blackened honey lime salmon tacos with grapefruit avocado salsa
Ya’ll. We may have reached the end of Taco/Tex Mex Wednesday.
I certainly love food features, specific days to showcase a certain type of dish or ethnic cuisine, but the necessity of them comes to an end eventually. Thus, I think Taco Wednesday will be halted for the time being whilst we transition into new seasons and new culinary enjoyments.
This isn’t to say I’ll never make tacos again. Au contraire. Tacos do not deserve to be eliminated entirely. Wednesdays will revert to whatever recipes I deem appropriate for sharing. And yes, all feedback from you guys is welcome on the matter!
Soon, I’ll be commencing a mini feature on Saturdays. I’ve alluded to it on my Instagram pace already. Any guesses what it entails?
Fresh and (Grape)Fruity
No better sendoff for this feature than with Blackened Honey Lime Salmon Tacos with Grapefruit Avocado Salsa. I’m surprised a salmon taco hasn’t popped up yet on VE, so this is a delicious and simple first graze in that art. This dinner is fast and brimming with spice – in fact, the latter comprises over half of the ingredients list, so when you pare down the necessary items, you probably don’t need much from the store.
I’ve been trying without success to create a different dish involving salmon and grapefruit, and the salsa in this meal is my compromise from those previous failures. All you need is a big fat ruby red grapefruit, an avocado, cilantro, onion, honey, lime juice, and a bit of salt. Stir them together for the most refreshing garnish with a kick of uniqueness. Not every day I’ve encountered grapefruit salsas, and this is a worthwhile recipe to keep for any sort of taco or meal otherwise needing a summery sprinkle.
Fishy Business
Salmon is one of my most consumed protein sources as a non-meat eater. I prefer sockeye most of the time, but Atlantic works best here for the fat content and fork-tender flakiness. The juiciness of the variety lends well to the salsa.
The seasoning blend is, again, the most component-heavy part of this dish, but you probably have most or all of them on hand. Whisk together some honey, lime juice, oregano, paprika, cumin, chili powder, onion powder, garlic powder, black pepper, and cayenne. Pat the salmon dry, season with salt, and rub the blackening spices over each filet.
FYI – I keep the skin on my salmon filets, so I only rub the top and the sides with the blackening seasonings. If your salmon is skinless, rub the bottom, too.
Heat some oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Sear the salmon about 4 minutes per side. You’ll observe the wonderful, crisp deep hue the seasonings contribute to the fish. So good.
That’s seriously it. No catches here. Warm some tortillas in a microwave (or over an open flame, if you have it) to make them more pliable. I opted for some arugula as a filler and for some green, but you can use spring mix or slaw or anything you’d like or have on hand. Shred a salmon filet with a fork or your fingers and divide into two tortillas. Top with slaw. Simple, right?
If you’re really in the mood, shake up a Blushing Grapefruit Ginger Margarita to sip with dinner!
Tried this recipe out? Leave a comment below with your thoughts, and don’t forget to come say hi on Instagram and show me what you made!
More seafood taco ideas to try:
Margarita Fish Tacos with Spicy Chili Mango Salsa
Sheetpan Sticky Honey Jalapeno Shrimp Tacos with Cilantro Mango Crema
Coconut Lime Crusted Fish Tacos with Apple Cranberry Chutney
Ingredients
- 4 4-6 oz filets salmon
- 2 tbsp honey
- 1 tbsp lime juice
- 1 1/2 tsp dried oregano
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1/2 tsp cumin
- 1/2 tsp chili powder
- 1/4 tsp onion powder
- 1/4 tsp garlic powder
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
- 2 cups arugula, or green/slaw of choice
- 8 corn or wheat tortillas
grapefruit avocado salsa
- 1 large grapefruit, sliced into 1/2 inch pieces (see note)
- 1 avocado, sliced into cubes
- 1/4 cup cilantro, chopped
- 2 tbsp red onion, minced
- 1 tbsp lime juice
- 1 tbsp honey
- kosher salt, to taste
Instructions
- Pat salmon dry and season with salt and pepper. In a small bowl, whisk together honey, lime juice, oregano, paprika, cumin, chili powder, onion powder, garlic powder, black pepper, and cayenne pepper. Rub the seasoning blend thoroughly over each salmon filet.
- Heat 2 tbsp olive or avocado oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Sear salmon filets, skin side down first (if there is skin), for 4 minutes. Flip and sear an additional 4 minutes. Remove to a plate.
- For the grapefruit avocado salsa: stir all ingredients together in a small bowl. Taste for salt.
- Warm each tortilla in the microwave under damp paper towels for 15 seconds. Add a tuft of arugula, or choice green, to each tortilla. Shred a salmon filet with a fork or your fingers and divide into two tortillas. Spoon avocado salsa overtop each.
