This Spanish Tilapia is super easy and budget-friendly. I serve it with Saffron Rice and usually some sort of green veggie.
Spanish Tilapia
The truth is, we don’t eat a lot of fish or seafood at our house. Brian isn’t particularly fond of it … and I didn’t eat much of it growing up – so my knowledge of how to cook or prepare it is severely lacking compared to other things. However, this Spanish Tilapia, is one of the few fish dishes I adapted from a version my mom makes!
The extent of my fish or seafood experience growing up amounted to frozen fish sticks or clams, salmon patties and tuna sandwiches. No joke. I remember us having shark steak once ….. and something with shrimp maybe a handful of times? As a kid, I actually had it in my mind that “I didn’t like that kind of stuff” because, well, I never really had it.
As an adult, I am more adventurous in my eating (have I ever told y’all the story of my friend Ty and I at the Chinese restaurant?! Bahahaha!! If not, I’ll have to enlighten you to my shenanigans! Be forewarned, you may never want to be seen dining with me in public!) – and I have tried several fish and/or seafood dishes that I have enjoyed. Almost all of those experiences have been at restaurants – because I have no clue what I’m doing with those dishes. I’m learning, though! 🙂
Other recipes you may enjoy
Spanish Tilapia
Ingredients
- 1 pound tilapia fillets
- salt & pepper to taste
- a swirl of olive oil
- 1 small onion chopped
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 can Italian-style diced tomatoes 14.5 oz.
- ¼ cup sliced black olives
- ¼ cup sliced green olives
- ½ lemon sliced
- cooked rice or pasta for serving (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat your over to 400°F.
- Season the tilapia with salt and pepper and place it in a lightly sprayed or buttered baking dish or sheet pan.
- In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook until the onion softens, about 4-5 minutes. Add the tomatoes, black and green olives, and lemon slices. Bring just to a boil and reduce heat to medium-low to maintain a simmer. Allow the mixture to simmer for 10 minutes.
- Divide the tomato mixture evenly over the tilapia.
- Bake for 10-13 minutes or until the fish flakes easily with a fork.
- Serve the tilapia with some of the tomato-olive mixture over the top with rice or pasta on the side.
Notes
To cook in a skillet on the stovetop:
- Season the tilapia with salt and pepper and set aside.
- In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook until the onion softens, about 4-5 minutes. Add the tomatoes, black and green olives, and lemon slices. Bring just to a boil and reduce heat to medium-low to maintain a simmer. Allow the mixture to simmer for 10 minutes.
- Add the fish to the skillet and cook for 7-9 minutes or until the fish flakes easily with a fork. Discard the lemon slices.
- Serve the tilapia with some of the tomato-olive mixture over the top with rice or pasta on the side.
Nutrition
Please note that the nutritional information listed on this page is an estimation based on the products I used. Ingredients and nutritional information can vary significantly between brands. Always be sure to read labels. Please verify that a recipe fits your needs before using it. Nutrition info may contain errors, so please verify it independently. Likewise, recipes may contain errors, so please use your common sense when following them.
Originally published on October 3, 2013. Updated on April 24, 2021.
I love olives and tomatoes with tilapia!! Looks so yummy! Pinning! 🙂
I don't make fish often either {lack of proper knowledge on cooking mainly!} but your recipe sounds easy enough. Will have to use Bream though, Tilapia is not very common in SA. {pinned!}
Jamie, I like fish though don't make it as often as I know I should! I need some more easy recipes, like this one, which also looks delicious! Thanks for sharing and pinning! Have a great Thursday!
Happy SITS day, Jamie!
Tilapia is one of the few kinds of fish I'll eat… mostly because it doesn't really taste like fish!
Happy SITS Day!
that looks so good Jamie.
Anne xx
My hubby would LOVE this recipe! Am definitely going to make it for him! Happy SITS day! 🙂
Thank you for a good fish recipe. We hardly ever eat fish and it's because I don't have quick easy recipes. I do like Tilapia though. I will give it a try!
This tilapia sounds delicious!!
That looks so good and healthy!
Happy SITS Day!
~Holly from Desert Momma
(new follower from SITS)
Oh man that looks delicious! I'm going to go drool over the rest of your blog now! And Pin some recipes too!
Happy SITS Day! I hope it is a great one for you! We don't eat a lot of fish, either, but I do enjoy a well-prepared fish. I may have to try my hand at some fish/shrimp dishes for my hubby sometimes since he loves them. 🙂
happy SITS day!! your classic waffles look amazing by the way, yum!!
We love Tilapia! Totally going to try this.
We eat a ton of tilapia and I love having new ways to cook it.
Happy SITS day!
Goodness gracious that looks wonderful. We enjoy tilapia and I may have to try that !
Hi Jamie,
Hope you are having a great weekend and thank you so much for sharing your awesome recipe with Full Plate Thursday.
Come Back Soon!
Miz Helen
Oh Jamie! It looks delicious I love Tilapia! Its funny because growing up I never had frozen fish or seafood. I didn't know what was that at all because obviously I lived in a country as small as an island and surrounded by 2 oceans but when I got to the US, well finding fresh seafood when you don't live anywhere near an ocean is close to impossible. I miss the good old fresh days and would love to go in a tasting adventure with you. I bet we would have a blast! lol…have you ever eaten sea urchin? Ha! hugs girl, Lizy
Great dinner idea!
I would love if you would link up with me and share!
http://thediaryofarealhousewife.blogspot.com
Your fish dish looks delicious, Jamie. Tilapia is not a fish that we get here in New Zealand, but I often make a similar dish with tomatoes, olives and potatoes using a local fish called tarakihi.
I'm not much of a fish eater either, but when we do eat fish we choose tilapia. It's inexpensive and easy to make! This recipe looks delicious! Thank you for linking this up at Frugal Crafty Home Blog Hop!
I don't much like fish either, but this does look tasty. Thanks for sharing at Inspire Us Thursday on Organized 31.
I need to try this! Pinned and featuring at Family Fun Friday. 🙂
Monica
http://www.happyandblessedhome.com
I should try this – I have always thought the flavour of olives might overpower the fish. Cheers
My mom makes something like this too. I love it. It isn't often that you see tomatoes with fish, but I like that combo. And olives are always good in my book. Thanks for linking up!