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Fish Taco Sauce is the one thing that turns a plain piece of fish and a warm tortilla into the kind of dinner my family fights over the last bite of, and this creamy chimichurri version is bright, garlicky, and ready in about ten minutes. It is a no cook blender sauce that whisks fresh herbs and garlic into cool sour cream, so it tastes like summer in every drizzle. We pour it over everything from baked cod to our grilled mahi fish tacos.
Make a batch the night before and you are five minutes from the easiest fish taco night ever.
Fish Taco Sauce Quick Look
- 🕒 Prep Time: 10 minutes
- 🌡️ Cook Time: 0 minutes
- ⏳ Total Time: 10 minutes (plus chilling)
- 🍽️ Serving: About 2 cups
- ⚡ Calories: 17kcal
- 🌶️ Flavor Profile: Bright, herby, and garlicky with a cool, creamy tang from sour cream and red wine vinegar
- ✋ Difficulty: Easy, a no cook blender sauce as simple as our classic chimichurri sauce
Quick Answer
Pulse fresh parsley, cilantro, and garlic in a food processor with red wine vinegar, salt, and pepper, then drizzle in olive oil to make a quick chimichurri. Whisk that into sour cream until smooth and creamy, cover, and chill, ideally overnight, so the flavors meld. Spoon it generously over baked, grilled, or pan seared fish tacos.
Jump to:
Why This Recipe Works
Click to see the technique science
- No cooking required. The sauce comes together entirely in a food processor and a bowl, so there is no stove time and almost no cleanup.
- Fresh herbs do the heavy lifting. Two cups of parsley and a cup of cilantro give this fish taco sauce a vibrant, garden fresh flavor you cannot get from a bottle.
- Sour cream cools the garlic. Whisking the punchy chimichurri into sour cream rounds out the raw garlic and vinegar into a smooth, creamy, taco friendly drizzle.
- It is a make ahead dream. An overnight rest in the fridge mellows the garlic and lets the flavors marry, so the sauce only gets better.
- It works on so much more than tacos. Use it as a dip, a salad dressing, or a drizzle for grilled chicken, shrimp, or steak.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- It turns the simplest baked or grilled fish into a crave worthy taco night.
- It is a true no cook sauce that comes together in one food processor and one bowl.
- It tastes just as fresh on our Mexican shredded chicken tacos as it does on fish.
Key Ingredients
Just a handful of fresh, simple ingredients blend into this creamy fish taco sauce.
- Fresh parsley and cilantro: The herby backbone of the sauce, they bring that bright, garden fresh chimichurri flavor.
- Garlic: Raw garlic gives the sauce its bold, punchy bite that mellows beautifully overnight.
- Red wine vinegar: Adds the tangy acidity that makes a true chimichurri sing.
- Olive oil: Blends the herbs into a smooth, pourable sauce and carries all that flavor.
- Sour cream: The creamy base that turns sharp chimichurri into a cool, taco friendly drizzle.
See recipe card for exact quantities.
Variations and Substitutions
This fish taco sauce is easy to make your own.
- Use Greek yogurt in place of sour cream for a tangier, higher protein drizzle.
- Add a seeded jalapeno or a pinch of red pepper flakes to the processor for a spicy kick.
- Squeeze in fresh lime juice and a little zest for a brighter, more citrusy sauce.
- Skip the sour cream entirely for our classic chimichurri sauce to spoon over grilled steak.
How to Make Fish Taco Sauce
Recipe Tips & Tricks
- Chill it overnight if you can, since the rest time mellows the raw garlic and lets all the herb flavor bloom.
- Pack your herbs into the measuring cup so you get the full, fresh herb flavor the sauce depends on.
- Drizzle in the oil slowly with the processor running so the chimichurri blends smooth instead of splitting.
- Taste and adjust the salt and vinegar after chilling, since cold dulls seasoning a touch.
- Use a flaky white fish like cod, tilapia, or mahi, or try shrimp, for the best fish tacos under this sauce.
- Store covered in the fridge for up to 4 days, giving it a quick stir before serving.
Serving Ideas and Suggestions
Spoon this creamy fish taco sauce generously over warm corn or flour tortillas loaded with flaky baked or grilled fish, crunchy cabbage, fresh tomatoes, and a squeeze of lime. It is the cool, herby finish that pulls the whole taco together.
It is just as good on more than fish. Try it drizzled over air fryer salmon, spooned into a loaded nacho platter, or used as a dip for warm tortilla chips.
Round out taco night with a side of Mexican rice and a pitcher of margaritas, and save any leftover sauce to dollop over carne asada steak kabobs the next day.
Fish Taco Sauce FAQs
Flaky white fish like cod, tilapia, mahi mahi, or halibut works beautifully, since their mild flavor lets the bright, garlicky sauce shine without competing with it. Shrimp is a great quick cooking option too, and even blackened or grilled salmon holds up well under the creamy chimichurri. Whatever you choose, season it simply with salt, pepper, and a little chili powder so the sauce stays the star.
Yes, and you really should. The sauce is best made the night before so the raw garlic mellows and the fresh herb flavor has time to deepen and meld into the sour cream. Store it covered in the fridge for up to 4 days, and just give it a quick stir before you spoon it over your tacos.
Absolutely. Swap in plain Greek yogurt for a tangier, lighter, higher protein sauce that works just as well. You can also use mayonnaise for a richer drizzle, or skip the dairy entirely and use the herb base as a traditional oil based chimichurri for grilled meats.
As written it is herby and garlicky but not spicy at all, which makes it kid friendly. For heat, blend in a seeded jalapeno, a pinch of red pepper flakes, or a little of your favorite hot sauce to taste. Add it a little at a time, since the heat builds as the sauce sits overnight.
Stored in an airtight container, this creamy chimichurri fish taco sauce keeps for up to 4 days. Give it a stir before serving since the herbs and oil can separate slightly as it sits. I do not recommend freezing it, as the sour cream base can turn grainy once thawed.
It is incredibly versatile and never lasts long in our house. Use it as a salad dressing, a veggie or chip dip, a sandwich and burger spread, or a finishing drizzle for grilled chicken, shrimp, steak, or roasted vegetables. It is also fantastic spooned over a rice bowl or scrambled eggs.
Tried this creamy chimichurri fish taco sauce? I would love to hear how it turned out, leave a comment and a star rating below and tell me what you drizzled it over!
Creamy Chimichurri Fish Taco Sauce
Ingredients
- 2 cups fresh flat leaf parsley packed
- 1 cup fresh cilantro packed
- 6 garlic cloves rough chop
- 6 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 10 cracks fresh black pepper
- 1 1/2 cup olive oil
- 1 cup sour cream
- Corn Tortillas
- Fish of choice
Instructions
- Place the parsley and cilantro into a food processor. Pulse until rough chopped.2 cups fresh flat leaf parsley
- Add the garlic, vinegar, salt, and pepper to the food processor. Pulse a few times to combine. Turn the food processor on an slowly drizzle in the olive oil.*2 cups fresh flat leaf parsley
- In a large bowl, add the sour cream. Whisk the chimichurri into the sour cream until smooth and combined. Cover with plastic wrap and let sit in the fridge overnight.**2 cups fresh flat leaf parsley
- Bake your fish.2 cups fresh flat leaf parsley
- Assemble tacos with a good helping of the Chimichurri Sauce!2 cups fresh flat leaf parsley
Notes
- Using a box breaded cod fish makes this super easy to whip up but you can make your own homemade battered fish.
- You can use any of your favorite toppings that you love to serve with fish tacos.
- The sauce is better made a day ahead of time to have the flavors marry, but can be made and stored for up to 2-3 weeks in the refrigerator.
- Grill your tortillas slightly on a grill pan or on the stove to get a nice crisp browning if you enjoy that flavor.
Nutrition
Love This Recipe?
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I love crispy fried cod but I don’t make it cuz I’m a little unsure about frying fish at home but you’ve sold me on this recipe! It sounds awesome! And so easy..Thanks Dana!
Oh, this is a perfect mid- week meal! I’m all about easy and delicious meals. Your chimichurri sauce looks finger-licking good!
I can’t wait to try this one – that chimichurri sauce sounds so good!