This Mediterranean tilapia recipe will make you feel like you’re dining at a seaside restaurant in Italy or Greece! Made with fresh veggies, herbs, spices, and fish, it’s simple to prepare, and ready in under an hour.
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Baked Mediterranean Tilapia Perfection
If you’re familiar with the Mediterranean diet, you probably know that its guidelines recommend eating fish a few times a week. We do our best to follow this principle, though we have to admit it’s not always a it with our kids.
However, one thing we know they’ll always eat is this Mediterranean baked tilapia recipe! The tilapia takes on the flavor of the rest of the ingredients for a savory meal bursting with bold flavors. (Plus, it doesn’t hurt that the white fish looks a little like chicken.)
Served over a bed of rice, it’s the perfect recipe for busy weeknights or date nights.
The Ingredient Lineup You’ll Need
You’ll find staples of the Mediterranean diet in this recipe like lots of fresh veggies, olive oil, and lean protein! Tossed together and baked, they create a flavor profile no one can resist.
- Vegetables – Baby tomatoes, green pepper, shallot, garlic cloves, and sun-dried tomatoes create a savory base full of nutrients and Mediterranean inspiration.
- Olives – We use Kalamata olives for a boost of healthy fats and a briny taste that compliments the herbaceousness of the dish. If you’re an olive hater, feel free to leave them out!
- Olive Oil – This is used to coat the veggies, helping enhance their flavors and caramelize just slightly as they bake.
- Herbs and Spices – Dried oregano, salt, black pepper, cumin, and paprika create a bold, peppery, savory flavor with just a hint of heat. Then, we sprinkel fresh parsley on top for extra freshness you’ll love.
- Tilapia – Use large boneless, skinless tilapia filets.
Easy Steps to Master Our Baked Mediterranean Tilapia Recipe
One of the best things about fish is that it’s so quick to make! With minimal prep time and a quick cook time, this oven baked tilapia has a total time of under an hour to get you in and out of the kitchen in a pinch!
- Combine and bake the veggies. In a baking dish, combine the tomatoes, olives, pepper, shallot, garlic, sun-dried tomatoes, olive oil, oregano, salt, and pepper. Toss to distribute, and transfer the mixture to a preheated oven until the tomatoes soften.
- Burst the tomatoes. Gently burst the tomatoes with a knife or fork if they haven’t already split.
- Season the fish. In a separate bowl, combine the cumin, paprika, salt, and pepper. Sprinkle the seasoning mixture evenly over the tilapia filets.
- Bake the fish. Place the tilapia on top of the tomato mixture in the baking dish. Return the dish to the oven, and bake until the fish easily flakes with a fork.
- Serve. Garnish with fresh parsley, and serve your baked tilapia over a bed of cooked rice.
Serving Suggestions
We love to serve this recipe over a bed of fluffy rice. However, it also tasted great with quinoa or harissa potatoes.
And if you really want to jazz it up, try including appetizers or sides such as no-knead olive focaccia bread, cucumber tomato tahini salad, or tomato pesto puff pastry. Then, top off your meal with stuffed Medjool dates or salted tahini chocolate chip cookies for something sweet!
How to Store and Reheat
This recip is best served right away while the fish is still hot and fresh. However, if you have leftovers, they can be transferred to an airtight container and stored in the fridge for up to three days.
Reheat your tilapia covered in the oven at 275 degrees Fahrenheit for about ten minutes or until your desired temperature is reached.
Common Questions About This Mediterranean Baked Tilapia Recipe
Yes! In fact, seafood of all kinds, including tilapia is encouraged on the Mediterranean diet.
Tilapia is a type of white fish, freshwater fish native to Africa.
Yes, tilapia is a great source of protein and is relatively low in fat, making it a great addition to a healthy diet.
Feel free to use any kind of fish or shrimp you like best! Just keep in mind that the flavor profile of the dish may change slightly, depending on what you use.
You’ll know your fish is cooked when it is white, can easily be flaked with a fork, and has reached an internal temperature of 145 degrees Fahrenheit.
More Easy Fish Recipes
Looking for more ways to incorporate fish into your diet? Try out the tasty recipes below!
- Air Fried Tilapia with Mango Salsa
- Parmesan Crusted Salmon with Mango Salsa
- Baked Feta Salmon
- Easy Salmon Burgers
Easy Mediterranean Tilapia Recipe
Ingredients
- 3 cups baby tomatoes half of them sliced in half
- 1/2 cup Kalamata olives chopped
- 1/2 cup green bell pepper chopped
- 1 small shallot diced
- 4 garlic cloves minced
- 1/4 cup sun-dried tomatoes
- 2 Tablespoons olive oil
- 1 Tablespoon oregano
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- 4 tilapia fillets
- Fresh parsley for garnish
- Cooked rice for serving
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit (200 degrees Celsius).
- In a baking dish, combine the baby tomatoes, olives, green pepper, shallot, garlic, sun-dried tomatoes, olive oil, oregano, salt, and pepper.3 cups baby tomatoes, 1/2 cup Kalamata olives, 1/2 cup green bell pepper, 1 small shallot, 4 garlic cloves, 1/4 cup sun-dried tomatoes, 2 Tablespoons olive oil, 1 Tablespoon oregano, 1 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- Transfer the baking dish to the preheatd oven for 30 minutes or until the tomatoes have softened and the flavors have melded together.
- After 30 minutes, remove the dish from the ovenm and carefully burst the baby tomatoes that haven’t already split.
- In a separate bowl, combine the cumin, paprika, salt, and pepper. Sprinkle this seasoning mixture evenly over the tilapia fillets.1 teaspoon cumin, 1 teaspoon paprika, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper, 4 tilapia fillets
- Place the seasoned tilapia fillets on top of the roasted tomato and olive mixture in the baking dish.
- Return the baking dish to the oven, and bake for an additional 10 minutes or until the tilapia is cooked through. The fish should easily flake with a fork!
- Once everything is cooked, remove the dish from the oven, and garnish with fresh parsley.Fresh parsley for garnish
- Serve the tilapia and tomato-olive mixture immediately over a bed of cooked rice.Cooked rice for serving
- Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Equipment
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Love this recipe! Thank you. I used cod instead of tilapia.
So healthy, and just delicious…as all your recipes are. Thanks again!
Thank you so much! We’re glad you enjoyed it, Christine. 😊
Xo,
Alia & Radwa
This is so wholesome and delicious! I didn’t have any tilapia so I used salmon instead and added rice. My whole family loved it. Will definitely be adding this to our meal rotation!
We’re so happy to hear this, Melynda! Thank you for trying it out!
Xo,
Alia & Radwa