Tilapia Veracruz is so easy that it almost feels like cheating. It’s a wonderful Mexican dish that gives you tasty, healthy fish in under 30 minutes.
Jump to RecipeTilapia Veracruz is Awesome.
It’s a quick and easy way to prepare one of my favorite types of fish.
Tilapia is a healthy source of protein and healthy fats, like omega-3 and omega-6. There are definitely healthier fish, but tilapia’s not bad. Some people give omega-6’s a bad rap, but that’s only true because our diet is out of balance. Our standard diet of highly processed foods have created an imbalance of omega-6 to omega-3.
If you don’t eat processed foods and work to eat healthier, natural foods (like tilapia), then you don’t have a lot to worry about. So stop eating terrible processed foods and go get some tilapia.
Tilapia’s also cheap. You can often find good quality tilapia for under $5/lb, even at stores like Whole Foods.
Finally, tilapia is also sustainable. Tilapia is easy to farm in a way that’s both healthy for the fish and the environment. So a lot of tilapia producers find it easy to follow sustainable practices.
Healthy.
Cheap.
Sustainable.
I love tilapia.
Cooking Tilapia Veracruz
First, you chop and cook some onions and peppers in oil until they just start to brown. This takes 5-10 minutes.
Then you add the rest of your small ingredients and stir it all together.
Next you add the canned tomatoes, stir, and bring it all up to temp.
After it starts to bubble, you submerge the tilapia into the sauce.
You’ll notice I had to switch pans because I didn’t have enough space.
Don’t be like me.
Think ahead and use an appropriately sized pan. Save yourself some dishes.
Serving and Substitutions
Serving
Once the fish is cooked and flaky, serve it over a bed of mixed greens and top it with some chopped green onions and a little more olive oil.
You could also serve it with a half cup of barley or rice to restore your glycogen for the next day.
Less than 30 minutes from start to finish. I got home from work at 8:30 and was in no mood to spend an eternity cooking food. I wanted to eat and go to sleep.
Goal achieved.
Substitutions
You can adjust your tilapia Veracruz to fit whatever ingredients you have in your kitchen.
Want some more vegetables in it?
Add them.
Hate capers?
Take them out.
It’s a really easy dish with a ton of possibilities.
Health variations.
You’ll probably notice a lot of added fat. This is only because I’m trying to make it keto-friendly. If you’re not following a ketogenic diet, you can definitely use less fat.
You could get away with as little as 2 Tbsp of oil, all added initially with the onions and peppers.
Tilapia Veracruz Leftovers
It’s really easy to modify simple dishes like this when making leftovers. It takes almost no effort and is almost like having a completely new meal.
To revamp this dish for leftovers, I started by turning the stove to medium. Then I put a couple of tablespoons of olive oil into a pan, added the leftover tilapia Veracruz, and cracked some eggs on top.
Then I threw some spinach on top and put a lid on the pan.
Once the greens had wilted, I took the lid off, stirred everything together, and put it into a bowl.
Simple leftovers that taste similar to the original, but with a new twist. You could even add some shredded cheese.
Closing
I grew up with this dish, but I think everybody should give it a try.
It’s delicious.
It’s easy.
It’s quick.
It’s healthy.
What more could you ask for?
Tilapia Veracruz
Ingredients
Tilapia Veracruz
- 2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 medium onion chopped
- 10 dashes soy sauce
- 6 small bell peppers chopped
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 1 Tablespoon capers
- 10 queen olives chopped
- 1/2 cup green chile chopped
- 2 Tablespoons sun-dried tomatoes
- 2 14-ounce cans diced tomatoes with juice
- 6 fillets tilapia see note*
Serving
- 1 handful baby arugula
- 1 handful baby spinach
- 1 Tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1 Tablespoon lemon juice
- 2 green onions chopped
- 3 cups cooked rice barley or quinoa also work
Instructions
Tilapia Veracruz
- Heat a deep, wide pot over medium. Add the olive oil, onions, peppers, and soy sauce. Stir to combine and cook for 5-10 minutes until the onions and peppers are soft and just start to brown.
- Add the garlic, capers, olives, green chiles, and sundried tomatoes. Stir to combine. Add the cans of diced tomatoes and stir. Cook until it starts to bubble.
- Add the tilapia fillets and use a spoon to submerge them into the liquid. Cook for 5-10 minutes until the tilapia is flaky.
Serving
- Place the greens on a plate and toss with the lemon juice and the olive oil. Place the fish on top of the greens and finish by sprinkling the green onions on top. Serve with barley or rice if desired.