The baked tilapia is so easy and tasty. It's perfect for those who don't like the "fishy" taste of some fish.
The Italian Style Baked Tilapia is a great fish dish for those who aren't always fond of the traditional tasting fish. This tilapia has classic Italian flavors and a fish so mild you might forget that it is fish. The easy procedure makes it great for beginning cooks.
Ingredients:
- Italian dressing
- 4 pieces of boneless and skinless tilapia
- Cooking spray
- 1/4 cup spaghetti sauce, any brand
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic salt
- 1/8 teaspoon pepper
- 1/2 onion, sliced
- 1/2 green pepper, sliced
Procedure:
- Marinate the tilapia in the Italian dressing for one hour. After one hour, preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Spray the bottom of a ceramic cooking dish with cooking spray. Pour a little of the Italian marinade off the fish and into the bottom of the dish. Then place the four fish fillets in the dish and discard any remaining marinade.
- In a small bowl, stir together the 1/4 cup spaghetti sauce, 1/4 cup olive oil, garlic salt, and pepper. Mix well and cover the tilapia with the sauce. Add the sliced onions and green peppers to the dish on and around the fish.
- Bake the fish in the oven for about 15 minutes. Then set the oven to broil and broil the fish about five minutes. Watch the fish during the five minutes and remove them if they seem to be overcooking.
- You can serve the Italian Style Baked Tilapia on rice or noodles such as angel hair pasta or spaghetti. This dish would pair well with fresh sliced mozzarella and a green salad.
The Taste of Italian Style Baked Tilapia
While you can serve the fish on pasta noodles to complete the Italian theme, if you are new to fish and pasta combinations the dish is just as delicious when served with rice. The marinara flavoring of the fish goes great with the classic Italian vegetables of onions and green peppers. The fish is so mild that what you taste is the Italian dressing marinade and spaghetti sauce.
More About the Fish Tilapia
Tilapia is a fish that is relatively new to American supermarkets although it has been eaten in Africa and the middle East for thousands of years. It's a "non-fishy" type of fish, which is more pleasing to a wider range of palates. Tilapia is low in calories and fat, making it a healthy choice for dinner. Another attribute of tilapia is that it is relatively inexpensive and some weeks it can even be picked up on sale for a couple dollars, making the entire meal for four people easily under five dollars.
