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WW Recipe of the Day: Baked Tilapia with Basil Pesto for One
Summer is basil and lots of basil means PESTO. It’s my summer savory staple that I use in anything and everything including sorbet.
Here pesto is the star of a simple 2-ingredient triumph. Since tilapia is such a mild and subtly flavored white fish, it can be bland and downright boring if you let it. Rich butter sauces help a lot, however that’s rough on the waistline.
Pesto, with its intense herby taste is a healthy, originally Italian from Genoa, olive oil based thick paste of basil, garlic, pine nuts and parmesan. You need very little to flavor the fish and the result is stellar.
It’s easy enough to make pesto if you have a big stash of basil; easier yet to buy a jarred version of Pesto Genovese that’s widely available in the pasta aisle of most supermarkets.
How Many Calories and WW Points in Low Carb Baked Tilapia with Basil Pesto?
According to my calculations, each serving has 207 calories.
To see your WW Points for this recipe, track it in the WW App!
(You must be logged into WW on a smartphone or tablet.)
5 PointsPlus (Old plan)
How to Make Baked Tilapia with Basil Pesto, Step-by-Step
Step 1: Gather and prepare all ingredients.
Step 2: Preheat oven to 350F degrees. Line a small baking dish with foil or parchment paper, and spray it with non-stick cooking spray.
Step 3: Place the fish fillets on a cutting board (affiliate link) and spread the pesto over the top.
Step 4: Roll up the fish and secure with a skewer if it is thick, or simply roll up, then place in the prepared pan.
Step 5: Season fish lightly with salt and pepper. Sprinkle lemon juice over the top.
Step 6: Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until thoroughly cooked.
Step 7: Remove from the oven and serve.
Recipe Notes
One package of tilapia from Trader Joe’s can vary slightly in size and thickness. It comes frozen and when you thaw it you’ll be able to judge whether you need a skewer or not to hold the fillet/s together as they cook. I’ve tried this a few times and found a thin and a thicker fillet in the same package so it’s good to have the bamboo skewers on hand.
Serving Suggestions
Most any grain or vegetable is good alongside this simple fish dish. I’ve served it both with rice and potatoes. A bed of rice under the fish is good as the juices from the fish seep into the rice making it extra yummy.
New potatoes rubbed with a little of the pesto and roasted are delicious. Even a small side of pesto pasta would be lovely.
Any additional veggies like yellow or green zucchini, spinach or broccoli alongside would round out the plate.
A cool and crisp glass of sauvignon blanc is the ideal wine for the fish no matter which side dishes you choose.
Ways to Use Leftovers
Leftover cold roll ups make delightful and tasty cold fish pesto pinwheels that are delicious for lunch or as a salad topper. It would be worth it to make two fillets even if you’re on your own and have the remaining fish pinwheels cold the next day.
You’ll have some pesto left over for sure which I often use for summer salad dressings. Thin it out with a tablespoon of lemon juice or vinegar.
If you’ve made this Baked Tilapia with Pesto, please give the recipe a star rating below and leave a comment letting me know how you liked it. And stay in touch on Pinterest, Facebook, Instagram and Twitter for the latest updates.
Baked Tilapia with Basil Pesto
Ingredients
- 1 tilapia filet (6 ounces)
- 1 tablespoon prepared pesto
- 2 teaspoons lemon juice
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F degrees. Line a small baking dish with foil or parchment and spray with nonstick cooking spray.
- Place the fish on a cutting board (affiliate link) and spread pesto over the top.
- Roll up the filet and secure with a skewer if it is thick, or simply roll and place in the prepared pan.
- Season fish lightly with salt and pepper. Sprinkle lemon juice over the top.
- Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until thoroughly cooked through.
- Remove from the oven and serve.
Notes
(Must be logged into WW on a smartphone or tablet.) 3 SmartPoints (Green plan) 2 SmartPoints (Blue plan) 2 SmartPoints (Purple plan) 5 PointsPlus (Old plan) One package of tilapia from Trader Joe’s can vary slightly in size and thickness. It comes frozen and when you thaw it you’ll be able to judge whether you need a skewer or not to hold the fillet/s together as they cook. I’ve tried this a few times and found a thin and a thicker fillet in the same package so it’s good to have the bamboo skewers on hand.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
