Mertzies Baked Pesto Tilapia Recipes

PESTO CRUSTED TILAPIA

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
• Cover a baking sheet with foil and coat with non-stick cooking spray.
• Place fish fillets on baking sheet and sprinkle with black pepper. No salt is needed as pesto and parmesan cheese are both pretty salty.
• In a small bowl, combine pesto, breadcrumbs, and parmesan cheese (hands or a fork will do).
• Divide the topping evenly over the fish fillets, spreading with your fingers and pressing into the fish.
• Bake for 10 minutes at 375 degrees, then switch to broil to crisp up the crust for the last 2-5 minutes.
• If the middle of the fillet flakes with a fork and is completely opaque, it's time to dig in!
• Serve with steamed broccoli and brown rice pilaf for a healthy dinner.

OVEN ROASTED TILAPIA WITH TOMATOES, PESTO AND LEMON

Steps:

• Gently combine the tomatoes, garlic and olive oil with a little salt and pepper if desired and roast in a preheated 425 degree oven for about 10 minutes.
• Juice the lemon and mix SOME of the juice with the pesto, adding more if desired or needed keeping the pesto a nice spreadable consistency and not runny. (Thanks breezer mom!) Spread mixture on top of the fish which has been seasoned with a little more salt and pepper if desired.
• Cut the juiced lemon halves in half again so that you have two pieces of lemon to support each filet. Place a filet on top of two pieces of juiced lemon so that the fish is somewhat out of any liquid that accumulates, allowing it to roast rather than boil.
• Return to oven for about 10 minutes or until the fish is flaky and no longer opaque.
• Plate the fish along with the tomatoes and garlic and serve with more lemon wedges if desired.

PESTO TILAPIA

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• Place foil on a cookie sheet. Place fish on the foil and season to taste with salt and pepper.
• Top with pesto, tomatoes and then cheese (in order).
• Bake for 12-15 minutes or until fish flakes with fork.
• *Note: I don't care for pesto except in this recipe. To prevent wasting the rest of the pesto in the jar, I make one recipe for dinner and freeze the ingredients to have another day. Just place each of the ingredients (except salt & pepper) in its own quart-size freezer bag, then place all in a gallon-size freezer bag along with directions and freeze. When ready to make, just thaw completely and follow the above directions to prepare.

MERTZIE'S BAKED PESTO TILAPIA

Steps:

• 1. Heat oven to 375. Get a large piece of foil for each piece of fish. Spray well w/ cooking spray on one side.
• 2. Place a bed of spinach on the sprayed side of the foil. Lay the tilapia on top & sprinkle w/ a bit of sea salt & squeeze some lemon juice on top. Spread a generous amount of pesto on top, and then add the veggies, lemon slices, and walnuts to the packet.
• 3. Fold foil over loosely to make a packet. Bake the packets on a cookie sheet. After fish cooks about 15-20 minutes, open up the packets carefully & sprinkle w/ some fresh parmesean on top. Continue baking another 5 minutes.
• 4. Enjoy!