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This Spanish Tilapia is super easy and budget-friendly. I serve it with Saffron Rice and usually some sort of green veggie.

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The truth is, we don’t eat a lot of fish or seafood at our house. Brian isn’t particularly fond of it … and I didn’t eat much of it growing up – so my knowledge of how to cook or prepare it is severely lacking compared to other things. However, this Spanish Tilapia, is one of the few fish dishes I adapted from a version my mom makes!
The extent of my fish or seafood experience growing up amounted to frozen fish sticks or clams, salmon patties and tuna sandwiches. No joke. I remember us having shark steak once ….. and something with shrimp maybe a handful of times? As a kid, I actually had it in my mind that “I didn’t like that kind of stuff” because, well, I never really had it.

As an adult, I am more adventurous in my eating (have I ever told y’all the story of my friend Ty and I at the Chinese restaurant?! Bahahaha!! If not, I’ll have to enlighten you to my shenanigans! Be forewarned, you may never want to be seen dining with me in public!) – and I have tried several fish and/or seafood dishes that I have enjoyed. Almost all of those experiences have been at restaurants – because I have no clue what I’m doing with those dishes. I’m learning, though! 🙂
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Spanish Tilapia
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Ingredients
- 1 pound tilapia fillets
- salt & pepper, to taste
- a swirl of olive oil
- 1 small onion, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 can Italian-style diced tomatoes, 14.5 oz.
- ¼ cup sliced black olives
- ¼ cup sliced green olives
- ½ lemon, sliced
- cooked rice or pasta, for serving (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat your over to 400°F.
- Season the tilapia with salt and pepper and place it in a lightly sprayed or buttered baking dish or sheet pan.
- In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook until the onion softens, about 4-5 minutes. Add the tomatoes, black and green olives, and lemon slices. Bring just to a boil and reduce heat to medium-low to maintain a simmer. Allow the mixture to simmer for 10 minutes.
- Divide the tomato mixture evenly over the tilapia.
- Bake for 10-13 minutes or until the fish flakes easily with a fork.
- Serve the tilapia with some of the tomato-olive mixture over the top with rice or pasta on the side.
Notes
To cook in a skillet on the stovetop:
- Season the tilapia with salt and pepper and set aside.
- In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook until the onion softens, about 4-5 minutes. Add the tomatoes, black and green olives, and lemon slices. Bring just to a boil and reduce heat to medium-low to maintain a simmer. Allow the mixture to simmer for 10 minutes.
- Add the fish to the skillet and cook for 7-9 minutes or until the fish flakes easily with a fork. Discard the lemon slices.
- Serve the tilapia with some of the tomato-olive mixture over the top with rice or pasta on the side.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Originally published on October 3, 2013. Updated on April 24, 2021.




That looks so good and healthy!
Happy SITS Day!
~Holly from Desert Momma
(new follower from SITS)
This tilapia sounds delicious!!
Thank you for a good fish recipe. We hardly ever eat fish and it's because I don't have quick easy recipes. I do like Tilapia though. I will give it a try!
My hubby would LOVE this recipe! Am definitely going to make it for him! Happy SITS day! 🙂
that looks so good Jamie.
Anne xx
Tilapia is one of the few kinds of fish I'll eat… mostly because it doesn't really taste like fish!
Happy SITS Day!
Happy SITS day, Jamie!
Jamie, I like fish though don't make it as often as I know I should! I need some more easy recipes, like this one, which also looks delicious! Thanks for sharing and pinning! Have a great Thursday!
I don't make fish often either {lack of proper knowledge on cooking mainly!} but your recipe sounds easy enough. Will have to use Bream though, Tilapia is not very common in SA. {pinned!}
I love olives and tomatoes with tilapia!! Looks so yummy! Pinning! 🙂