Baked Tilapia and Spinach

By
Diana Rattray
Diana Rattray
Diana Rattray
Southern-cuisine expert and cookbook author Diana Rattray has created more than 5,000 recipes and articles in her 20 years as a food writer.
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Updated on 10/17/21
Baked tilapia
Diana Rattray
Prep: 15 mins
Cook: 25 mins
Total: 40 mins
Servings: 4 servings

Looking for a dinner that's flavorful and can be prepared in minutes? Fish and vegetables are a good bet. Tilapia is a budget-friendly white fish that cooks quickly, making it a snap for weeknight meal plans. However, substitute other types of white flaky fish, such as cod or halibut, in place of tilapia if that's what's on special at the grocery store this week. Serve the baked fish and veggies alongside rice pilaf, lemony orzo, or buttered potatoes.

Ingredients

  • 4 to 6 tilapia fillets

  • 8 to 12 ounces spinach

  • 1/4 cup chicken broth

  • 1/4 teaspoon onion powder

  • 1 tablespoon Creole seasoning blend

  • 1 small tomato, chopped

  • 4 green onions, thinly sliced

  • Kosher salt, to taste

  • Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

  2. Spray a 9x13-inch baking dish with cooking spray and layer spinach across bottom of pan.

  3. Sprinkle spinach with salt, pepper, and onion powder. Add chicken broth.

  4. Sprinkle tilapia filets lightly with salt, pepper, and Creole seasoning.

  5. Arrange fillets over spinach and sprinkle with chopped tomato and sliced green onion.

  6. Cover baking dish with foil and bake at 350 F for 12 to 15 minutes, or until fish flakes easily with a fork. Serve immediately.

Tips

  • This recipe is adaptable, particularly when it comes to vegetables. Slice up your favorite quick-cooking veggies, such as portobello mushrooms, and add them to the baking dish. If you want to serve it with vegetables that will take longer to cook than the fish will, saute them separately on the stove.
  • Gauge how long to cook the fish by how thick the fillets are. Tilapia tends to be thin, so it won't need to be baked for a significant amount of time. If you choose a thicker white fish, increase the cooking time by 5 to 10 minutes.
  • Substitute any other type of leafy green vegetable for the spinach. Kale, Swiss chard, or collard greens all work well in this recipe, though they are hardier vegetables and might need to be cooked a bit longer than the spinach.
  • Enjoy the art of presentation by adding freshly chopped herbs as a garnish for the fish. The best options are chopped dill or parsley.
  • If your fish seems overdone or dry, brush the fillets with melted butter to add a little moisture back into them.

Recipe Variations

  • Skillet Tilapia and Spinach: Heat 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat. Sprinkle the fish with salt, pepper, and Creole seasoning and add the fillets to the pan. Cook for 4 to 5 minutes on each side, or until the fish flakes easily. Remove from the pan. Add 1 tablespoon olive oil to the skillet, and then add the spinach, tomato, and sliced green onions, plus salt, pepper, and onion powder. Saute until cooked to desired consistency. Plate the dish with the vegetables on the bottom and the fish on the top.
  • Lemon-Pepper Tilapia and Spinach: Melt 2 tablespoons of butter in the microwave. Mix in 2 teaspoons lemon zest, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, and 1 teaspoon ground black pepper. Pour it over the fish before baking.
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
202 Calories
4g Fat
6g Carbs
37g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4
Amount per serving
Calories 202
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 4g 5%
Saturated Fat 1g 6%
Cholesterol 75mg 25%
Sodium 1081mg 47%
Total Carbohydrate 6g 2%
Dietary Fiber 3g 11%
Total Sugars 1g
Protein 37g
Vitamin C 15mg 73%
Calcium 154mg 12%
Iron 4mg 24%
Potassium 1014mg 22%
*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.)

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