Flaky Coconut Lime Basil Halibut topped with Peach Corn Salsa and a big dollop of Basil Lime Crema is the epitome of healthy, flavorful, COLORFUL summertime food. Or winter food when you wish it was summer, it works then too!
Right now my mom and sisters are saying, “Marci, making a fish dish!? And LIKING it!? Traitor!”
So to my mother, my sisters, and all you fish lovers or haters, let me kindly suggest . . .
MAKE THESE TACOS ASAP! Don't substitute, subtract, or add anything!
These tacos are a result of bringing a wagon to the Farmer's Market and not leaving until it was full. Corn, peaches, tomatoes, and fresh basil joined forces and inspired this heavenly plate.
My goodness, the flavor explosion of tangy, sweet, and spicy are an absolute party in your mouth! And I don't mean the “mom parties” that I go to now where you sip on Crio Bru and have a support group discussion on the “joys” of motherhood.
These tacos are a college party dressed as Christina Aguilera, dancing like no one knows you, and making music videos to laugh at for years to come (oh, yeah, I partied hard, ha!).
Channel your Christina right now and prepare to sing your praises to these vibrant, summer-lovin' tacos.
WHY YOU WILL LOVE INSTANT POT COCONUT LIME FISH TACOS
- Summer produce at it's finest! Tomatoes, corn, and peaches are why I tolerate this miserable heat.
- You can put your pressure cooker outside to cook your fish and save your couches from smelling like the fish market for three days
- Lots of chopping, but if you send the kids outside, it's basically colorful therapy
- Healthy and wholesome, AKA you can eat three and then finish off the salsa with a bag of chips
HOW TO MAKE THE BEST FISH TACOS EVER
- Chop up your Basil Crema ingredients
- Stir it up
- Chop up your Peach Corn Salsa ingredients
- Mix it up
- Coconut milk, basil, lime bath, check!
- Let the fish soak in that creamy heaven for 30 minutes
- Pressure cook to tender perfection
- Place halibut on a plate, gently flake apart
- Spoon leftover coconut milk/basil mixture over top and serve!
TIPS FOR MAKING AMAZING FISH TACOS
- Best fish for tacos
- Halibut is #1 for me, but when I don't have Alaska fishing fanatics stocking my freezer with it, I will use other white-fleshed, mild, saltwater fish like cod, mahi-mahi, or orange roughy. Salmon would also work well here. I used a similar cooking method in this Teriyaki Salmon recipe.
- Best seasonings for fish
- When it comes to mild-flavored white fish, I like to keep the seasonings simple. Fresh herbs (I love basil or cilantro), salt, pepper and if I'm feeling crazy, garlic, cumin, and red pepper flakes.
- Best toppings for fish tacos
- This is where you explode with flavors! Mild tasting fish is a perfect canvas for bright, bold, fresh flavors: hence the Peach Corn Salsa and Basil Lime Crema in this recipe. Best Friends Forever right here.
I've spent 36 years of my life hatin' on all things fish. Please join me in making up for lost time by making this once a week until summer Farmers Markets start disappearing.
And please, oh please, heed my above suggestion of attacking the leftover salsa with a bag of whole grain chips. In fact, bring a bowl to your next therapeutic mommy party and watch as everyone's worries dissolve into an impromptu sing along to Christina's Come On Over – warning: I don't support the rather sketchy dancing in this link, but man oh man does that song bring back some memories. Anybody else with me on the hairbrush singing of this song?!
VARIATIONS
- As I mentioned above, I believe cod, orange roughy, mahi-mahi, and salmon would all substitute nicely here if halibut is outrageously priced where you live
- I haven't tried this, but to make the salsa year round, swap the corn on the cob for canned or frozen, the peaches for mangos or pineapple, and the tomatoes for grape tomatoes
- Instead of tacos, eat this dish as a rice bowl or in lettuce cups
- If you're a stubborn fish hater (Hi there Cami!), I think these toppings would be incredible over Mel's Grilled Lime Coconut Chicken
TOOLS/INGREDIENTS USED TO MAKE INSTANT POT EASY COCONUT LIME FISH TACOS
- Instant Pot
- 6 inch square pans
- Trader Joes Wheat and Corn Tortillas (the best!)
- Thai's Kitchen Lite Coconut Milk (Great price if you buy a case of 12)
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PrintInstant Pot Easy Coconut Lime Fish Tacos with Peach Salsa and Basil Crema
Easy coconut lime fish tacos with a bright and sweet Peach Corn Salsa and cooling Basil Crema.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 6 minutes
- Total Time: 60 minutes
- Yield: 4-6 servings 1x
- Category: Entree
- Method: Pressure Cooker
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
For the fish
- 2 skinless halibut fillets, 6 – 8 oz each (or substitute with flounder, mahi-mahi, cod, or salmon)
- ⅔ cup lite or regular coconut milk (room temperature, see note)
- 2 tablespoons minced fresh basil
- zest and juice of 1 lime
- salt and pepper
- pinch of red pepper flakes
For the Peach Corn Salsa
- 2 peaches, peeled and chopped
- 1 uncooked ear of corn, kernels cut off of the cob
- 1 large tomato, chopped
- 2 green onions, minced
- 1 jalapeno, minced, seeds and ribs removed for less heat
- 2 tablespoons minced fresh basil
- zest and juice of 1 lime
- salt and pepper
For the Basil Crema
- ½ cup greek yogurt, sour cream, or Mexican crema
- ¼ cup minced fresh basil
- zest and juice of 1 lime
- salt and pepper
- corn or flour tortillas
- cotija cheese crumbles
- lime wedges
Instructions
- Season both sides of halibut with salt and pepper. Combine coconut milk, basil, zest and juice of 1 lime, and red pepper flakes. Divide the mixture into two 6 inch square pans or two 8 inch mini loaf pans. Place halibut inside. The milk should cover at least three-quarters of the fish. Add more coconut milk if needed.
- Let fish marinate for 30 minutes.
- Combine Peach Corn Salsa ingredients. Taste and add extra salt and/or lime juice, if desired.
- Combine Basil Crema ingredients. Note: The Crema can be made a day or two in advance and tastes better the longer it sits.
- Add 1 cup of water to the pressure cooker pot and place trivet inside. Place the prepared pans inside, stacking them to form an X shape. Secure the lid and turn pressure release knob to a sealed position. Cook at high pressure for 6 minutes.
- When pressure cooking is complete, use a quick release.
- Place fish on a plate and flake with a fork. Pour some of the leftover coconut milk mixture from the pans over the fish to keep it moist and flavorful.
- Warm the tortillas and then top with fish, a big spoonful of Peach Salsa, a scoop of Basil Crema, and a sprinkle of cotija cheese. Drizzle with lots of lime juice and enjoy!
Notes
- Substitute halibut with any flaky white fish or salmon if you don't mind a stronger fishy taste
- Make the Basil Crema the day before to intensify the flavor
- Do not use cold coconut milk to cook the halibut in. It will slow the cooking time and adding extra time may dry out the fish. I used room temperature canned coconut
Keywords: Instant Pot Fish, healthy fish tacos, easy fish tacos
Marci, I may be the only person in the USA who doesn’t like coconut milk. Love coconut, but the milk has a shall-I-say-it, slimy texture that I just abhor. Is there a way to get around this ingredient? Maybe using coconut flakes and…?
Kathy, Hmm . . . Have you used the carton version of coconut milk? That’s definitely not as “slimy”. Or there is an Almond Coconut Milk version as well. You could also just use plain ol’ milk. Coconut milk doesn’t so much give this dish a coconut taste as much as it just cooks the halibut in a yummy, creamy bath. I’ll bet buttermilk would be fabulous as well. Let me know if you experiment!