Baked Tilapia Recipe with Pecan Rosemary Topping

This baked tilapia recipe is easy enough for a weeknight dinner. I dare you not to snack on the pecan rosemary topping while you're putting it all together! 222 calories and 4 Weight Watchers Freestyle SP

Baked Tilapia Recipe with Pecan Rosemary Topping

This baked tilapia recipe is directly inspired by one of my favorite Manhattan meals. It's a testament to how my brain works that 95% of my memories of living in New York City revolve around food. One of our favorite haunts was Union Square. From the Smiling Pumpkin Ale at Heartland Brewery to the abundance of fresh, local vegetables at the Greenmarket, it had a "food lovers" vibe about it. Just a couple of skips away from the square is the Union Square Cafe, a New York City institution of the restaurant scene.

My husband and I enjoyed a couple of wonderful meals at the Union Square Cafe, but the real reason I'm telling you all of this is to get to one of the most modest dishes...well, snacks...served at the restaurant. The bar nuts. They narrowly edge out my crave-worthy Curry Spiced Nuts.

These little nuggets are more flavorful than any roasted nuts I've ever come across, and they have become a family favorite. Tossed with olive oil, fresh rosemary, brown or coconut palm sugar and cayenne, these nuts are the perfect partner for a martini or a beer.

When I pulled some tilapia fillets out of the fridge the other day, I was poised to make my usual Baked Tilapia with Pesto recipe (a dish that surprisingly makes my kids cheer when I tell them what's for dinner). However, those bar nuts snuck into my mind and it struck me that those same flavors that make the nuts so crave-worthy would work beautifully as a crust for the tilapia.

This was a hit with all three of my boys, big and little. And really, you can't beat a flavorful seafood recipes that offers a mere 222 calories per serving, and a good dose of healthy fats.

It may not be the same as a trip back to New York City, but it certainly makes for a satisfying meal.

The baked tilapia recipe:

This healthy baked tilapia recipe comes together in two easy parts.

First, the pecans, panko breadcrumbs, rosemary, coconut palm sugar (or brown sugar), salt, cayenne pepper and olive oil are tossed together and toasted in the oven.

Next, the tilapia fillets are dipped into egg white, then crusted with the pecan rosemary mixture and baked until the tilapia is just cooked through.

Serve this up with a farro salad or toasted brown rice with a side steamed veggies.

Other healthy tilapia recipes:

Fisherman's Soup with Tilapia, Shrimp, Tomatoes & Capers
Baked Tilapia with Arugula Walnut Pesto & Breadcrumb Crust
Roasted Za'atar Tilapia with Pickled Cucumbers

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Baked Tilapia Recipe with Pecan Rosemary Topping

Healthy baked tilapia recipes are fantastic for easy weeknight dinners or entertaining. This one is topped with a rosemary pecan crust.

5 from 6 votes

Print Pin Rate

Course: Entrees

Cuisine: American

Keyword: Healthy Dinner Recipes, Seafood Recipes

Prep Time: 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 18 minutes minutes

Total Time: 33 minutes minutes

Servings: 4 Servings

Calories: 222.4kcal

Author: Dara Michalski | Cookin' Canuck

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Ingredients

• ⅓ cup chopped raw pecans
• ⅓ cup whole wheat panko breadcrumbs
• 2 teaspoons chopped fresh rosemary
• ½ teaspoon coconut palm sugar or brown sugar
• ⅛ teaspoon salt
• 1 pinch cayenne pepper
• 1 ½ teaspoon olive oil
• 1 egg white
• 4 4 ounces each tilapia fillets

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• In a small baking dish, stir together pecans, breadcrumbs, rosemary, coconut palm sugar, salt and cayenne pepper. Add the olive oil and toss to coat the pecan mixture.
• Bake until the pecan mixture is light golden brown, 7 to 8 minutes.
• Increase the heat to 400 degrees F. Coat a large glass baking dish with cooking spray.
• In a shallow dish, whisk the egg white. Working with one tilapia at a time, dip the fish in the egg white and then the pecan mixture, lightly coating each side. Place the fillets in the prepared baking dish.
• Press the remaining pecan mixture into the top of the tilapia fillets.
• Bake until the tilapia is just cooked through, about 10 minutes. Serve.

Notes

Weight Watchers Points: 4 (Freestyle SmartPoints), 5 (Old SmartPoints), 6 (Points+)

Nutrition

Serving: 1Tilapia Fillet | Calories: 222.4kcal | Carbohydrates: 6.7g | Protein: 26.8g | Fat: 10.8g | Saturated Fat: 1.4g | Cholesterol: 55mg | Sodium: 153.3mg | Fiber: 1.6g | Sugar: 0.4g

Tried this recipe?If you make this recipe, I'd love to see it on Instagram! Just use the hashtag #COOKINCANUCK and I'll be sure to find it.

This recipe was originally posted on March 13, 2013, and has been updated.

Disclosure: I am a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for me to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.
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