Tilapia with Potato Noodles and Lemon Chili Pesto

Tilapia is a mild, white fish that goes with many types of cooking, and it’s a good choice for people looking for a less “fishy” taste. The strong flavor in this dish comes from the lemon chili pesto, which provides a spicy kick to an otherwise plain plate. If you don’t want your pesto to be as spicy, you can prepare it more like a traditional pesto, and cut the amount of chili flakes in half or nix them altogether. When buying your fish, look for tilapia sourced from the United States, as it is the most environmentally friendly as well as nutritious option.

Serves 2

3⁄4 pound U.S.-bred tilapia

31⁄2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided

Juice of 1⁄2 lemon

1 large russet potato

1⁄4 teaspoon salt

1⁄4 teaspoon pepper

2 tablespoons pine nuts

1⁄2 cup basil

Juice of 2 lemons

1 tablespoon red chili flakes

5 cherry tomatoes, halved

  1. Preheat oven to 450°F. Place tilapia fillets on a baking sheet lined with aluminum foil. Drizzle 1⁄2 tablespoon olive oil and lemon juice over fish and place in the oven. Bake for about 8 minutes or until tilapia is flaky.
  2. While tilapia is baking, spiralize potato. Peel potato, cut in half crosswise, and slice off both ends. Spiralize using a small-noodle blade.
  3. In a medium pan, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil on medium heat. Add potato noodles and lightly stir them into the oil; season with salt and pepper. Cover and cook for about 8–10 minutes until noodles are soft.
  4. Prepare pesto by adding pine nuts, basil, lemon juice, and 1 tablespoon olive oil to a blender or food processor and blend until almost smooth. Add another 1 tablespoon olive oil and the red chili flakes and blend for just a few seconds to evenly disperse chili flakes.
  5. Serve tilapia and tomatoes over potato noodles and drizzle pesto over entire dish. Serve warm.
9781440594380 Tilapia Potato Noodles

Tilapia with Potato Noodles and Lemon Chili Pesto