Spicy Roasted Pepper Tilapia Skillet (Printable Version)

Vibrant tilapia with spicy roasted peppers in a smoky tomato sauce, ready in 35 minutes.

# What You Need:

→ Fish

01 - 4 tilapia fillets (approximately 6 oz each)
02 - 1 tbsp olive oil
03 - 1/2 tsp salt
04 - 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper

→ Roasted Peppers

05 - 2 large red bell peppers, roasted, peeled, and sliced
06 - 1 large yellow bell pepper, roasted, peeled, and sliced
07 - 1 jalapeño, thinly sliced (seeds removed for less heat, if preferred)

→ Aromatics & Sauce

08 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
09 - 1 medium onion, thinly sliced
10 - 1 can (14 oz) diced tomatoes, drained
11 - 1 tsp smoked paprika
12 - 1/2 tsp ground cumin
13 - 1/2 tsp chili flakes (adjust to taste)
14 - 2 tbsp fresh cilantro, chopped
15 - Juice of 1 lime

# How To Make It:

01 - Pat tilapia fillets thoroughly dry with paper towels. Season both sides generously with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
02 - Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Place tilapia fillets in the pan and sear for 2–3 minutes per side until just opaque and lightly golden. Transfer fillets to a plate and set aside.
03 - In the same skillet, add additional olive oil if the pan appears dry. Sauté sliced onion and minced garlic until softened and fragrant, approximately 3 minutes.
04 - Add roasted red and yellow peppers along with sliced jalapeño to the skillet. Sprinkle in smoked paprika, ground cumin, and chili flakes. Stir well and cook for 2 minutes to bloom the spices.
05 - Pour in drained diced tomatoes. Cook for 4–5 minutes, stirring occasionally, allowing excess liquid to evaporate and flavors to meld into a cohesive sauce.
06 - Return seared tilapia fillets to the skillet, nestling them into the pepper mixture. Spoon sauce generously over the fish. Cover and reduce heat to low. Simmer for 5 minutes until fish is cooked through and flavors have combined.
07 - Remove skillet from heat immediately. Drizzle fresh lime juice over the entire dish and sprinkle with chopped cilantro. Serve directly from the skillet or transfer to a serving platter.

# Helpful Hints:

01 -
  • The roasted peppers create this incredible depth that you normally only get from restaurant meals
  • Everything cooks in one pan so cleanup is practically nonexistent
  • The spice level is totally customizable based on your mood
02 -
  • Patting the fish absolutely dry before searing is what creates that gorgeous golden crust instead of steaming
  • Draining the canned tomatoes prevents your sauce from becoming watery and diluting all those spices
  • Letting the tilapia rest in the sauce for those final 5 minutes makes it more tender and infused with flavor
03 -
  • A fish spatula is your best friend here because its thin edge slips right under delicate fillets
  • Room temperature fish sears more evenly, so let it sit out for 15 minutes before cooking

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