Simple flavors come together for a quick weeknight meal with this Sautéed Tilapia with Peppers and Olives. It’s ready in about 15 minutes and perfect for a quick and easy dinner!
Are you ready for another quick and easy weeknight dinner? I know I sure am! Seafood has been one of my go-to quick weeknight dinner recipes. Not only because it cooks quickly but also because most seafood will defrost quickly too (minus salmon of course). Enter this Sautéed Tilapia with Peppers and Olives. You’re going to be surprised at how flavorful this simple dish really is!
A quick note on tilapia. The majority of tilapia eaten in the United States is imported from Asia and Latin America and yes, it is commercially farmed. Tilapia has been farmed worldwide since the 1940s and 50s. For ‘safe seafood’ I always look to the guidelines by the Monterrey Bay Aquarium Seafood Watch. They provide the recommendations for ‘best choice’, ‘certified’, ‘good alternative’ and what to ‘avoid’. Tilapia is on the list, depending where its sourced, and can be a ‘best choice’. Recommendations include tilapia farmed from Colombia, Indonesia, or Taiwan. Additionally, look to see that it’s certified by the Aquaculture Stewardship Council (ASC), Global Seafood Alliance Best Aquaculture Practices (BAP), or Naturland.
Back to this easy sautéed tilapia recipe. Sautéing peppers and onions really are the star of this recipe if I’m being honest. The sweetness from both the peppers and the onions mixed with the tart lime juice is perfection. I always have some brown rice on hand (stored in my freezer). Throw this over the rice and you’ve got yourself a meal. Without further ado, a simple recipe that is always on rotation in my house!
Ingredients: Sautéed Tilapia with Peppers and Olives
- Tilapia: see my comments above about using sustainable fish. However, any thin, white fish would work here, i.e., haddock, pollock. If you’re using something like halibut, cod, or grouper, they would simply take longer to sear/sauté. Use the fish you love and enjoy!
- Peppers: I used a red pepper here. Known to be a tad ‘sweet’ this along with the onions sautéed really do help bring a simple flavor to your dish. Hopefully you enjoy sautéed peppers and onions as much as I do!
- Onion: choose a sweet Vidalia onion if you can. I find that the sweeter the better when it comes to sautéed peppers and onions. While I listed only one, free to use as many as you like.
- Lime Juice: The acid here just balances out some of the sweet. Some people will feel there isn’t enough ‘liquid’ to serve over rice, so I do say this is a must. Haven’t tried with lemon, I’m simply partial to the lime combination with peppers and onions.
- Green Olives: I’ve added artichokes and olive before to this dish and it really is just ‘bonus’ to the peppers and onions. Additionally, as I don’t use salt to season the fish, the olive help provide some ‘sodium’. Choose which green olive you like the best. I’m partial to Calvestrano, they’re the one green olive I can eat on its own.
- Olive Oil: You’re doing a quick sauté of both the peppers and olives and the fish. I used just one tablespoon for the fish and one for the peppers and onions, however, depending if you add more onion, you might need a smidge more. Sautéing over low heat for the most part, so olive oil is great to use.
- Black Pepper: used to season the fish, feel free to use as much or as little as you like spice wise.
How To Make Sautéed Tilapia with Peppers and Olives
- Heat one tablespoon of the oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Season the fish with 1/4 teaspoon of black pepper and cook until opaque, 4-5 minutes per side.
- Meanwhile, heat the remaining tablespoon of oil in a second large skillet over medium heat. Cook the peppers and onions, stirring often, until tender, 8 to 10 minutes.
- Stir in the olives and lime juice. Season with additional black pepper if needed.
- Serve the peppers and onions with the fish over brown rice.
A Few Tips and Tricks
You will know fillets are done when the flesh is opaque and flakes with a small amount of pressure from the fork.
Tilapia is MILD and has a flakey texture. This is the first fish that I introduced when starting to eat seafood. Promise. It honestly doesn’t taste like much and why these peppers and onions are the star of the show! Tilapia is a versatile fish too, that can fried, sautéed, baked, poached, or grilled.
Tilapia pairs nicely with just about everything including; butter, tropical salsas, chipotle, aioli sauce, Cajun seasoning, lemon grass, and lemon.
Quick Seafood Dinners
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Sautéed Tilapia with Peppers and Olives
Simple flavors come together for a quick weeknight meal with this Sautéed Tilapia with Peppers and Olives. It’s ready in about 15 minutes and perfect for a quick and easy dinner!
- Total Time: 20 minutes
- Yield: 4 1x
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 4 (6-ounce) tilapia fillets
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 2 red bell peppers, thinly sliced
- 1 onion, thinly sliced
- 1/2 cup green olives pitted, thinly sliced
- 2 tablespoons lime juice
- Flat-leaf parsley, optional
- Serve over rice
Instructions
- Heat one tablespoon of the oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Season the fish with 1/4 teaspoon of black pepper and cook until opaque, 4-5 minutes per side.
- Meanwhile, heat the remaining tablespoon of oil in a second large skillet over medium heat. Cook the peppers and onions, stirring often, until tender, 8 to 10 minutes.
- Stir in the olives and lime juice. Season with additional black pepper if needed.
- Serve the peppers and onions with the fish over brown rice.
- Prep Time: 5
- Cook Time: 15
- Category: Dinner
1 thought on “Sautéed Tilapia with Peppers and Olives”
That looks phenomenal! Love how quick seafood is to make for dinner!