Swordfish Tacos with Tomatillo Salsa

Swordfish is an extremely delicious taco filling that pairs amazingly with tangy tomatillo salsa. You will love the balance of sweet and tart in these tacos.

A little kick from the roasted jalapeño and the creaminess of the avocado perfectly complement the seared swordfish perfectly. Plus, you can have them ready and on the table in just 30 minutes!

Why this Recipe Works

The meaty swordfish strips are paired with creamy and smooth avocados which have a mild flavor, and also with a spicier, tangy tomatillo salsa which balances out with those milder flavors.

I offer instructions to pan fry or grill, making this recipe flexible for your preference.

Roasting or broiling your vegetables for the tomatillo salsa is a game-changer - the heat of the oven helps amplify the flavors and uplift the salsa. You can customize your level of spiciness by leaving out some of the jalapeños, leaving out the seeds, or adding more.

The swordfish has a mild taste making it the perfect base for the roasted salsa and a crowd pleaser. Everyone is going to love these tacos.

Ingredients & Substitutions

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Swordfish – This meaty fish is the preferred fish for this recipe. If you can't find it, feel free to substitute with another meaty, white fish.

White corn tortilla – My preference is white corn tortillas, but you could always use yellow corn tortillas, flour tortilla, or a gluten-free tortilla like a cassava flour tortilla.

Tomatillos – Your green tomatillos should be husked, cleaned thoroughly, and cut in half.

Note: My favorite thing to pair with swordfish is tomatillo salsa. You can always buy your favorite salsa available at the store, but if tomatillos are in season, consider making your own!

Onion – You can use either a small red or yellow onion. My preference in this recipe is red onion which is slightly milder.

Garlic – You will need whole garlic cloves that have been removed from the bulb, but not peeled.

Hot sauce – I personally love an extra kick of hot sauce on my tacos but you totally can leave it out if you want.

Oil – I usually use avocado oil. You can substitute with any other flavorless oil like canola or vegetable.

How to Make this Recipe

First, we will make the salsa, and then the swordfish tacos.

Tomatillo Salsa

Peel the tomatillos and wash them thoroughly. Tomatillos have a stickiness under the husk that you need to wash off.

Place the tomatillos, jalapeños, onion, and unpeeled garlic cloves to a sheet pan. Lightly drizzle them all with avocado oil and sprinkle liberally with salt and pepper. Broil in the oven for 5-7 minutes.

Note that piercing the garlic cloves makes them easier to peel after you broil them, and allows them to cook through.

Modifying the spice level of your salsa: If you like your salsa spicy, you can add an extra jalapeño to the oven. If you prefer your salsa on the mild side, use only ½ of a jalapeño.

Next, peel the broiled garlic so the papery outer layer is gone (they should pop out easily), and add all the ingredients to a food processor. Add in the juice of half of a lime. Pulse the salsa until the mixture is your desired level chunkiness.

Always taste it and adjust for the level of lime, salt, and pepper.

Swordfish

Drizzle the swordfish strips with avocado oil, and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Sear them in the pan, and make sure you get all the sides well seasoned and oiled.

Cook in a non-stick pan over medium heat for 7-10 minutes, making sure to get all sides, as shown.

You can easily grill the swordfish on a BBQ outside if you prefer too.

Heating the tortillas - Don't skip this step!

The biggest taco mistake you can make is forgetting to heat up the tortillas before serving. Heating tortillas actually helps to reduce their chances of tearing and makes them more pliable. Plus, it makes them taste better!

Heat them for a few minutes on the stovetop or in the oven before serving. I like to heat them directly on the stovetop flame, flipping them about 4-6 times.

You can also heat tortillas in the microwave. Just wrap them in a kitchen towel, and heat for 20-30 seconds at a time until they are warmed through.

Taco Assembly

Layer each taco as follows: 2 tortillas, ⅛ of the avocado mixture, 1 piece of swordfish, and then ~2 tablespoons of the tomatillo salsa. Serve with lime wedges and hot sauce, if desired.

The double tortilla is a street taco classic technique that keeps the tortilla base strong to prevent tearing. Trying to eat a taco while the contents are leaking out of your taco is no fun!

Swordfish FAQs

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This post was originally published in June of 2018, but was republished with new photos, step by step instructions, and tips October of 2019. It was republished again in June of 2022 with more tips.