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A plate of fresh salmon tacos garnished with lime and cilantro.

Classic Pan-Seared Salmon Tacos

Enjoy delicious and easy-to-make pan-seared salmon tacos with a creamy lime sauce.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 25 minutes
Servings 4 tacos
Calories 450 kcal

Equipment

  • small bowl
  • paper towels
  • non-stick skillet

Ingredients
  

For the Salmon

  • 1.5 lbs salmon fillets skin-on or skinless, cut into 1-inch thick pieces
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 1 tsp onion powder
  • 0.5 tsp chili powder
  • 0.5 tsp cumin
  • 0.5 tsp paprika
  • Salt and black pepper to taste

For the Tacos

  • 12-16 small corn or flour tortillas
  • 0.5 head green or red cabbage thinly sliced
  • 1-2 ripe avocados diced
  • 0.25 cup red onion finely diced
  • 0.5 bunch fresh cilantro chopped
  • 2-3 limes for juice and wedges

For the Creamy Lime Sauce

  • 0.5 cup Greek yogurt or sour cream
  • 2 tbsp mayonnaise optional, for richer sauce
  • 1-2 tbsp lime juice from 1 lime
  • salt A pinch of
  • hot sauce A dash of (optional)

Instructions
 

Prep the Salmon

  • Pat the salmon fillets dry and mix garlic powder, onion powder, chili powder, cumin, paprika, salt, and pepper in a small bowl.
  • Sprinkle the seasoning mix over the salmon pieces and let them sit for at least 10 minutes.

Make the Creamy Lime Sauce

  • Combine Greek yogurt (or sour cream), mayonnaise, lime juice, salt, and hot sauce in a small bowl.
  • Stir until smooth, then taste and adjust seasoning as necessary.

Pan-Sear the Salmon

  • Heat olive oil in a non-stick skillet over medium-high heat.
  • Place salmon in the hot skillet, sear for 3-4 minutes until a crust forms, then flip and cook for 2-3 more minutes until flaky.
  • Remove the salmon from heat and gently flake it into bite-sized pieces.

Warm the Tortillas

  • Warm tortillas on a dry skillet for 30 seconds per side, or microwave them in a damp paper towel for 30-60 seconds.

Assemble the Tacos

  • Arrange all prepped ingredients, then place flaked salmon, cabbage, avocado, red onion, creamy lime sauce, and cilantro on each warm tortilla.
  • Serve immediately with extra lime wedges.

Notes

Adjust spice levels in the salmon seasoning to your preference. For a healthier option, omit the mayonnaise from the sauce.