5 Unique Toppings That Make A Fried Fish Taco

When making fried fish tacos, there are a few fundamentals you need to consider, such as the type of fish you want to use (we recommend mild fish like cod, mahi-mahi, or tilapia) and whether to use corn or wheat tortillas. Then, of course, there are the toppings, which can really make or break your tacos. You could go with classics such as slaw, cilantro, jalapeños, and a creamy white sauce. But if you're looking to expand your horizons, there are plenty of other, more unique toppings that can elevate your delicious fish tacos.

You can push the envelope on your fish tacos by looking to other cuisines for inspiration, whether that be Thailand, with its rich and spicy satay sauce, Korean kimchi, or Middle Eastern hummus. Try a salad topping made with elote, sometimes referred to as Mexican street corn, which adds a bright, sweet, and summery touch. The trick to great fried fish taco toppings is to balance flavors (tangy, spicy) and textures (creamy, crunchy), and to ensure your toppings don't completely overwhelm the taste of the fried fish.

Kimchi is a traditional side dish made from fermented vegetables. Classic napa kimchi, or baechu, is best known internationally. Reddish in hue, it's made with fermented napa cabbage, garlic, chili flakes, garlic, ginger, onion, and is often flavored with fish sauce. As you can see, Korean and Mexican cuisine share some overlapping spicy and sour flavor profiles, making for a great match. Baechu kimchi adds a crunch, and the flavors work well with the spices used on the fish, such as chili, garlic, and onion powder.

There are numerous other styles of kimchi besides baechu, including a less spicy version called baek (white kimchi) that is sweeter with a mild, refreshing flavor that also pairs well with fried fish tacos. The secret to using kimchi, or any of these toppings for that matter, is not to overdo it. You want to add to the flavor of the taco, not overwhelm it. Play around with the amount of kimchi to use on your fish taco to suit your taste preferences.

A traditional topping for a fried fish taco may be a spicy cream sauce, but there are other taco toppers that are equally as delicious, including hummus. Hummus has been a staple spread in the Middle East for centuries — there are even recipes from 13th-century Syrian cookbooks. It's traditionally made with pureed chickpeas, tahini, garlic, and lemon juice. While plain hummus works as a topping for fish tacos, the great thing about this dip is that it can easily be combined with other ingredients like jalapeños or cilantro (you can even replace lemon juice with lime) for a flavor profile that works extremely well with fish tacos.

You can pretty easily make your jalapeño or cilantro (or a combo of the two) hummus yourself, but if that's not your thing, there are plenty of brands that are likely available at your local grocery store. When it comes to using hummus on your fish tacos, don't drown them. A dollop or two ought to do it to bring the Mexican and Middle Eastern flavors together in harmony.

Chimichurri is a sauce made with fresh herbs, traditionally parsley and oregano, and is beloved in South America, especially in Argentina and Uruguay. There, it's the go-to condiment for grilled steak and other meats, including fish. The sauce's other ingredients include garlic, red chilis, olive oil, red wine vinegar, salt, and pepper. It packs a lot of flavor, adds an unrivaled freshness to the tacos, and is easy to make. You can add cilantro into the mix for a fresher flavor, and swap the vinegar for lime juice for a more traditional taco.

Like hummus, you can find premade versions at your grocery store, but they won't have the same fresh flavor as homemade. And since it's so easy to throw together, it's worth the small effort. Chimichurri can be combined with other toppings, including traditional options like avocado or a creamy sauce, as well as unique options on this list. This zesty herb sauce can be used as a marinade or served right on top of your fish tacos.

Thai satay sauce (nam jim moo sate), often called Thai peanut sauce in the U.S., is traditionally used as a dipping sauce for grilled pork skewers. While the American style of satay often includes peanut butter and soy sauce, the standard Thai version is made with ground roasted peanuts, coconut milk, red curry paste, tamarind paste, fish sauce, and palm sugar.

The sauce is spicy, creamy, tangy, rich, and slightly sweet and salty all at once. It pairs nicely with the fried fish, providing a textural contrast to the breading and adding depth of flavor. While there are plenty of jarred versions of satay available in stores, the secret to making a restaurant-worthy Thai peanut sauce is using fresh ingredients and making it from scratch. A drizzle of Thai satay sauce over your fried fish taco makes for a delicious culinary fusion packed with several rich, nuanced flavors.

Elote is Mexican street corn on the cob that's grilled before being slathered with a combination of mayonnaise (sometimes crema), Cotija cheese, cilantro, garlic, chili powder, and lime. An elote-style corn salad (esquites) makes an excellent topping for fish tacos. The creaminess of the mayo and cheese cuts through the richness of the fried crust, while the acid from the lime enhances the fish's delicate flavor. Plus, the sweet, smoky corn adds another layer of flavor and texture.

Converting elote into esquites really only involves stripping the kernels from the corn cobs after either roasting them on a grill or even on a gas stove. This step adds a nice and smoky flavor to the dish, but you can also just boil the corn before mixing it with the other ingredients. This is a tasty way to upgrade your fried fish taco, as are the other toppings on this list. By combining a few of them on one fish taco, you might create the ultimate version. You're only as limited as your imagination.