The plated dish features stacked soft, rustic flour tortillas filled with flaky, rosy-brown mackerel. The mackerel glistens and is flecked with green herbs. Vibrant hues of orange butternut squash and red cranberry-adobo salsa peek from underneath like hidden gems. A garnish of lime wedges and sprigs of cilantro highlights the color scheme, making the dish look as though it's teeming with rich flavors and textures.

Mexican-Inspired Mackerel Tacos with Cranberry-Adobo Salsa

Name: Mexican-Inspired Mackerel Tacos with Cranberry-Adobo Salsa
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 55 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Mexican
Ingredients: 4 skin-on mackerel fillets; 8 soft flour tortillas; 1 butternut squash peeled and cubed; 2 cloves garlic finely chopped; 1/2 cup cranberries; 2 adobo chillies seeds removed; 2 tsp honey; 1 lime zested and juiced; 1 bunch fresh cilantro chopped; 1 tbsp olive oil; to taste salt; to taste pepper

A Mexican-inspired taco dish with a seasonal twist.

Category Main Course

Prep 25 minutes

Cook 30 minutes

Style Mexican

Technique Roasting

Diet Friendly Pescatarian

Daily recipe · September 24, 2024

A little about this dish

This recipe gives a unique spin to Mexican cuisine, by featuring the rich, meaty taste of mackerel, paired with earthy late summer vegetables and a zingy cranberry-adobo salsa that adds a touch of seasonal flair. The various tastes and textures make for an intriguing take on conventional Mexican mains, without straying too far from their colorful and hearty features.

Ingredients (for 4)

Skin-on mackerel fillets — 4
Soft flour tortillas — 8
Butternut squash — 1 — peeled and cubed
Garlic — 2 cloves — finely chopped
Cranberries — 1/2 cup
Adobo chillies — 2 — seeds removed
Honey — 2 tsp
Lime — 1 — zested and juiced
Fresh cilantro — 1 bunch — chopped
Olive oil — 1 tbsp
Salt — to taste
Pepper — to taste

Preparation

Step 1 — 🔥🥣🎃

Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C). Toss the butternut squash cubes in olive oil, salt and pepper, then roast for about 20-30 minutes until tender.
Step 2 — 🍳🐟🔁

Pan-sear the mackerel fillets skin-side down on medium-high heat until the skin crisps up. Flip them and cook the flesh until it's no longer translucent.
Step 3 — 🍇🌶️🍯🍋🧂

Blend cranberries, adobo chillies, honey, half the lime juice and a pinch of salt in a food processor until smooth.
Step 4 — 🔥🌮🥘🍛

Warm the tortillas on a dry skillet. Layer each tortilla with roasted squash, flaked mackerel, and a generous dollop of cranberry-adobo salsa. Garnish with chopped cilantro and a squeeze of fresh lime juice.

A final fox tip

While this dish is perfect as is, feel free to switch out the soft flour tortillas for hard-shell, or even lettuce wraps for a lower-carb version. This salsa can be quite spicy, so adjust the amount of adobo chillies to suit your taste preference. It's also a fun kitchen project for kids to help with the assembly of the tacos, under supervision of course!