Say goodbye to boring tacos, because this Fish Taco Sauce recipe is about to take your taco night to the next level! Creamy and zesty, with a hint of spice, this easy recipe comes together in just 5 minutes with 6 simple ingredients you probably already have at home. Drizzle it over crispy or grilled fish tacos, or spread it on burritos and sandwiches for an extra burst of flavor!

A wooden bowl filled with creamy, orange sauce and a gold spoon. Two lime halves and a patterned cloth are in the background.

Why this recipe is the best

I live in San Diego, just north of the birthplace of fish tacos in Baja California, Mexico. Over my 20+ years of living here, I’ve eaten my fair share of fish tacos, and one of the key elements in a delicious baja-style fish taco is the zesty, creamy sauce on top.

Since I started making air fryer fish tacos, I had to make my favorite taco-shop fish taco sauce at home to recreate the taste of the tacos that I love.

This fish taco sauce recipe is the best because:

  1. It has the perfect flavor balance. It combines creamy, tangy, and zesty flavors with just the right amount of spice, making every bite irresistible.
  2. It’s quick and easy. It’s made in just 5 minutes with simple ingredients you probably already have at home, so you can whip it up anytime.
  3. It’s versatile and crowd-pleasing. While it’s made for fish tacos, it also works as a dip for chips, a drizzle on bowls, or a topping for grilled meats and veggies.
Condiments and ingredients on a wooden surface: a bottle of Sriracha hot sauce, avocado oil mayo, sour cream, two limes, and a small bowl of salt and garlic powder.

Ingredients

Here I explain the best ingredients for this fish taco sauce recipe, what each one does, and substitutions that you can make. For the exact ingredient measurements, see the recipe card at the bottom of this post.

  • Sour cream – half of the base of the creamy dressing. If you prefer, you can use Greek yogurt or Mexican creama instead.
  • Mayonnaise – the other half of the base of the salad dressing. If you don’t like mayo, you can use all sour cream, but the dressing won’t be quite as thick in texture, or rich in flavor.
  • Lime juice – I always recommend fresh-squeezed juice for the best flavor.
  • Sriracha – to add a spicy kick to the sauce. I add 2 teaspoons to the sauce. If you like less spice, only add 1 teaspoon. If you want more spice, add an extra 1-2 teaspoons. You can also use your favorite brand of hot sauce in place of the sriracha.
  • Garlic powder + salt – to season the sauce.
Mixing bowl with white yogurt, hot sauce, and spices, partially mixed with a red spatula.
A clear glass bowl filled with creamy orange sauce, being mixed with a red spatula.

Instructions

  1. In a medium bowl, combine sour cream, mayonnaise, lime juice, sriracha, garlic powder, and salt.
  2. Store the dressing in the fridge in an airtight container, like a mason jar, for up to 10 days.
Three tacos with crispy fish, purple cabbage, diced tomatoes, and creamy sauce on a tortilla. They're garnished with fresh cilantro.

Ways to use it

This sauce is delicious on air fryer fish tacos (as seen above), shrimp tacos, lobster tacos, mahi mahi fish tacos, or chipotle honey salmon tacos.

In addition to seafood tacos, this sauce is super tasty on a variety of different tacos. It’s also delicious drizzled over nachos or fajitas, spread on sandwiches or wraps, or spooned into burritos. Try it with any of these recipes.

Or use it as a dipping sauce for taquitos, quesadillas, fries, chicken tenders, or raw veggies, like carrot sticks, celery, bell peppers, broccoli, or cauliflower florets.

More sauce recipes

Try these other delicious sauce recipes to add tons of flavor to your next meal!

Cilantro Chimichurri

Poblano Sauce

Chipotle Sauce

Cajun Sauce
A wooden bowl filled with creamy, light orange sauce. A spoon dips into the smooth mixture.
Print Pin
5 stars (1 rating)
Rate this Recipe

Fish Taco Sauce

Creamy and zesty, with a hint of spice, this easy Fish Taco Sauce recipe takes taco night to the next level! Perfect for drizzling on tacos or nachos, or adding flavor to burritos.
Servings: 10 ounces
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Total Time: 5 minutes
Author: Whitney Bond
Course: Sauce
Cuisine: Mexican, Tex Mex
Diet: Gluten Free, Vegetarian

Ingredients

Instructions

  • Stir all of the ingredients together in a bowl.
  • Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 10 days.

Notes

  • Let the sauce sit in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes before serving. This isn’t required, but I can tell you from experience, the flavor of the sauce develops more and more as it sits in the refrigerator for the first 30 minutes to 2 hours.
  • I do not recommend freezing the sauce because it’s dairy-based and the texture won’t be the same after it’s defrosted.
  • This recipe makes just over 1 cup of fish taco sauce. If you’d like to double the recipe, simply click the 2X button above. The ingredient amounts will automatically update to make 2 cups of the sauce.
  • For even more lime flavor, zest the outside of the limes before you juice them into the sauce. The lime zest will add another tangy layer of flavor to the sauce.
  • This recipe is naturally gluten free.

Nutrition Facts

Calories 102kcal (5%)Carbohydrates 1gProtein 0.5g (1%)Fat 11g (17%)Saturated Fat 2g (10%)Polyunsaturated Fat 5gMonounsaturated Fat 2gCholesterol 11mg (4%)Sodium 329mg (14%)Potassium 28mg (1%)Fiber 0.1gSugar 1g (1%)Vitamin A 82mg (2%)Vitamin C 2mg (2%)Calcium 14mg (1%)Iron 0.1mg (1%)
Did you make this recipe?Tag @WhitneyBond on Instagram and hashtag it #WBRecipes!

We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com.