Martha Stewart's Baked Fish Tacos Stay Super-crispy Thanks to One Ingredient

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Spring is here and summer is on its way, which means we’re basically daydreaming about trips to the beach and summer barbecues all day long. It also means that we’re craving our favorite summer foods something fierce — pot roast just doesn’t scratch the same itch when it’s pushing 70 and you spent the afternoon looking for the perfect pair of sunglasses on your phone instead of working. Crispy fish tacos, on the other hand, are exactly the type of fun food we want to be sinking out teeth into this time of year. Even better? Martha Stewart’s fish tacos recipe starts with baked fish that stays super-crispy even though it’s not deep-fried, all thanks to one ingredient: panko breadcrumbs.

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We love a freshly battered, deep-fried fish taco as much as anyone, but we love it the most when we’re at a beachside restaurant and someone else is doing the frying and clean-up. At home, Martha Stewart’s baked panko fish fingers are the perfect substitute. She ensures the panko breadcrumbs stay extra-crispy as the fish bakes by pre-toasting them. That way, you won’t end up with overcooked fish just because you were waiting for your breadcrumbs to turn golden.

Courtesy of Kikkoman.

She also adds big flavor to the dish by using mayonnaise instead of eggs or milk to adhere the panko breadcrumbs to the pieces of white fish.

Once the fish is baked, Stewart assembles her tacos, filling flour tortillas with crispy fish, apple-cabbage coleslaw, and fresh herbs. One bite and you’ll feel like you’ve been transported to your favorite seaside destination, and you won’t even be stuck figuring out what to do with leftover oil in the fryer.

For an even easier take on the recipe, you can always use your favorite frozen breaded fish, like Costco’s Everything Crusted Cod, or even nostalgic fish sticks. You’ll still get the fish taco effect, only with even less dishes to worry about. Now that feels like vacation.

In search of more summer recipes? Giada De Laurentiis has plenty: