Fresh and zingy fish taco recipe to make at home! Zarandeado fish tacos use a Mexican marinade of toasted guajillo and chipotle chillies, grilled hard over charcoal with tomatillo salsa verde and pico de gallo.
Zarandeado Fish Tacos
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Category
Lunch
Servings
4-6
Prep time
50 minutes
Cook time
20 minutes
This is a recipe I think everyone should make at least once at home, and I think it’s one of the better fish tacos I’ve made. It’s ultimately a marinated fish recipe that’s grilled over charcoal (or just over a grill), also known as Pescado Zarandeado. The Mexican style marinade has lots of lime, chillis, garlic, mayo, mustard and maggi seasoning giving it a really nice freshness to the sweet, umami and a little spicy flavour. And then we add it to a taco with some pico de gallo and salsa verde.
We'll be using a flathead fillets and marinating it for at least 20 minutes. While the fish is marinating, we can make the salsa verde and pico de gallo so they're ready to go. Then, we'll add the fish to a fish basket (if you have one) and cook over charcoal for 7-8 minutes. You can cook the fish on a tray in the oven under the grill (broiler) or on a hot grill on the BBQ. Just be sure to turn it so it doesn’t catch and burn on one side.
What is zarandeado?
Pescado zarandeado originates from the coastal state of Nayarit in western Mexico. Traditionally a whole butterflied fish was grilled over mangrove wood coals in a wire basket, with “zarandear” meaning to shake or agitate. The basket is flipped and moved constantly over the coals to char the fish evenly.
Ingredient Notes
Guajillo chillies: One of the most common dried chillies in Mexican cooking, with mild to moderate heat, deep red colour, and a slightly fruity, tannic flavour. Toasting them dry in the pan before adding water is essential: it softens the leathery skin and develops the flavour. Available at specialty food stores, quality greengrocers, and some delis.
Maggi seasoning: A fermented seasoning sauce with a sharp, savoury flavour profile similar to soy sauce but with more acidity. It’s widely used in Mexican cooking as a condiment and marinade ingredient. Find it in the international foods aisle at most supermarkets or at Latin grocery stores.
Flathead fillets: A firm, white-fleshed fish that holds its shape well under direct high heat without flaking apart. Any firm white fish works as a substitute: barramundi, snapper, whiting, or ling are all good alternatives. Avoid delicate fish like flounder or sole, which will break apart in the basket.
Equipment
- Chopping board
- Chef’s knife
- Medium saucepan
- Blender
- 2 medium bowls
- Pastry brush
- Fish basket (or wire grill basket)
- Charcoal BBQ or hot grill
- Tongs
Ingredients
-
3 guajillo chiles
-
1 chipotle chilli
-
250ml (1 cup) water
-
3 cloves garlic
-
Juice of 1 lime
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2 tbsp mayonnaise
-
1 tbsp soy sauce
-
2 tsp Maggi seasoning
-
40ml neutral flavoured oil
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1 tbsp yellow mustard
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800g flathead fillets
-
Sea salt, to season
-
toasted corn tortillas
-
Lime wedges
Salsa verde
-
700g (24.6 oz) can of tomatillos
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1 jalapeño
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2 large cloves garlic, peeled
-
1 bunch of coriander (cilantro)
-
juice of 1 lime
-
Sea salt, to season
Pico de gallo
-
½ white onion
-
2 Roma (plum) tomatoes
-
1 jalapeno chilli
-
1 tbsp chopped coriander
-
juice of 1 lime
-
sea salt, to season
Directions
Marinate fish
Deseed the chillies and discard the stems. Place the chillies in a medium saucepan and place over medium heat. Cook for 1-2 minutes until softened and toasted.
Add the water and garlic cloves, bring to a simmer and cook for 5 minutes. Remove from the heat.
Transfer to a blender with the lime juice and blend on low speed until a rough puree.
Add the mayonnaise, soy sauce, Maggi seasoning, mustard and oil. Season with some salt and blend again at a higher speed until smooth.
Transfer the marinade to a bowl and allow it to cool.
Brush the cooled marinade onto the fish fillets on all sides in a tray. Cover loosely with cling wrap and refrigerate for at least 20 minutes to marinate (reserve any excess marinade for the cooking).
Make Salsa Verde
Drain the tomatillos and place them in a blender. Slice the jalapeño and add to the blender along with the garlic, coriander, lime juice, and a pinch of salt.
Blend to your desired consistency, then refrigerate until ready to use.
Pico de gallo
Finely dice the white onion, tomatoes and jalapeño (deseeded optional). Combine in a medium bowl with the coriander, then stir through the lime juice and season with salt to taste.
Transfer to a serving bowl and refrigerate until needed.
Cook fish
Preheat a charcoal BBQ to hot.
Lightly grease a fish basket with some spray oil. Lay the marinated fish in the basket in a single layer. Brush with some more marinade, then close the basket up.
Place the fish over the hot coals and turn every 30 seconds, for 7-8 minutes, until nicely charred on both sides and cooked through.
Serve the fish in toasted corn tortillas with a squeeze of lime, the pico de gallo and salsa verde.
Recipe notes
Chef Tips
Toast the chillies before adding water
Dry-toasting the guajillo and chipotle chillies in a hot pan before adding the water is what develops their depth of flavour. You want them softened and starting to blister but not burnt. Burnt chilli will make the marinade bitter. One to two minutes over medium heat, moving them constantly, is enough.
Use a fish basket for even charring
A fish basket is what makes zarandeado-style cooking work. It holds the fillets flat and lets you flip the fish quickly every 30 seconds without the risk of it breaking apart on the grill. If you don’t have one, use a well-oiled flat grill grate and a wide spatula, but be prepared for a more difficult flip.
Storage
Store the components separately in airtight containers in the fridge for up to 3 days. Once assembled in tortillas, eat immediately.
FAQs
Can I marinate the fish for longer than 20 minutes? Up to 3-4 hours is fine, but don’t go beyond that. The acid in the lime juice will start to break down the fish proteins if left too long, giving the outside a chalky, pre-cooked texture before the fish even hits the grill.
Can I cook this without a charcoal BBQ? Yes. A hot grill on a gas BBQ works well, or cook the fish on a tray under a hot grill (broiler) in the oven, turning halfway through. You won’t get the same smokiness but the marinade carries enough complexity that it’s still a great result.
Can I substitute the guajillo and chipotle chillies? Guajillo can be replaced with ancho chillies, which are milder and sweeter. Chipotle can be swapped for a teaspoon of smoked paprika plus a small amount of fresh red chilli. The flavour profile will shift but the dish still works.
