Tilapia With Roasted Tomatoes, Capers & Olives
I am working very hard to eat healthy this year and one way I am doing this is to increase my intake of vegetables, to limit red meat, and to focus more on seafood and poultry. Eating seafood every night can get expensive unless you are lucky enough to have fresh, locally caught fish in your area. Here in Florida, tilapia is a light tasting, inexpensive fish that we buy often and because of it’s mild flavor it can be used in many recipes. We have been buying a large package of tilapia in bulk at Costco, and I simply divide it up at home and freeze in meal size servings. I was calculating the cost of this tilapia, and we are able to enjoy a good sized tilapia fillet each for under $2 a portion by buying it this way. Certainly not expensive for seafood!
If you do not have tilapia in your area, any mild white fish fillets would do such as flounder or snapper. I have found that the best way to cook these fillets so they do not dry out is to either bread them and quickly pan fry them, or bake them as I do in this recipe in a sauce of roasted tomatoes. This has quickly become our latest favorite seafood recipe that we have been making once a week since the new year began because it is flavorful, moist, and along with some roasted vegetables makes a perfect quick mid-week dinner. This dish is what Italian home cooking is all about…..fresh local ingredients cooked simply, to truly enjoy the natural flavors of the food.
Buon Appetito!
Deborah Mele 2011

Tilapia With Roasted Tomatoes, Capers & Olives
With just a few additions, basic white fillets become an elegant and delicious entree.
Ingredients
- 4 Skinless, Boneless Fish Fillets (About 6 Ounces Each)
- 2 Pints Cherry Tomatoes
- 3 Tablespoons Olive Oil
- 1/4 Cup Salted Capers, Rinsed Well
- Salt & Pepper
- 4 Tablespoons Chopped Fresh Basil
- 1/3 Cup Pitted Black Olives
Dressing:
- 4 Tablespoons Olive Oil
- 3 Tablespoons Lemon Juice
- Salt & Pepper
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
- In a casserole dish large enough to hold the fish fillets, add the tomatoes, capers, olives, 3 tablespoons olive oil, basil, salt and pepper.
- Roast the tomato mixture for 12 to 15 minutes or until the tomatoes have softened and begun to release their juices.
- Use a large spoon to move the tomatoes aside, and lay the fish fillets in the casserole dish side by side.
- Spoon the tomato mixture on top.
- In a small bowl mix together the dressing ingredients and drizzle this over the fish.
- Bake until the fillets flake easily and are cooked through, about another 10 minutes..
- Serve a fillet per person with a spoonful of the tomato mixture and juice on top.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 4 Serving Size: 1 filletAmount Per Serving: Calories: 298Total Fat: 26gSaturated Fat: 4gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 21gCholesterol: 40mgSodium: 339mgCarbohydrates: 7gFiber: 2gSugar: 4gProtein: 12g
this is so delicious the combination of the capes, roasted tomatoes and olives make any fish heaven
This was absolutely delicious! Thank u!
I’m not a fan of baked fish at all but this looks delicious. I am going to stop on my way home from work and get the fish and making this tomorrow. Can’t wait. I just found this recipe site and I am so glad I did. EVERYTHING looks delicious!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I love making this with a side of linguine! I also like to add a little white wine.
One of my favorite recipes on this site, and I have cooked almost all of them. One pot to clean, fantastic flavors, and simple.
Really wonderful site here, but this one is one of the best recipes to be found among a treasure trove of recipes for Italian food.
Thanks Ben, it is a recipe we make often!
Hi, Deborah:
Very tasty – and equally as wonderful – so easy. (I was going to make chicken picatta but couldn’t face even the small flour mess today.)
Love your Acqua Pazza!
On this one – a few questions….you put the dressing on during the cooking? I thought it was for afterward but can adjust next time. Also – you say chop the basil and put it in before baking (which I did) – yet your picture shows fresh basil when serving. Did you do this for presentation purposes? I put in on also that way as it looks so fresh and pretty.
Thanks for all your help.
This is now in the rotation. ๐
JT
Brand new to this site, the recipe above looks scrumptious….. Will try it this weekend at our gourmet group dinner using Cornish Hens… Will fig glaze the hens first, than smother them with the roasted tomato caper sauce… Anchovy butter will be used while roasting the cherry tomatoes…
Glad to be part of this site Italian Forever…