OMG, my mind has been blown! I decided to make fish tacos and was trying to decide on a topping. I feel like mango salsa, strawberry salsa, and now even pineapple salsa is just over done, over, and over, and over… And so, I wanted something different. I also had limited supplies and did not feel like running to the store… so I thought 🤦🏻♀️.
I remember these squid tacos I did several years ago with orange salsa that were amazing! And it then occurred to me that I had grapefruit cups in my pantry… how would grapefruit salsa be?? I figured that if orange salsa was good, grapefruit had to be delicious too, right?? I mean, fish pairs beautifully with citrus flavors, and grapefruit sounded so light and fresh… perfect for a summer evening!
Unfortunately, my grapefruit cups were majorly expired. So I said, okay, orange salsa! Nope, majorly expired also! Well, at that point, I was totally determined to have a citrus salsa, so ,I make a store run!
I am so totally stoked over this salsa; I just cannot stop gushing. Grapefruit is the unappreciated citrus fruit that fish has been craving all these years! And I still added oranges to this also, which made for a perfect combination of citrus flavors, even more so when I squeezed fresh lime juice over the top and added lime zest!
But, I really loaded this salsa up! In addition to the traditional cilantro, I added green onions and finely chopped red cabbage. I used a jalapeño because salsa just needs a little spice, amirite? And because everything else about this recipe is so low calorie, I added two avocados to the salsa… healthy fats!
Last year, I was starting to steer away from tilapia because it just seemed rather bland. We made a couple of dishes at home that were just “eh.” But, the great thing about tilapia is that A. it’s super, super cheap, B. it’s super low in calories, and C. it’s super low in mercury. Now, I got ya, the omegas in tilapia do not compare to something like salmon, but if you’re going for a heart healthy meal, tilapia obviously far outweighs a beef taco and even a chicken taco!
So, anywho, last year, losing interest in tilapia… but, recently, I’ve been giving it a go again… for said reasons. And these tacos have been 100% back on the tilapia train. Not because the tilapia itself is anything special. I still find it a rather boring fish. But these tacos have so much flavor that a more flavorful fish would be lost underneath this salsa! Tilapia ends up being a perfect compliment because it is a subtle fish and you aren’t wasting your money on some pricey fish you won’t be able to strongly taste anyway. Definitely once you add the blackened seasoning!
I have so many thoughts on how to incorporate grapefruit into my seafood dishes now… I. CAN’T. WAIT! Seriously, mind. blown. 🤯
The biggest pain in the butt about this salsa is removing the pith from the fruit. If you’re super lazy or short on time, feel free to buy grapefruit and orange cups instead. I recommend finding low to zero sugar cups, if you can. But, if you have the time, it’s so much cheaper to buy a grapefruit and a naval orange and extract the fresh, vibrant fruit yourself!
Either way, you’re in for a treat! If you’ve never tried grapefruit salsa, tag me on Instagram and let me know what you think!
Enjoy!
Tilapia Tacos with Grapefruit Citrus Salsa
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Tacos
- Cuisine: Dinner
Ingredients
1½ – 2 lbs tilapia, patted dry
1 TB paprika
½ TB chili powder
2 tsps ground cumin
2 tsps dried oregano
1 tsp garlic powder
½ tsp onion powder
½ tsp salt
¼ tsp cayenne pepper
8 – 6” flour tortillas
1 TB olive oil
Salsa
1 grapefruit, carefully removed from the pith and cut into small chunks
1 naval orange, carefully removed from the pith and cut into small chunks
1 jalapeño, deseeded, if desired, roughly chopped
2 avocado, cut into small pieces
½ cup red cabbage, roughly chopped
2 green onions, diced
handful cilantro, roughly chopped
1 lime, zested & juiced
salt & pepper
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 200°F
In a small bowl, mix together the paprika, chili powder, ground cumin, dried oregano, garlic powder, onion powder, and salt. Generously season the tilapia, on both sides, with the seasoning. Set aside.
In a medium bowl, toss together the grapefruit, orange, jalapeño, avocado, red cabbage, green onions, cilantro, and lime zest. Pour over the lime juice and season to taste with a pinch of salt and pepper.
Heat 1 teaspoon of olive oil in a large pan over medium heat. Fry the tortillas for about 2 minutes per side, working in batches, or until golden brown on both sides. Remove from the pan and place on a plate in the oven, to keep warm. Add the remaining 2 teaspoons of olive oil to the pan and cook the tilapia, depending on thickness, for about 4 minutes per side or until it lightly flakes with a fork.
Place the tilapia on a cutting board and cut into 1 inch pieces. Divide the fish among the tortillas and top with salsa. Enjoy!
Keywords: tacos, fish tacos, tilapia tacos, white fish tacos, grapefruit salsa, orange salsa, salsa de naranja, citrus salsa
