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Instant Pot Tilapia Fish Tacos

Looking for a healthy twist on taco Tuesday? Try these easy Instant Pot tilapia fish tacos for a delicious dinner that can be ready in 30 minutes!

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Instant Pot Fish Tacos on a white rectangular plate with cilantro on top

Tacos are always a big hit with our family. They’re such a fun way to let everyone build their perfect dinner, and who doesn’t love eating with their hands?

So, when I’m in the mood for something other than chicken or beef, I love making these Instant Pot tilapia fish tacos! 

Thanks to the Instant Pot, you can turn frozen fish into mouth-watering tacos in just 30 minutes. The trick is to cook the fillets in foil!

Meanwhile, whip up the creamy garlic aïoli sauce with lemon juice for the perfect topping. It couldn’t be easier.

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Here’s what I’m going to teach you in this post:

  • How to make fish tacos with frozen tilapia in your Instant Pot
  • How to make the garlic aïoli sauce to go with your fish tacos
  • How to make this recipe with fresh tilapia instead of frozen
  • How to safely use the quick-release on your Instant Pot
  • How to warm up tortillas for your soft tacos

For a simple, healthy dish the whole family will love, you have to try Instant Pot fish tacos. Quick prep, easy clean-up, and so yummy — what’s not to love?

Ingredients placed in bowls with Instant Pot on top right

How To Make Instant Pot Tilapia Fish Tacos

STEP ONE: Place your frozen tilapia fillets on a sheet of aluminum. Sprinkle each fillet with taco seasoning. You can try our mild taco seasoning recipe here.

Frozen tilapia with seasoning on top of a piece of aluminum foil

STEP TWO: Seal your aluminum foil from each side.

STEP THREE: Add 1½ cups of water to the bottom of your Instant Pot, then place the trivet inside. Set the wrapped tilapia fillets on top of the trivet.

Tilapia wrapped in foil on top of a trivet and water inside the Instant Pot

STEP FOUR: Close the lid of your Instant Pot and set the valve to sealing by pushing away from you.

STEP FIVE: Set your Instant Pot to high pressure for 18 minutes.

STEP SIX: Once the cooking time is complete, turn the valve to venting, or towards you, for a quick release.

STEP SEVEN: Once the pressure gauge drops, unlock and remove the lid, then carefully remove the foil packet of tilapia.

Instant Pot Tilapia with seasoning on top of aluminum foil

STEP EIGHT: Open the packet and shred your tilapia, then place on your favorite taco shell (whether it be a low carb tortilla, lettuce wrap, flour tortilla, or corn!) Top with the aïoli sauce, cilantro, and anything else you would enjoy on your fish taco. Enjoy!

Instant Pot Tiliapia shredded on top of aluminum foil

How To Make Garlic Aïoli Sauce

STEP ONE: In a small bowl, add the mayonnaise, minced garlic, lemon juice, lemon zest, and a dash of salt and pepper.

Aioli sauce ingredients added into a white bowl

STEP TWO: Mix the aioli until well-combined.

STEP THREE: Cover and refrigerate until you’re ready to serve.

Garlic Aioli sauce mixed up in a white bowl with a spoon in it

Toppings For Your Tilapia Fish Tacos

Half the fun of tacos is adding all of your favorite toppings! If you need a little inspiration, here are a few of my favorites:

  • Cilantro
  • Avocado Crema
  • Chopped tomatoes
  • Cabbage
  • Shredded cheese
  • Diced onion
  • Jalapeño slices
  • Avocado
  • A squeeze of lime
Closeup of Instant Pot Fish Tacos on a white rectangular serving plate with a lemon i nthe background

Can You Make This Recipe With Fresh Tilapia Instead Of Frozen?

Absolutely! This recipe works just as well with fresh fish. It’ll cook up a little faster, too.

Follow the same directions to season the fish, wrap the fillets in tin foil, and prepare the Instant Pot.

Then, simply adjust the cooking time to 8 minutes. Once the cooking time is complete, do a quick release and follow the rest of the recipe as usual.

Looking for even more ways to make delicious, healthy, and easy seafood recipes? Make sure you check out this collection of the best air fryer fish recipes! You can even make tilapia in the air fryer and oven baked tilapia too!

Instant Pot Tilapia Tacos put together in soft shells on a white rectangular serving plate with cilantro sprinkled on top

How Do I Safely Quick Release My Instant Pot?

When you let the pressure in the Instant Pot release on its own over time, this is called a “natural release.” To immediately remove the pressure, you can do a “quick release.”

To safely quick release the pressure in your Instant Pot:

  • While wearing an oven mitt or heat resistant glove, turn the valve towards you to venting. Be careful not to burn your arm or hand as it will release a lot of steam very quickly.
  • Make sure there is plenty of room for your pressure cooker to release the steam. If it’s under any cabinets, turn it so the steam is not trapped.
  • If the valve is spraying water, try closing it for 15 to 20 seconds before opening it again. Repeat until the valve is no longer spraying.
  • You’ll know it’s safe to unlock and remove the lid once the pressure gauge drops.
Pressure Cooker Frozen Tilapia served in soft-shelled taco shells on a rectangular white serving dish

How To Warm Up Tortillas For Soft Tacos

Who doesn’t love warm tortillas for their tacos? While the fish is cooking, here’s how you can get the soft shells ready:

  1. Preheat the air fryer to 350 degrees or the oven to 400 degrees.
  2. Wrap the tortillas in foil.
  3. Place in the air fryer for about 5 minutes or in the oven for about 10 minutes.

Other Instant Pot Recipes You’ll Love:

Rectangle plate full of fish tacos

Instant Pot Tilapia Fish Tacos

Samantha Erb
Frozen tilapia is cooked in the Instant Pot to make these delicious fish tacos!
No ratings yet
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 18 minutes
Additional Time 10 minutes
Total Time 33 minutes
Course Instant Pot
Cuisine American
Servings 4 servings
Calories 538 kcal

Ingredients

  • 1 pound frozen tilapia
  • 2 tablespoons taco seasoning
  • 1 cup water
  • 4 to 8 taco shells of choice heated

For the Lemon Garlic Aioli Sauce

  • 1 cup mayonnaise
  • 1 tablespoon garlic minced (about 3 cloves)
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice
  • 1 tablespoon lemon zest
  • salt and pepper to taste

Instructions
 

  • 1. Place your frozen tilapia fillets on top of some aluminum foil. Sprinkle each fillet with taco seasoning and seal the foil on each side
  • 2. Place 1 & 1/2 cups of water to the bottom of your instant pot. Place the trivet inside your instant pot. Place your aluminum foil covered tilapia fillets on top of the trivet.
  • 3. Close the Instant Pot lid and make sure the pressure cook seal is closed.
  • 4. Set your Instant pot to high-pressure for 18 minutes.
  • 5. While the fish is cooking, mix together the mayonnaise, minced garlic, lemon juice, lemon zest, and a dash of salt and pepper. Set aside and refrigerate until ready to serve.
  • 6. Once the Instant Pot hits zero, do a quick release by releasing the valve. I recommend using a pot holder or wooden spoon to avoid the steam.
  • 7. Shred the tilapia and place it on your favorite taco shell! Top with the aioli sauce and other desired ingredients. Enjoy!

Notes

Nutrition

Serving: 1gCalories: 538kcalCarbohydrates: 4gProtein: 31gFat: 44gSaturated Fat: 8gPolyunsaturated Fat: 36gCholesterol: 88mgSodium: 798mgFiber: 1gSugar: 1g

This nutrition information is based on the exact products I used in this recipe. Brands and sizes of products could alter exact nutrition and should always be calculated independently.

Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!


samantha

About Samantha

I’ve always had a love of cooking and creating new recipes, so it only made sense to create a food blog so I could share those recipes with you. This site is designed to provide easy and flavorful recipes with as little ingredients as possible. That means you still get great flavor combinations without all that extra time and effort. Read more...

4 thoughts on “Instant Pot Tilapia Fish Tacos”

    • Hi Lori, it looks like there was an error on the backend. This is now fixed and the measurements are on the bottom with the recipe card! Thank you!

  1. Hi Samantha,
    This recipe was super easy and yummy!!!!
    5 stars ⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
    Thanks for sharing
    I look forward to more delicious recipes 😊

    Reply
  2. This recipe was delicious! However, I think the garlic aioli measurements can be halved or even quartered as I had a ton of this leftover!

    Reply

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