Spring is here, and I’m moving out of my winter comfort-food zone and into lighter, healthier eating. Nothing crazy, mind you. I tend to favor recipes that lean more towards flavor rather than a favorable calorie count. Breadcrumb-crusted Tilapia makes the transition to cleaner eating pretty easy.

Tilapia is a great fish to try if you don’t eat a lot of fish, or don’t like fish much. It’s a light, white fish that doesn’t have a strong fishy smell. Tilapia’s mild taste tends to pickup the flavor profile of the foods in which it’s cooked. When baked with Italian seasonings, Parmesan cheese, and breadcrumbs, it develops a crispy crust that tastes fantastic.

If the flavor isn’t enough to sell you, the price might. Tilapia is a cheaper fish, making it more economical.

Serving Suggestions

I cooked it the other night as a main course served with a cold noodle salad, and lightly sautéed zucchini. It would be great with Roasted Asparagus and when I make it again, I’ll try it that way.

My recipes make large portions. I had enough leftover for another family dinner. (How’s that for budget-friendly?) I froze those fillets to save for a later meal…fish tacos, which I’ll be sure to share soon.

You Might Like These Too!

Breadcrumb-crusted Tilapia

Print Pin Rate

Course: Dinner

Cuisine: Italian

Prep Time: 10

Cook Time: 15

Total Time: 25

Servings: servings

Author: Four to Cook For

Ingredients

3 lbs fresh tilapia fillets about 5 large fillets
1/2 cup Italian-style breadcrumbs
2 tbsp Italian seasoning
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp onion powder
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese shredded
Extra virgin olive oil for drizzling
Slices of lemon to garnish.
Chopped Italian flat-leaf parsley to garnish.

Instructions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Place breadcrumbs, cheese, and spices in a dredging plate or gallon-freezer bag.
Place one fillet in bag and shake it until coated.
Place on the parchment-covered baking sheet.
Repeat with each fillet. When finished, sprinkle more coating over the fish until thoroughly covered.
Drizzle a bit of olive oil over the fish.
Bake for 15-18 minutes or until fish is flaky.
(Optional). Broil fish at 550 degrees for about 2 minutes if you want more of a golden crust.
Serve with lemon wedges and garnish with parsley, if desired.

Notes

Fillets will vary in size. The ones I had were purchased from Costco and very large. One fillet was easily two servings. Adjust recipe as needed depending on size of fillets, or to keep to recipe, purchase by weight.

Tried this recipe?Leave a comment below or tag @fourtocookfor and hashtag #fourtocookfor on Instagram.

Pin It