Spicy Baked Tilapia and Tomatoes

⏱ 40 mins 🍽 6 serving(s) 🏷 Tilapia

This family favourite tilapia dish starts by pan-frying lemon and breadcrumb coated fillets. The fish is then nestled in a baking dish and smothered with a warm sauce made from sautéed onion, garlic, crushed tomatoes and a hot Mexican tomato sauce. The assembled dish bakes in the oven to meld the flavours together perfectly. It is a great way to enjoy white fish with a bit of a kick.

Spicy Baked Tilapia and Tomatoes

Ingredients

  • 1 medium onion
  • 2 tablespoons garlic, minced
  • 1 (16 ounce) can crushed tomatoes
  • 1 (7 ounce) can Mexican tomato sauce, hot style (El Pato brand)
  • 1/2 cup breadcrumbs
  • 6 tilapia fillets
  • 1 lemon
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt (optional)
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil

Method

  1. Cook the onion in olive oil until it begins to brown lightly.
  2. Stir in the garlic and cook for a minute more, then remove this mixture from the pan and set it aside.
  3. Dry the tilapia fillets with a paper towel. Drizzle lemon juice and optional salt over one side, then dust that same side lightly with breadcrumbs.
  4. Put the fish in the hot pan with the breaded side facing down. Apply lemon juice, optional salt and breadcrumbs to the top side of each fillet.
  5. Cook the fish for about 10 minutes until it is cooked through, turning it once during cooking. Transfer the cooked fish to a baking dish.
  6. Return the onion and garlic to the pan. Add the crushed tomatoes and the hot Mexican tomato sauce, warming the mixture. Make sure to scrape up any browned bits from the pan into the sauce.
  7. Spoon the prepared sauce over the fish in the baking dish, covering it entirely. Bake in an oven preheated to 350° for about 20 minutes.

Nutrition (per serving)

Sodium232200 mg

Recipe details

CategoryTilapia
AuthorDave Salch