You can’t go wrong with fish tacos. Ever. They always hit the spot! Sometimes tacos can get pretty heavy, but our friend Amber from A Toasted Crumb lightened up the traditional taco with this Salmon Tacos with Cucumber Slaw Recipe! We just know that you’re going to love this recipe for your next family taco night.
Is there anything better than finding a really good fish taco recipe? The best ones are light, refreshing and instantly make you feel like you’re relaxing on a beach. Amber’s salmon tacos recipe is full of fresh summery flavors that will hit the spot!
With the perfect flavor combinations of grilled cedar plank salmon, citrus glaze, lime crema and fresh cucumber slaw, your taco night will be complete! Here’s how to make this fresh Salmon Tacos with Cucumber Slaw recipe from scratch.
Prep the Fish
The first thing you’ll want to do is brine the salmon the night before. Brining is the process where you soak meat or fish in salt water prior to roasting or grilling to enhance the overall flavor. This is a step you do not want to skip!
All you need to brine the salmon is dissolve 3/8 cup of kosher salt and coconut sugar in one cup of boiled water.
Once your brining mixture is prepared, place the salmon in a shallow dish and pour the cooled solution over top. Then, cover it and put it in the fridge for at least 4 hours. You’ll want to make sure that you are using a dish that is a non-reactive material: glass, stainless steel or a brining bag. Be sure to rinse the salmon and pat it dry before cooking it.
How to Grill Salmon on a Cedar Plank
About an hour before you’re going to cook your salmon, soak the cedar plank in water to prepare it for the grill. Soaking the plank ensures that it won’t catch on fire and ruin your lovely piece of fish. If you have the time, you’re best to soak it for 3 to 4 hours. Place it in a large baking dish and add enough water to cover it. The plank will float, but as long as there is a little water over it, it should be fine. It won’t hurt to flip the plank halfway through soaking it.
While you’re waiting for your plank to soak, you can make the glaze for the salmon, the fresh lime crema topping, and the cucumber slaw.
For the glaze, whisk together the juice and zest of one orange and one lime with garlic, chili garlic sauce, smoked paprika, cumin, and coconut sugar. You will be using half of the glaze directly on the salmon and the other half will be going into a spray bottle – you’ll understand why soon!
To prepare the lime crema, add the ingredients to a small bowl and stir until they are combined. If you have a squeeze bottle, fill it up with this delicious topping to make it easier to put on your taco, but if not, you can always just spoon it on. When you’ve finished making it, put it into the fridge to chill.
Now is also a good time to prepare the cucumber slaw that’s going to give these tacos a light, fresh crunch. This is not like any slaw you’ve had before. Featuring Poco® Bites Cocktail Cucumbers with their crisp bite, this fresh slaw gives these tacos just the right kind of texture with flavor that complements the smoky grilled salmon.
Once you have all the ingredients cut up, place them in a large bowl and gently toss with the mayo and spices.
When you’re ready to grill, Amber recommends charring the plank first for 4 to 5 minutes per side before adding the salmon. Charring the plank early helps bring out the smoky flavors a little bit more because you don’t actually grill the salmon for very long.
Add the salmon skin side down on the plank and pour the glaze over the salmon. Grill the salmon on the plank for 10 to 12 minutes. During the last 2 minutes of grilling, spray it lightly with the remaining glaze you reserved earlier. Remove the salmon from the grill and allow it to cool slightly. Use this time to lightly toast your tortillas.
Building Your Tacos
If you’re not crazy about the skin on the salmon, you can remove it before flaking the fish. Add the flaked fish to the tortilla and top with the cucumber slaw and lime crema. You can add other toppings too if you’d like – these grilled salmon tacos are made to enjoy your way! Our Sangria® Medley Tomatoes or Aurora Bites Mini Sweet Peppers will give it different fresh flavors, plus bright pops of color.
For the full recipe for Amber’s Salmon Tacos with Cucumber Slaw, you can find it by clicking here.
For tasty recipes, plus more tips and tricks, make sure to sign up for Pure Flavor’s® monthly newsletter.
