Baked Tilapia with Spinach Pecan Pesto

Baked Tilapia with Spinach – Pecan Pesto is an easy recipe that makes a great, healthy weeknight dinner but is elegant enough to serve to guests!

Hey, all!  Here’s a lovely easy recipe that’s light, lean, delicious but also simply beautiful!  It’s one of my most popular recipes that I’ve been doing for clients for years!

Flaky, budget-friendly tilapia is topped with a lemony spinach and pecan pesto then sprinkled with more crunchy pecans for an impressive presentation!  Best of all, it bakes to perfection in under 20 minutes!

What is the truth about tilapia?

Tilapia is possibly one of the oldest fish species to exist in the world.  It is not genetically engineered but originated in the Middle East and Africa.  Biblical scholars believe it was the fish that Jesus used to feed the multitudes in the story of the loaves and fishes.

Today, tilapia is this country’s favorite farmed fish and is farmed all over the world.  Because tilapia is farmed, be sure to buy if from a reputable source; I always buy it at Whole Foods.

Is tilapia good for you?

Although tilapia does not have the high level of heart-healthy omega fatty acids that salmon has, it has more than an equal serving size of chicken, turkey, beef or pork.  It’s a very lean source of protein with 23 grams and only 111 calories per 3.5-ounce serving.  So yes!  It’s good for you!

How to make Baked Tilapia with Spinach – Pecan Pesto:

• Gather up all the ingredients for the pesto:
  • Fresh spinach (I used baby spinach)
  • Extra virgin olive oil
  • Garlic
  • Pecans
  • Parmesan cheese
  • Lemon juice
  • Salt and black pepper to taste

• Combine all the ingredients in a food processor.

• Process until smooth!

• Prepare a baking dish by brushing it with a small amount of olive oil.
• Place the tilapia fillets in the prepared baking dish.
• Top it with a generous amount of the pesto.
• Sprinkle with chopped pecans.

• Bake at 350 degrees for 17-20 minutes.
• That’s it!!
• Serve with lemon wedges.

Delicious!

Much of the olive oil from the pesto will pool around the fish for a lovely olive oil-poached moist and flaky result!  We drizzled it back over the fish on our plates.

You’ll have plenty of pesto left.  Freeze it in small batches for future use or serve with chicken or tossed with pasta!

Other fish you can use:

• You can use any mild, white flaky fish in this dish such as:
  • Halibut
  • Sea bass
  • Flounder
  • Barramundi
  • Grouper

Serve with:

• Garlic Herb Muffin Pan Potato Galettes
• Au Gratin Potatoes for Two
• Perfect Roasted Potato Wedges
• Cauliflower White Bean Puree
• Parmesan Crusted Crushed Turnips
• Roasted Green Beans with Tomato Caper Relish
• Parmesan Roasted Cabbage Wedges

More healthy fish dishes to try:

• Sheet Pan Thai Sweet Chili – Lime Baked Fish with Garlic Broccolini
• Baked Veracruz-Style Fish (Pescado A La Veracruzana)
• Pistachio Crusted Fish with Lemon Dill Aioli
• Indian Spiced Sea Bass with Braised Red Lentils
• Asian Vegetable Noodle Broth Bowls with Pan Seared Fish
• Blackened Halibut with Mango and Avocado Salsa
• Mediterranean Fish en Papillote
• Butter-Basted Halibut with Lemon-Braised Baby Vegetables

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Yield: 2

Baked Tilapia with Spinach - Pecan Pesto

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Baked Tilapia with Spinach - Pecan Pesto is an easy recipe that makes a great, healthy weeknight dinner that's also elegant enough to serve to guests!

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes

Total Time 35 minutes

Ingredients

• 1 bag (10-ounce) baby spinach
• 3 cloves garlic, coarsely chopped
• 1 cup pecan halves and pieces plus more to sprinkle over the top of the fish
• 3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
• Juice of 1/2 lemon (approximately 2 tablespoons)
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 2 or 3 (6-8 ounce) tilapia fillets
• Lemon wedges, for serving

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly oil a baking dish and set aside.
2. Combine spinach, olive oil, garlic, whole pecans, lemon juice and Parmesan cheese in a food processor. Process until smooth. Season to taste with salt and black pepper.
3. Place the tilapia fillets in the prepared baking dish.
4. Top each filet with a heaping spoonful of the pesto (approximately 1/2 cup total) and spread it over the fish fillets.
5. Sprinkle a few chopped pecans over the top.
6. Bake for 17-20 minutes or until fish easily flakes with a fork.
7. Serve with lemon wedges.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

2

Serving Size:

1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 332Total Fat: 32gSaturated Fat: 6gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 24gCholesterol: 15mgSodium: 316mgCarbohydrates: 7gFiber: 1gSugar: 1gProtein: 7g

The nutritional information above is computer-generated and only an estimate. Please do your own research with the products you're using if you have a serious health issue or are following a specific diet.

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