If you love Mexican-inspired recipes, then Mexican fish is perfect for an easy weeknight dinner. This easy fish dish is bursting with robust flavors, but quickly comes together in 30 minutes and uses only one pot. Use any preferred white fish, such as pollock or cod, and combine with peppers, onions, salsa, and black beans. Serve over rice for a flavorful and family-friendly meal.

a fork about to cut into a plate of mexican fish served on rice
This is my weeknight win when I want a fresh, healthy dinner on the table fast. Easy Mexican fish skillet is bursting with flavor, but uses simple, family-friendly ingredients.

Want to Save This Recipe?

Enter your email below & we'll send it straight to your inbox. Plus you’ll get affordable and easy gluten-free recipes delivered each week!

Mexican Fish Dish In 30 Minutes – Easy Skillet Recipe

Authentic Mexican food swimming in flavorful sauces and blanketed with warm, bubbling cheese brings me to my knees. I crave indulgent Tex Mex food often. Possibly too often. I mean, old school homemade tamale pie with ground beef or seriously epic chorizo and chicken red chili?! How can any other dinner idea compete.

This Mexican fish recipe is how to keep it all in check. Classic southwest flavors are blended with your choice of seafood, such as pollock, tilapia, cod, or grouper, to make a quick fish dish.

Using jarred salsa (or alternatively this 5-minute homemade enchilada sauce) and canned fire roasted tomatoes builds flavor, but streamlines ingredients and prep work. This easy fish recipe is made in one pot and takes 30 minutes start to finish.  

We like to serve it over rice and the kids love adding their favorite taco toppings such as cheese, crushed tortilla chips, and sour cream on top. Or skip the rice and wrap it all up in soft, lightly toasted corn tortillas.

Super quick to put together. It really was ready in 30 minutes and the whole family thought it was delicious!!!

—Erin

Outstanding receipe. I have used it as main dish, or all of the ingredients in tacos with a whole array of side additions.

—Mickey

Let’s Make This Together!

(Below shows step-by-step photos and modified instructions. For the complete recipe, along with ingredient amounts, scroll down to the recipe card.)

Start with the veggies

Heat a large deep skillet over medium heat. You’ll want to make sure your pot is big enough to add the fish and have it submerged in the sauce to cook. Sauté the peppers, onions, and garlic until tender.

peppers and onions sautéing.

Layer in the flavor

To the veggies add in the salsa (from mild to hot), fire roasted tomatoes, and seasonings. This will make up the zesty sauce to cook the fish in.

peppers and onions in a skillet with salsa and seasonings.

Finish with fish and prep toppings

Now it’s time to submerge the fish in all that flavor. Push it down into the sauce, cover and simmer until it is cooked through, about 15 minutes, depending on the thickness of the fish. While it’s cooking prep your preferred toppings, such as freshly grated cheese, Cojita, sliced avocados, cilantro, or crushed tortilla chips. Enjoy your quick, epic meal!

Mexican fish cooking in salsa sauce.

Perfectly Cooked Fish Every Time

The versatility of cooking fish is why I turn to my gluten-free seafood recipe collection time and again. It can take on a variety of flavors and the mild taste makes it the perfect family meal. Use the pointers below to help you confidently tackle any fish recipe!

  • Most recipes describe fish as being done when it “flakes easily with a fork.” For more reliability use an instant read thermometer to make sure it’s at 145ºF in the thickness part of the filet. Also look for the color inside changing from translucent to opaque.
  • Fresh fish isn’t readily available where I live, so I often use frozen fish. Allow 24 hours in the refrigerator to thaw a 1 pound package. If you need to speed up the process, leave fish in vacuumed sealed pouches and run under cool water. Directly rinsing fish will change the texture and add too much moisture.
  • Whether I’m baking, frying, or poaching fish, I always pat it dry first to remove excess moisture and prevent it from becoming mushy.
  • A general rule of thumb is to cook 10 minutes per inch thickness of fish, flipping halfway through.  Add 5 minutes if cooked in foil or in a sauce, such as in this recipe.
a fork resting on a black plate with a bite of mexican fish on it
Using a skillet to gently cook the fish in a savory Mexican-inspired sauce means is comes out tender and flaky every time.

So Many More Yummy Ideas!

  • Generally we serve this dish over rice, but you can also serve the fish with peppers, onions, beans, and sauce in corn tortillas.
  • Use any preferred type of fish, but the thickness will determine how long it takes to cook through. We’ve made this dish with swai, tilapia, pollock, flounder, and cod.
  • Adapt the recipe to personal preference. Substitute hot or mild salsa, use your favorite type of beans, omit the beans, or add other veggies such as zucchini and mushrooms.
  • We are all about the toppings. Serve with lime wedges, fresh cilantro, lettuce, crusted tortilla chips, cheese, and sour cream. The kids love making up their own fish bowls.
  • Use fresh or frozen, thawed fish, but keep in mind thawed fish has more water content so the sauce may be a little runnier.
a close up shot of mexican fish recipe sitting on a bed of rice on a black plate
Using shortcuts like fire roasted tomatoes and zesty salsa means you can pack in the flavor with minimal prep. This is why I turn to this recipe time and again.

Save this recipe to your pinterest board!

Pin Now, Make Later!

Let’s be friends on Pinterest! I’m always sharing great recipes!

Did you make this recipe? I love hearing from you! Leave a star rating and comment below the recipe card. It helps others when searching for recipes and I appreciate feedback from our community. You will always hear back from me! -Melissa

a fork about to cut into a plate of mexican fish served on rice
4.54 stars (43 ratings)

Easy, One Pot Mexican Fish (30 Minutes)

Melissa Erdelac of MamaGourmand headshot in patterned dress.Melissa Erdelac
Yield: 4
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 25 minutes
If you love Mexican-inspired recipes, then Mexican fish is perfect for an easy weeknight dinner. This easy fish dish is bursting with robust flavors, but quickly comes together in 30 minutes and uses only one pot. Use any preferred white fish, such as pollock or cod, and combine with peppers, onions, salsa, and black beans. Serve over rice for a flavorful and family-friendly meal.
Print Pin Rate Remove Ads

Ingredients
 

Instructions
 

  • In a large skillet heat the olive oil over medium high heat. Add the peppers, onions and sauté until soft, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and sauté 30 seconds more.
    1 tablespoon olive oil, 1 bell pepper, any color, 1 small onion, 2 garlic cloves
  • Reduce heat to medium low and add the salsa, diced tomatoes, chili powder, cumin, coriander, and salt. Simmer, uncovered, for 5 minutes or until slightly thickened. Add the beans and corn, stir, and bring back to a simmer.
    1 cup salsa, 14 ounce can fire roasted tomatoes , 1 teaspoon chili powder, 1 teaspoon ground cumin, ¼ teaspoon ground coriander, ¼ teaspoon salt, 14 ounce can black beans, 1 cup corn
  • Add the fish, pushing down slightly so it sits mostly in the sauce. Cover and simmer for about 10-15 minutes. Cooking time will depend on thickness of fish. For more reliability use an instant read thermometer to make sure it's at 145ºF in the thickness part of the filet. Also look for color inside changing from translucent to opaque. TIP: If the sauce needs to thicken slightly, remove fish, cover loosely with foil, and simmer sauce UNCOVERED 5 minutes or until it's reduced and thickened.
    1 pound white fish
  • Squeeze lime juice over fish. Serve over rice. Top fish with tortilla chips, cheese, cilantro, sour cream, and additional lime wedges.  
    ½ lime
Calories: 370kcal, Carbohydrates: 43g, Protein: 35g, Fat: 7g, Saturated Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 56mg, Sodium: 889mg, Potassium: 1045mg, Fiber: 12g, Sugar: 7g, Vitamin A: 1790IU, Vitamin C: 46.6mg, Calcium: 104mg, Iron: 4.2mg
Did you make this recipe?Please leave a star rating and review below. It helps others when searching for recipes and I LOVE feedback!