: 7g, Protein: 29g, Fat: 18g, Saturated Fat: 3g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 13g, Cholesterol: 87mg, Sodium: 81mg, Fiber: 4g, Sugar: 1g

Nutrition is estimated using a food database and is only intended to be used as a guideline for informational purposes.

Course: Main Dishes
Cuisine: Mexican
Author: Marcie
Keyword: fish taco bowl, fish taco bowl recipe
All recipes and images © Flavor the Moments.
Did you try this recipe?Be sure to tag @flavorthemoments with the hashtag #flavorthemoments on Instagram so I can see what you made!

**This post was originally published in July 2015.  The photos have been updated and the text has been modified to include more recipe information.

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