Corn Vs Flour: Which Tortilla Is Best For Fish Tacos?

Among the world's favorite foods, tacos come with as many fillings and customizable combinations as pizza does. However creative you want to get with garnishes and sauces, traditional tacos boil down to protein and tortillas. A taco is only as good as the quality of its two most basic ingredients. Fish tacos are a mainstay at taquerias along Mexico's vast stretches of coastline, offering a light, fresh, and flavorful alternative to beef and pork. Whether you're enjoying fish tacos in Mexico or at home, corn tortillas are the best pairing for any type of seafood filling.

Corn is a Mexican crop and the backbone of its cuisine and cultural identity. You'll be hard-pressed to find taquerias or street food taco carts serving any type of taco on a flour tortilla, fish included. Not only are corn tortillas more true to Mexican tradition, but their taste and texture are beneficial to fish. Whether you're grilling flaky white fish filets or frying battered shrimp, the earthy savory taste of nixtamalized corn complements the oceanic umami of the fish while also providing a sturdy, delightfully chewy texture. White corn tortillas are standard for tacos, but blue or yellow corn offers even more complex flavors.

Flour tortillas are a regional specialty, found more exclusively in northern Mexico, with a subtler flavor, larger circumference, and thinner, softer texture than corn tortillas. If you'd rather use flour tortillas with seafood, try shrimp quesadillas with smoky asadero cheese. You can also wrap battered and fried white fish with Mexican rice, refried beans, lettuce, sour cream, and pico de gallo into a decadent seafood burrito.

Traditional Mexican tacos, fish or otherwise, are simpler than what you might encounter in the States, consisting of the tortilla, protein, and a garnish of diced onions and cilantro. Smaller corn tortillas thus provide a much more proportional bite, with the perfect ratio of fish to tortilla. Corn tortillas will soak up fish juices and salsa without buckling or breaking. Plus, since corn tortillas are so small, many taqueros double up on them so that you can make a second taco out of the fillings that spill out of the first.

If you're looking for more flavors to add to your fish taco, a salsa verde with cilantro, jalapenos, and roasted tomatillos will provide a sweet, spicy, and herbal pairing. Just as a creamy tartar sauce is a classic condiment on fish sandwiches, fish tacos will also benefit from a drizzle of tangy Mexican crema, or this avocado crema from our recipe for chicken taquitos. It's also common to see fish tacos served with pickled onions and shredded cabbage doused in lime juice.