If you love Mexican food recipes, Mexican fish is perfect for a healthy weeknight dinner! This easy fish recipe is bursting with robust flavors, but quickly comes together in 30 minutes and uses only one pot. Use any preferred white fish, combine with peppers, onions, salsa, black beans, and serve over rice for an easy, flavorful meal.
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 oz. 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
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Notes
More Ideas for Making Mexican Fish Recipe
Generally we serve over rice, but for a more low carb option spoon fish, peppers, onions, beans, and sauce in corn tortillas.
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 when eating Mexican fish. Serve with lime wedges, fresh cilantro, lettuce, crusted tortilla chips, cheese, and sour cream.
Tips for Cooking Fish
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.