When I made this for Hubby a few nights ago he deemed it “another restaurant quality meal.” Such a sweet compliment that definitely has a lot more weight now then it did when I first met him, and his favorite place to eat was Taco Bell. Thank goodness he has higher culinary standards.
We bought a huge package of frozen tilapia fillets awhile back, and it’s been such a great go-to on days when I don’t have a chance to grocery shop. It’s comforting knowing there’s always some form of a lean protein waiting for me to transform into a meal. Of course, fresh fish is preferable when you have it accessible, but honestly this works great every time!
Puttanesca is full of flavor and actually a favorite in my family. I’ve ordered it out more times than I can recall, yet realized I had never attempted to make it myself! Fortunately, I had everything I needed for this Italian-style meal. You know I like cooking things that don’t take too much time, so this was ideal for a weeknight dish!
I lightly sauteed fragrant shallots and garlic in a touch of olive oil before adding tangy crushed tomatoes. Salty capers, kalamata olives and a touch of dried herbs rounded out this hearty, yet healthy meal. I prepared everything in one skillet before baking it in the oven, allowing the tilapia to cook in the sauce and soak up the aromatic flavors.
You’ll be left with tender, flaky fillets and only one pan to clean up! Serve over whole wheat pasta, couscous or brown rice!
Ingredients:
*Serves two*
2 (4 oz.) tilapia fillets (If using frozen, defrost in fridge overnight or use the microwave in a pinch)
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 shallots
2 cloves garlic
1/4 cup kalamata olives
1 tablespoon large capers
1 1/2 cups crushed tomatoes with basil (I used Tuttorosso)
Pinch of crushed red pepper, to taste
Pinch of oregano, to taste
Pinch of kosher salt, to taste
Instructions:
Slice shallots into thin strips.
Mince garlic.
Roughly chop olives.
Drizzle olive oil into your pan.
Add garlic and shallots. Sautee a few minutes over medium-high heat.
Add crushed tomatoes.
Throw in olives.
Toss in capers.
Bring to a boil and season with oregano, crushed pepper and kosher salt.
Lower heat and place tilapia fillets in the pan.
Top with sauce.
Cover with foil, and if your pan isn’t oven safe, wrap the handle as well.
Bake for about 15 minutes until fish is flaky and cooked through.
Eat and enjoy this one dish meal!
