Healthy Tilapia Recipes

Find healthy, delicious tilapia recipes, from the food and nutrition experts at EatingWell.

Staff Picks

Beer-Battered Fish Tacos with Tomato & Avocado Salsa

Rating: Unrated
26
Lovers of fried fish get the taste without all the calories, and the salsa adds a fresh, clean note. To complete the Baja theme, serve with black beans, some diced mango and a bit of light sour cream.
By Stacy Fraser

Asian Tilapia with Stir-Fried Green Beans

Rating: Unrated
1
Tilapia fillets are served with crisp green beans in this Asian-style meal.
By Diabetic Living Magazine

Chili-Rubbed Tilapia with Asparagus & Lemon

Rating: Unrated
34
Tilapia, a relatively plentiful fish, has the unfortunate reputation of being dull. All it needs is a spice rub, a familiar barbecuing technique that works just as well indoors. You could also use this rub on chicken breasts or toss it with lightly oiled shrimp before cooking.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Puerto Rican Fish Stew (Bacalao)

Rating: Unrated
17
Bacalao, salted dried codfish, is the defining ingredient in traditional Puerto Rican fish stew, but salt cod requires overnight soaking and several rinses in cool water before it can be used, so we opt for fresh fish in this quick version. Serve with crusty rolls to soak up the juices.
By Scott Rosenbaum

Easy Sauteed Fish Fillets

Rating: Unrated
10
Here's an easy method for quickly cooking fish fillets. We love the simplicity of just using salt and pepper to season the flour for dredging, but feel free to get creative and experiment with other seasonings. If you like a little heat, add a pinch of cayenne; for a smoky flavor, add a touch of smoked paprika; try white pepper, a common ingredient in Chinese cooking, instead of black pepper if you're pairing the fish with the Black Bean-Scallion Sauce.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Hazelnut-Parsley Roast Tilapia

Sweet and crunchy hazelnuts team up with bright lemon and fresh parsley to add oomph to the tilapia for an easy seafood recipe. Serve this atop a salad or alongside brown rice or orzo.
By Dina Cheney

EatingWell Fish Sticks

Rating: Unrated
30
You can make these homemade fish sticks in about the same amount of time it takes to bake a box of the frozen kind--with a fraction of the fat.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Baked Tilapia Curry

Rating: Unrated
4
This healthy fish-and-vegetable curry recipe is made with yellow curry paste, but any Thai curry paste--red or green--will work. Serve with sautéed green beans and brown basmati rice to soak up all the delicious sauce.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Tilapia with Grapefruit-Caper Sauce

Rating: Unrated
5
In this healthy, quick tilapia recipe, you'll combine grapefruit, shallot, capers, butter and a touch of honey for a rich, bittersweet sauce. Any grapefruit will work, but vibrant ruby-red grapefruit is the prettiest. Serve with whole-wheat couscous and broccolini.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Seafood Linguine

Rating: Unrated
6
This restaurant-worthy seafood pasta dish is a snap to make and an easy way to impress guests. We like the sweet taste and extra-saucy consistency of canned diced San Marzano tomatoes in sauces like this one. Marjoram pairs well with the seafood, but basil or even parsley works too. Serve with a Caesar salad.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Tilapia Corn Chowder

Rating: Unrated
14
This light soup is a great way to slip fresh corn (and tilapia, of course!) into your late-summer menu. Make it a meal: Enjoy with a mixed green salad and oyster crackers.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Fish Fillets with Tartar Sauce

This fast tartar sauce comes together in just 10 minutes and makes a great topping for simple sautéed fish fillets. Serve with toasted potato wedges and coleslaw.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Inspiration and Ideas

Tilapia & Summer Vegetable Packets

Tilapia & Summer Vegetable Packets

Rating: Unrated
22
Wrapping vegetables and fish in a foil packet for grilling or baking is a foolproof way to get moist, tender results. Tilapia and summer vegetables pair with olives and capers for a Mediterranean flair.
Spinach & Gruyere Stuffed Tilapia

Spinach & Gruyere Stuffed Tilapia

Rating: Unrated
7
For this healthy stuffed tilapia recipe, use two larger fillets cut lengthwise to make these savory tilapia rolls. Or look for frozen tilapia “loins” and use one loin per roll.
Indian Curry Fish

Indian Curry Fish

Five-Spice Tilapia

Five-Spice Tilapia

Rating: Unrated
32
Spicy Cioppino

Spicy Cioppino

Rating: Unrated
11
Fish Fillets with Pineapple-Jalapeno Salsa

Fish Fillets with Pineapple-Jalapeno Salsa

Rating: Unrated
2

Mock Ceviche

Rating: Unrated
2

Traditionally, ceviche is raw fish that's “cooked” by marinating it in acidic citrus juice. Here we quickly poach the tilapia then marinate it with fresh herbs, lime juice and crunchy vegetables for an easy summer dinner. Make it a meal: Serve with warm corn tortillas.

All Healthy Tilapia Recipes

Pacific Sole with Oranges & Pecans

Rating: Unrated
17
Not so long ago, Dover sole meant an overcooked fillet swimming in butter, dotted with tasteless dried herbs and soaked in too much lemon juice. But sole deserves a comeback: it can become a satisfying, sophisticated, one-skillet dinner with very little effort. The recipe can easily be doubled.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Tilapia & Poblano Tacos

Rating: Unrated
4
Here's a quick take on fish tacos: just sauté fish, onions and peppers and serve with tortillas and some simple toppings. Poblano peppers vary immensely in heat level and tasting them is the only way to judge how hot they are. So before cooking, taste your poblanos and add a pinch of cayenne or a jalapeño if you want more heat. Use green bell peppers if you want a milder taco.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Fragrant Fish Soup

Rating: Unrated
12
Lemony rice, delicately flavored broth and gently poached tilapia are topped with a colorful blend of vegetables and herbs. The aromatic mint provides fresh and complex flavor.
By Ellen Ecker Ogden

Tilapia Po'Boy

Rating: Unrated
1
Forget deep-fried fish--the tilapia in this healthy po'boy recipe, a classic Cajun sandwich recipe, is coated in cornmeal and cooked in just 2 tablespoons of oil. The result? A healthy, crispy fish sandwich without extra calories. Serve with coleslaw and sweet potato fries.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Tilapia with Tomato-Olive Sauce

Rating: Unrated
2
Top tilapia fillets with a savory tomato-olive sauce that comes together in just 5 minutes. Look for tapenade near jarred olives in the supermarket. Serve with sautéed broccolini and farro tossed with toasted almonds.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Chipotle-Cilantro Tilapia

These delicious fish tacos are a great choice when you need a dinner in under 30 minutes. The tilapia fillets are seasoned with a blend of cumin and chili powder, blackened in a skillet, topped with a scrumptious chipotle-cilantro yogurt sauce and served with warmed corn tortillas.
By Diabetic Living Magazine

Five-Spice Tilapia for Two

Rating: Unrated
11
Chinese five-spice powder, soy sauce and brown sugar make a quick glaze for tilapia in this easy recipe for two.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Bouillabaisse with Spicy Rouille

Rating: Unrated
2
This famous Provençal stew was traditionally a catchall for fishermen's catch of the day. Our version uses ocean-friendly calamari, tilapia and scallops.
By Jessie Price

Whole Roasted Fish in a Salt Crust

Roasting a whole large fish in a salt crust might seem scary, but it's actually quite simple. It's just a matter of placing the fish on top of a bed of salt and patting a layer of salt over the fish--the salt seals in the juices, but amazingly doesn't overwhelm the fish with a salty taste. Present the whole salt-crusted fish at the table if you'd like, then take it to the kitchen to deconstruct it.
By Virginia Willis

Roasted Fish with Potatoes

To save time, use a food processor to slice the potatoes.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Beer-Battered Tilapia with Mango Salsa

Rating: Unrated
13
Lovers of fried fish get the taste without all the calories in this recipe. Seasoned whole-wheat flour improves the usual fish-and-chips batter. A good pilsner or lager makes this dish taste best-and since you only need 1/2 cup, there's some left over for the cook to enjoy.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Tilapia with Herbed Shiitake Sauce

These delicious tilapia fillets are topped with an easy herb and mushroom sauce and can be on your table in just 30 minutes. If you have an extra 15 minutes, try our Caramelized Onion Risotto (see associated recipe) which beautifully rounds out this meal. When shopping for fresh tilapia or other fish fillets, look for moist, cleanly cut fillets with a sweet, not fishy, aroma.
By Diabetic Living Magazine

Fish Fillets with Cucumber Raita

Raita, a traditional Indian condiment consisting of cucumber and yogurt, makes a quick topping for simple sautéed fish fillets.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Barbecue Tilapia Pizza

Red onion, cheddar cheese, and cilantro are the perfect flavor combos in this fun pizza.
By Diabetic Living Magazine

Bok Choy and Mango Stir-Fry with Skillet-Seared Barramundi

Barramundi is high in omega-3s and packed with protein. In this dish it's marinated in a citrus-soy mixture, skillet-seared and served with stir-fried baby bok choy, sweet pepper and sweet mango strips.
By Diabetic Living Magazine

Catfish with Tomatillo Salsa in Packets

Rating: Unrated
2
Tomatillos provide a distinctive tart flavor to a super-easy salsa that cooks with the catfish. Try it with tomatoes too.
By Matthew G. Kadey

Halibut Picante

Rating: Unrated
1
Fish cookery doesn't get any easier than this. Look for the freshest fish you can find--just about any firm, mild white fish will be a fine foil for this spicy tomato sauce.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Fish Fillets with Cilantro Pesto

Pesto doesn't have to be made with basil. Here we use plenty of fresh cilantro to make a brightly flavored pesto to serve over simple sautéed fish fillets.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Cajun Tilapia Po'Boy for Two

Forget the deep fryer--the tilapia in this healthy po'boy recipe, a classic Southern sandwich, is coated in cornmeal and cooked in just 2 tablespoons oil. The result? A healthy, crispy fish sandwich with little added fat. Cajun spice blends can be surprisingly high in sodium. Check the ingredients to find one without added sodium.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Citrus Tilapia with Fruit Salsa

Mild tilapia filets are marinated in an orange-cayenne pepper mixture in this sweet and spicy fish recipe. And because spice is nice--chopped jalapeños are added to the fruit salsa to kick it up the heat just a bit more. Serve over brown rice to round out the meal.
By Diabetic Living Magazine

Baja-Battered Fish

Rating: Unrated
4
You may not think of fish as a taco ingredient, but the Mexican-inspired fish-taco craze is beginning to spread. Once you've had one, you'll understand. This recipe is a healthful version of the battered, deep-fried and crispy fish at Rossy's Tacos in Baja California.
By Stacy Fraser

Open-Face Barbecue Tilapia Sandwiches

Grilled fish nestled on a bed of crunchy coleslaw and capped off with a drizzle of barbecue sauce makes these diabetic-friendly sandwiches sure to please.
By Diabetic Living Magazine

Sweet-and-Sour Fish (Stegte Fisk i Eddike)

Marinating “fried” white fish in a zingy vinaigrette is a terrific way to liven it up (and preserve any leftovers). The flavors get better with time; make it ahead if you can. It's traditionally made with herring in Denmark, but works nicely with any firm-fleshed, smaller white fish, such as catfish or tilapia. You can serve it warm--it's delicious on its own--but we like it best chilled and served as an ingredient on sandwiches.
By Joyce Hendley
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