Tex-Mex Tacos with Ground Sockeye Salmon
May 13th, 2021An Upgrade to an American Favorite
These aren’t the fish tacos you were expecting. Instead, these fish tacos are filled with hearty ground sockeye salmon, spiced in a savory mix of Tex-Mex spices. Ground sockeye salmon makes for a lighter, yet equally meaty taco that tastes just like the original.
Ground sockeye salmon readily takes on the flavors of dry spices, making it the perfect stand-in for ground beef in this recipe. Serve these tacos with all of your favorite toppings for Tex-Mex tacos.
No ground sockeye salmon in the freezer? Try these Flaked Salmon Tacos instead.
Recipe for Tex-Mex Inspired Ground Salmon Tacos
By Wild Alaskan Company
A blend of cumin, paprika, coriander, chili powder, and garlic powder give these tacos their characteristic Tex-Mex flavoring. A little cornstarch added to this seasoning blend helps hold the mixture together as it cooks with ground sockeye salmon, since the ground salmon will release some juices in the pan as it heats up. And cooking the ground sockeye in plenty of neutral oil ensures it won’t dry out, as the salmon is so lean; something like canola, grapeseed, or peanut will do. Hard shell tacos are essential for this type of taco, as their crunchy texture is the ideal backdrop for savory, spiced ground salmon. To top things off, crunchy shredded lettuce, diced tomatoes, and sour cream are classic options.
Prep time
5 minutes
Cook Time
10 minutes
Total time
15 minutes
Yield
2 servings
Ingredients
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 2 teaspoons sweet paprika
- ¾ teaspoon sea salt
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon cornstarch
- 2 tablespoons neutral cooking oil
- 1 (12-ounce) package ground sockeye salmon
- Hard taco shells
- Shredded iceberg lettuce
- Diced tomatoes
- Sour cream
Instructions
1. If using oven to warm up hard taco shells, preheat to 350F now. Combine cumin, paprika, salt, coriander, chili powder, garlic powder, and cornstarch in a small bowl.
2. Meanwhile, heat up a large skillet over medium heat with neutral cooking oil. Add ground salmon to the pan, breaking up the mixture to cover as much surface area in the pan as possible to lightly brown the meat. Make sure to scrape the bottom of the pan as you’re stirring to lift up any bits that have begun to stick.
3. Cook the salmon until it has become lightly browned and cooked through evenly, about 5 minutes. Stir in seasoning mixture until distributed throughout the salmon and cook for another minute or two to allow any liquid in the pan to get absorbed by the cornstarch. Taste the ground salmon and adjust salt level as needed, then set aside until ready to use.
4. Heat up your taco or tostada shells as you like (in the microwave or oven), then serve with ground salmon while still warm, with lettuce, tomatoes, and sour cream on the side.
Consuming raw or undercooked meats, poultry, seafood, shellfish, or eggs may increase your risk of food-borne illness, especially if you have a certain medical condition. The FDA recommends an internal temperature of 145°F for cooked fish.
