There’s something unforgettable about the first time you have a real Baja fish taco. Perfectly crispy beer-battered fish, tangy white sauce, fresh shredded cabbage, and warm corn tortillas come together in a combination that’s simple, fresh, and incredibly satisfying. This copycat Rubio’s Fish Taco recipe is the closest I’ve come to recreating the original I grew up eating in San Diego.
I still remember the first time I ate at the original Rubio’s Fish Taco Shop, just down the street from Mission Bay High School, where I went to school in San Diego. Like so many Southern Californians, I was hooked after the first bite. There was just something about that mild, flaky fish, the crispy, crunchy batter, and the thick, warm corn tortilla that kept me coming back.
When I eventually moved away from San Diego, those fish tacos were one of the things I missed most. This was back in 2002 before copycat recipes were everywhere on the internet. I spent years researching and experimenting with different fish, batters, tortillas, and sauces until I finally recreated the flavors I remembered.
In fact, this recipe was the reason I launched my original restaurant recipe website which eventually became Chef Pablo’s. Looking back, it’s hard to imagine this site existing without it. It helped launch my obsession with recreating restaurant favorites at home, and it’s still one of my all-time favorites.
Today, Rubio’s is known as Rubio’s Coastal Grill, but the Original Fish Taco remains the dish that made the restaurant famous. This recipe keeps everything people love about those iconic Baja fish tacos while making them easy to recreate in your own kitchen.
Rubio’s Fish Taco Recipe
Ingredients
- 12 oz Alaska pollock, cut into 1.5 oz portions (Should be 3-4" long)
- 1 1/2 cup all purpose flour (1/2 cup for dredging fish)
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt
- 1/4 tsp ground black pepper
- 1 1/4 cup cold Mexican lager (or other light lager)
- 3-4 cups neutral frying oil, 2-3" deep, leaving room for expansion (Avocado, beef tallow, or classic olive oil)
- 2 med Roma tomatoes, finely diced
- 1/4 med white onion
- 2 tbsp fresh cilantro, chopped
- 1 tbsp fresh lime juice
- 1/4 tsp kosher salt
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise
- 1/2 cup plain yogurt, whole-milk
- 8 thick corn tortillas
- 2 cup green cabbage, finely shredded
- 2 limes, cut into wedges
- Rubio's hot sauce (optional)
Method
- If you purchased frozen pollock, be sure to put it in the fridge to defrost overnight. If you don't have time, you can defrost them in a plastic bag in cool water.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise and plain yogurt until smooth.
- Cover and refrigerate while you prepare the remaining ingredients
- In a small bowl, combine the diced tomatoes, onion, cilantro, lime juice, and salt.
- Mix well and refrigerate until ready to assemble your fish tacos.
- In a heavy pot, dutch oven, or deep fryer, pour 2 to 3 inches of oil in and heat to 350°F. Be sure to leave room for oil to expand when frying.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, garlic powder, salt, and black pepper. Gradually whisk in the cold beer until the batter is smooth and the consistency of a thin pancake batter.
- If you have frozen fish portions, make sure you to defrost them before battering.
- Pat the fish very dry with paper towels. Lightly dredge each piece in flour, shaking off any excess, then dip into the beer batter. Let the excess batter drip off before frying.
- Working in batches, carefully lower the battered fish into the hot oil.
- Fry for 4 to 5 minutes for fresh or thawed fish, 7-9 minutes if cooking from frozen, turning as needed, until golden brown and cooked through.
- Transfer the fish to a wire rack to drain.
- Warm the corn tortillas on a dry skillet or directly over a flame for about 20 to 30 seconds per side until warm and pliable.
- Place one piece of crispy fish on each tortilla and top with a drizzle of white sauce, some pico de Gallo and shredded cabbage.
- Serve immediately with a fresh wedge of lime and your favorite hot sauce, such as Rubio's hot sauce, Cholula, Tapatío, or Valentina.
Pro Tips for the best Rubio’s Fish Taco Recipe
Cut the fish to fit the tortillas
Cut each piece of fish into 1 1/2 ounce portions, long enough to fit inside the tortilla. If you end up with a few smaller pieces, simply use two or three pieces in one taco instead of one long strip. These should be about the size of a hot dog. Over 2 ounces made the tacos difficult to eat.
Use thick corn tortillas
Rubio’s originally used thick corn tortillas made by Porkyland Tortillas in San Diego. Those are difficult to find outside Southern California. I’ve found that La Banderita La Casera corn tortillas sold in a sealed white package are one of the closest substitutes. They’re thicker than most grocery store tortillas and hold up much better but they must be refrigerated once you open them.
Crispy pieces of fish is key
Fry your fish in small batches. If you add too many to the fryer it drops the oil temp and gives you softer and oiler fish. Make sure you drain your fish on a wire rack instead of directly on a plate or paper towel. Rubio’s traditionally drizzled the white sauce over the pieces of fish, but you may want to put it on the cabbage to keep your fish crispier. Try both ways and see which you prefer.
Use very cold beer
The colder the beer, the lighter and crispier the batter tends to fry. Some people even chill the flour for 15-20 minutes before mixing the batter. You can also put your bowl of batter into a larger bowl to keep it cold while cooking your batches of fish.
Experiment with the white sauce
I gave you the original recipe for Rubio’s white sauce but a lot of people like to use Mexican crema or even a cilantro lime sauce instead. This is the beauty of making your Rubio’s fish tacos at home, you can make them your own.
Keep it simple
Ralph Rubio, the founder of Rubio’s was originally inspired by the fish tacos he would enjoy while surfing in Baja California. These were from tiny little taco stands on the side of the street, not gourmet restaurants. The beauty is in the simplicity of the taco.
Frequently Asked Questions
Storage and Reheating Rubio’s Fish Tacos
While technically you can store your fish in the refrigerator for up to 2 days, I don’t think you’ll be able to reheat these and have them have the same amazing texture as when you fry them fresh.
If you have leftover fish, store it before you fry it. If you’ve already fried it, store it in an airtight container with a paper towel inside to keep the fish from getting soggy. Store all of the other ingredients separately as well.
To reheat your Baja fish tacos, the crispiest results use a wire rack set over a baking sheet and bake at 400ºF for 8 to 10 minutes, or until heated through. An air fryer at 375℉ for 4 to 6 minutes also works very well.
Avoid microwaving the fish, as it quickly softens the crispy coating.
Like with most fried seafood, these fish tacos are never going to be quite as good reheated. If you’re cooking for fewer people, I recommend frying only what you’ll eat and saving the remaining raw fish to cook fresh later.
