Dinner Tonight: Crispy Tilapia with Pico de Gallo Salsa Recipe

By
Blake Royer
Blake Royer is a contributing writer at Serious Eats.
Blake Royer
Blake Royer is a former chef, food blogger, and food writer who contributed recipe ideas and Chicago-based content to Serious Eats from the website’s earliest days.
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Updated Sep. 26, 2018

A glistening bowl of chopped summer tomatoes, onions, cilantro, and lime juice—it doesn't get much better than that. But that's the problem with this recipe. If tortilla chips are anywhere nearby, you might skip dinner altogether. If you can guard the fresh pico de gallo long enough to pan-sear some fish—a couple minutes on each side—you'll have a light, healthy summer dinner when combining the two.

I used tilapia in this case, but other white-fleshed fish like halibut will work. All you need to cook the fish: a sprinkle of salt and pepper and a pan of olive oil heated to almost smoking status. This ensures a wonderful crust that isn't overcooked or dry. Use lime juice instead of lemon when the fish comes off the heat, since it'll best marry the pico de gallo flavors.

Recipe Details

Dinner Tonight: Crispy Tilapia with Pico de Gallo Salsa Recipe

Prep 10 mins
Cook 5 mins
Marinating Time 15 mins
Total 30 mins
Serves 4 servings

Ingredients

  • 4 tilapia fillets, seasoned with salt and pepper

  • 2-3 tomatoes, or 1 pint cherry tomatoes

  • 1 medium onion

  • 1 small bunch cilantro

  • 1 clove garlic, pressed through a garlic press

  • 2 limes

  • Olive oil

  • Salt and pepper

Directions

  1. Chop the tomatoes and onions and add to a bowl along with the cilantro, finely chopped. Add a few healthy pinches of salt, black pepper, the garlic, and the juice of one lime. Add a touch of olive oil, no more than one tablespoon, and taste. Adjust for seasoning and allow to sit for at least 15 minutes, preferably longer for the flavors to marinate.

  2. Heat two large nonstick skillets (or one, and cook in batches) over medium-high heat with enough olive oil to cover the bottom. When the oil is almost smoking, lay the fillet in the oil to coat, then turn over to cook opposite side.

  3. Cook, without touching, for one to two minutes per side, depending on thickness. Remove from the heat and plate, topping with the pico de gallo. Squeeze a little lime juice, crack fresh pepper, and serve.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
187 Calories
6g Fat
12g Carbs
25g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4
Amount per serving
Calories 187
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 6g 7%
Saturated Fat 1g 6%
Cholesterol 58mg 19%
Sodium 939mg 41%
Total Carbohydrate 12g 4%
Dietary Fiber 3g 9%
Total Sugars 5g
Protein 25g
Vitamin C 26mg 130%
Calcium 43mg 3%
Iron 1mg 7%
Potassium 652mg 14%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)