This inexpensive, delicious and healthy tilapia recipe is made better with a sprinkle of za’atar and a dose of quick pickled cucumbers.
Cheap, simple and healthy – three of the reasons that I often turn to tilapia for weeknight meals. But just because it isn’t one of the “fancy” fishes, tilapia still deserves to be dressed up with spices and herbs. Its mild flavor and medium-firm flaky texture makes it perfect for broiling, baking or poaching – and it’s fantastic in a Fisherman’s Soup.
I turned to za’atar, a Middle Eastern herb mixture, along with a quick rub of olive oil, to add a burst of flavor to the tilapia. Za’atar is typically a combination of sumac, sesame seeds and herbs, such as thyme, marjoram and oregano. It can be found in most Middle Eastern markets, in spice shops and even on Amazon.
As fantastic as za’atar is for imparting flavor, the real star of the show here is the pile of quick pickled cucumbers on top. A little vinegar, salt, honey and parsley – and about 10 minutes – is all it takes. Prepare the pickled cucumbers first, then work on cooking the fish. By the time the fish is done, the cucumbers will be perfectly pickled!
Serve this alongside a vegetable quinoa salad for a healthy, satisfying meal.
Other tilapia recipes:
Cookin’ Canuck’s Fisherman’s Soup with Tilapia, Shrimp, Tomatoes & Capers
Cookin’ Canuck’s Baked Tilapia with Arugula Walnut Pesto
Call Me PMC’s Asian Tilapia Lettuce Wraps
Lisa’s Dinnertime Dish’s Grilled Fish Taco Bowls
The Garlic Diaries’ Blackened Tilapia with Cucumber Avocado Salsa
Roasted Za'atar Tilapia Recipe with Pickled Cucumbers
Ingredients
The Pickled Cucumbers:
- 3 tablespoons rice vinegar
- 1/2 teaspoon honey
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons minced flat-leaf parsley
- 1 cup thinly sliced English cucumber peel on
Instructions
The Pickled Cucumbers:
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the rice vinegar, honey and salt. Add the cucumbers and toss to coat with the vinegar sauce. Let sit while the fish cooks.
The Fish:
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Lightly coat a baking dish with cooking spray.
- Rub each tilapia fillet with 1 ½ teaspoon olive oil, then sprinkle 1 teaspoon of za’atar on each fillet, coating both sides). Season with salt.
- Place the tilapia in the prepared baking dish. Cook until the tilapia is just cooked through, 8 to 10 minutes.
- Serve with the pickled cucumbers.
Notes
Nutrition
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Jill Fisher
I agree with @Erin – never thought of using zaatar (love it for the earthy taste) with fish. Would be a nice change from my usual Old Bay seasoning and lemon-herb marinades I use. This is definitely a must-try recipe. The only thing I’d leave out is cucumbers as I am not fond of it. I’d go with pickled peppers or carrots instead.
Zaatar does add a punch to many dishes. Though, quality of zaatar mixes vary a lot. Most in the market contain fillings like wheat, or even citric acid in place of sumac, and importantly low quality and much less portion of zaatar herb. And home blends don’t taste the same without zaatar/wild thyme. That’s why I get my blend from https://www.eatzaatar.com which offers zaatar directly from a farm in Lebanon.
Jenny | Honey and Birch
I’ve never used za’atar before – I need to order some ASAP.
Erin @ Dinners, Dishes, and Desserts
I love za’tasr seasoning, this looks like such a light and flavorful dinner!
Michelle @ The Complete Savorist
We cook tilapia at this house and this would be a great way to change it up.
Katerina @ Diethood
This is a stunning dish and I’m loving the addition of zaatar!!
Des @ Life's Ambrosia
I must try to get my hands on Zaatar. I’ve seen it used in plenty of recipes, heading to my spice store to find it!
Frank Mosher
I have no problem with your endeavours in attracting sponsors for your blog, but to choose some weird middle east spice concoction, unlabelled as to Nutritional information, let alone ingredients , (which would probably be stopped at the border entering through Canada Border Agency anyway) has simply no rational! Period! And I love Amazon! And I use tons of middle east spices! And I very much like your blog!
shawnna griffin
hey girl this looks so yummy!
Erin @ The Speckled Palate
I love this, Dara! We don’t ever make tilapia at our house, for some unknown reason, and I need to change this because your recipe looks delightful! Strangely enough, we’ve got za’atar because we love those flavors, but we’ve never used it on fish. Adding that to our to-make list and I absolutely cannot wait. I have a feeling this tilapia paired with the quick pickled cucumbers is a delightful summertime dish!